Americord Applauds Promising Research Results Into The Treatment Of Hurler Syndrome With Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells

Americord Registry, a leading private cord blood bank, applauds a new study that reports on the successful use of umbilical cord blood transplants in the treatment of Hurler's syndrome. Hurler's syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by the body's inability to produce a critical enzyme, called alpha-L-iduronidase. Children born with Hurler's syndrome experience significant health issues, including dwarfism and mental retardation. They also frequently suffer from serious complications such as deafness, halted growth, joint disease, and heart valve problems. Sadly, Hurler syndrome frequently leads to the death of children before they reach the age of 10.

The retrospective study, which was conducted at the University Medical Center Utrecht, in Utrecht, Netherlands, compared the medical outcomes in patients who received bone marrow transplantation versus those who received umbilical cord blood transplantation. The study's lead author was Jaap Jan Boelens, MD, PhD. An article in Blood, a journal published by of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) reported that umbilical cord blood transplants had a higher rate of cell engraftment and normal enzyme levels than those who had received transplants from bone marrow stem cells.

"There are already over 80 diseases and conditions that have been treated with cord blood stem cells," said Americord CEO Martin Smithmyer. "And every day, all around the world, researchers continue to pursue new medical uses of stem cells. We are inspired by their dedication and committed to helping today's parents open up these potential medical options for their children, should they ever need them."

As a national leader in cord blood banking, Americord Registry has led the way in developing techniques and practices designed to best collect, process, and store stem cells from cord blood for purposes of future medical use. The company offers parents-to-be the ability to effectively preserve stem cells from umbilical cord blood, cord tissue, and placenta tissue. Americord plans to launch a proprietary product, called CordAdvantage, which will harvest stem cells from the cord blood found in the placenta.

About Americord Registry
Americord Registry, one of the fastest growing cord blood banks, is a leader in the advancement of umbilical cord blood, cord tissue and placenta tissue banking. Americord collects, processes, and stores newborn stem cells from umbilical cord blood for future medical or therapeutic use, including the treatment of more than 80 blood diseases such as sickle cell anemia and leukemia. Founded in 2008, Americord is registered with the FDA and operates in all 50 states. The company's laboratory is CLIA Certified, accredited by the AABB and complies with all federal and state guidelines and applicable licenses. Americord is headquartered in New York, NY. You may visit Americord Registry's website at http://cordadvantage.com/ for more information. You may also find Americord Registry on Facebook and follow the company on Twitter.