Cord blood in a rapidly evolving biotherapies landscape

Since the identification of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in umbilical cord blood (CB) by Broxmeyer in the 1980s,¹ the primary clinical use of CB remains as an unrelated donor source for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, the presence of additional progenitor cells and growth factors in CB and cord tissue also makes them readily available sources of cells and biomaterials potentially suitable for use as starting material to manufacture a wide range of evolving biotherapies. CB banks, with their existing infrastructure and readily available inventory of fully characterized CB units, are well-positioned to contribute to the development and implementation of CB and cord-tissue based biotherapies.