Company Profile

Netcells Cryogenics is a privately owned South African stem cell bank staffed with a world-class team of scientists, technologists and doctors.

Netcells has an affiliation with Smart Cells International, the longest established stem cell bank in the United Kingdom. In the unlikely event that Netcells ceases to exist for whatever reason, then Smart Cells will ensure the future storage and management of Netcells’ stem cells.

Netcells is in excellent financial health. It has been entirely funded by its shareholders and has absolutely no external debt.

Laboratory Accreditation

It is extremely important to ensure that the laboratory you choose to store with complies with appropriate International Accreditation standards relating specifically to the processing and storage of stem cells. This gives you assurance that the laboratory adheres to the strictest regulatory standards and that the stem cells are properly processed and that they are in fact viable upon storage. Accreditation also gives you assurance that should the stem cells ever be required, that they will be acceptable by transplant centres across the world.

There are only 3 recognisable international accreditation standards in this regard :

• The Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
• The American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)
• Facility for Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT)

All 3 bodies recommend storage in bags.

Netcells Laboratory

Netcells has a state-of-the-art laboratory with a Class A Clean Room processing facility, situated in Midrand, Gauteng.

Netcells laboratory is AABB, Netcord FACT (USA) compliant and currently undergoing SANAS accreditation.

Netcells processed and stored it first cord blood sample on 21 December 2006 and has stored over 2,000 samples. We have successfully thawed 3 samples with excellent viability results. Netcells also processes peripheral blood stem cells for leading South African Haematologists and Oncologists and has to-date successfully transplanted over 100 cancer patients.

Netcells laboratory has developed its own specialised in house Flow Cytometry testing, to count the number of stem cells collected and to ensure that they are in fact viable for storage. We have strict limits in place for storage and will advise you whether the cells have been successfully stored or whether it is advisable not to store. In case of the latter, you will not be liable to pay the Processing and Storage Fee.

Our premises are situated in a secure area, with security guards, which are camera monitored and alarm protected. We have back-up processing equipment, should any of our equipment malfunction. Our storage tanks are automatically topped up with liquid nitrogen and alarm activated, should the liquid nitrogen levels ever get low. We also have uninterrupted power supply (UPS) and a back-up generator in the event of a power failure.

Netcells owns all of its laboratory equipment outright and none of it is leased. There is therefore no risk of the equipment ever being repossessed.

We operate on a totally transparent basis and you are therefore more than welcome to come and visit our laboratory at anytime and see our operations for yourself.

Bio-Vault Laboratory

Netcells has an exclusive partnership with Smart Cells International to provide stem cell storage for South Africa and the rest of Africa, in the United Kingdom.

Smart Cells’ laboratory, Bio-Vault is situated in the Science and Medical Park in Plymouth. Bio-Vault has a Class A Clean Room Processing Facility and is accredited with the Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (MHRA) under the Human Tissue Authority of the British Government.

Bio-Vault has been storing cord blood since January 2001 and has to-date stored over 10,000 samples. Of these stored samples, 4 have been successfully retrieved and transplanted. Bio-Vault also does processing of peripheral blood stem cells for the NHS.

• Privately owned South African Stem Cell Bank, with no external debt.


• Netcells has an affiliation with Smart Cells International, the longest established stem cell company in the United Kingdom.


• Option of both local and international storage.


• Smart Cells will take over the storage of the stored stem cells in the unlikely event that Netcells should cease to exist.


• Netcells’ Laboratory is currently undergoing accreditation, with the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB).


• Cord blood collection kits are a manageable size and easily carried.


• Latest ambient temperature controlled kits (not polystyrene boxes) for transport to the laboratory. This ensures that the cells remain at room temperature and protects them from being exposed to extreme fluctuations in temperature, which can affect the cells viability and cause them to die during transportation.


• As Netcells is a local South African laboratory, transit time of the cells to the laboratory is within 24 hours, ensuring minimal delay in processing time, resulting in better viability results than stem cells processed overseas.


• Flow cytometry testing is carried out on the cells ensuring that they are in fact viable for storage. If they are not viable, then you aren’t liable to pay the processing and storage fee. A Certified Results Certificate is issued on the number and viability of the stem cells stored.


• Storage of stem cells in bags (not vials), which ensures that the stem cells can be aseptically transplanted.


• Netcells laboratory also does processing, testing and storage of peripheral blood stem cells for leading oncologists and haematologists in South Africa, with excellent results on thawing and transplantation. This is proof that our technology works.


• Consultants in all major areas in South Africa offering personalised service to each client.
  

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