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Alternative to Embryonic Stem Cell Research Offered by Genetic and Cancer Specialist "More Questions Than Answers."

Philadelphia, PA March 15, 2004. When South Korean researchers successfully cloned embryonic stem cells it evoked fierce public reaction. Skeptics fear the beginning of the end of protection of unborn life. Advocates on the other hand paint a hopeful picture driven by a strong premise: incurable diseases are supposed to be healed. Without a doubt, the use of embryonic stem cells raises numerous ethical and scientific questions.

Dr. Carlo Croce, MD, Director of the Kimmel Cancer Institute and Kimmel Cancer Center at the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA and member of the CorCell Scientific and Medical Advisory Board suggests there will be a long time before any patients could be treated with cloned embryonic cells. There are a multitude of problems that must be addressed before this event could take place. For example: during the Korean experiments, the researchers required 242 egg cells which produced 30 blastocysts - a success rate of only 10 percent. While this number will significantly decline as stem cell lines are established from these blastocysts, it is likely that each individual patient could require at least a dozen egg cells that must come from somewhere.

Recognizing this first success however simply raises more questions than it answers. The cloning of an embryo functioned in women when the genetics of the nucleus brought into the egg matched with the egg. It was not successful when a male nucleus or a nucleus from another woman was brought into the egg cell. Thus, for male patients or for women in menopause the possibility of therapeutic cloning does not yet exist. Even in an ideal situation, the emerging cell clone will never perfectly match because there is always some genetic information left over from the egg cell. A one hundred percent identical clone can only be produced if one uses the patientÕs own egg cells.

Viable Alternatives
Right now there are other significant alternatives that are being successfully utilized in stem cell transplantation. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells are genetically younger than cloned embryonic stem cells, can be easily obtained, and are risk free. There is no ethical issue about their use because umbilical stem cells are a natural component of the blood in the afterbirth, and would otherwise be regarded as part of the medical waste of childbirth.

By comparison, the cloned embryo contains its genetic formation out of the artificially implanted cell nucleus. In cases with an adult donor, the genetic formation is as old as that particular donor. The best example of this is the cloned sheep Dolly. At the age of five years Dolly already suffered from age related diseases just like her genetic mother who was twice as old. Umbilical cord blood stem cells, on the other hand, are collected at birth. You would start calculating the age of the cord blood stem cells from the point of birth, and therefore they are as young as possible.

In addition, Dr. Croce foresees other problems with embryonic stem cells. Animal experiments have shown that serious cancer frequently develops when the animals received manipulated embryonic stem cells. Some of these are very aggressive tumors stemming from remaining embryonic cells which eventually develop as the transplant recipient ages. Dr. Croce believes the inborn carcinogenic risk of the technique to be a very serious obstacle. No such problems exist with the use of umbilical cord blood stem cells.

To date, there have been over 3,500 successful umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cell transplantations performed all over the world to treat a multitude of malignancies such as leukemia. Ongoing research has uncovered far broader applications for umbilical cord blood stem cells as they can differentiate into many tissue types such as nerve, vascular, bone, and other tissues. In a recent study, it was shown in animal experiments that umbilical cord blood can clearly diminish the sequences of a stroke. Certainly some years will pass before this umbilical stem cell treatment can be used with patients.

Many foresee a promising future when we consider what could eventually be achieved with embryonic stem cells. In addition, New JerseyÕs recent announcement to spend $6.5 million to create a publicly funded research institute to develop new treatments using embryonic stem cells is encouraging. But, much success is being achieved today with readily available UCB stem cells while faster and potentially even greater achievements will take place longer term using umbilical cord blood stem cell sources.

Dr. Carlo Croce is Director of the Kimmel Cancer Institute and Kimmel Cancer Center at the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors among which are included the Outstanding Investigator Award, National Cancer Institute from 1985 through 1992; The John Scott Prize; the Pasarow Cancer Award; the CLAS Distinguished Scientist Award; Scientific Excellence in Medicine Award, American Italian Cancer Foundation; the R. Bourgine Award and Gold Medal of Paris in 1999; and the AACR-Pezcoller International Award for Cancer Research in 1999. He is also a member of the CorCell Scientific and Medical Advisory Board.

About CorCell CorCell, headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is a national leader in private family cord blood banking and stores its cord blood collections in its internationally known, AABB accredited facility, which has transplanted 23 cord blood units to date. For more information contact Marcia Laleman at 1-215-599-8401 or visit http://www.corcell.com CorCell is a registered trademark.

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