University of Colorado Launches CariCord, the Nation's First Private Cord Blood Bank In a FDA Licensed Laboratory

AURORA, Colo., Jan. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- CariCord, Inc. has been launched as the private family cord blood bank of the University of Colorado's ClinImmune Labs. It will be the first and only company in the world delivering cord blood stem cell banking to private consumers in an FDA Licensed Laboratory. The exclusive public-private venture delivers the highest quality cord blood processing to families choosing CariCord's services. Cord blood banking and processing at ClinImmune Labs was previously limited to only publicly donated units.

Cord blood stem cells are currently used in FDA approved treatments of over 80 diseases. Considering the advances in regenerative medicine, that number will more than likely continue to grow. CariCord, through its partnership with ClinImmune Labs and its University of Colorado Cord Blood Bank (UCCBB), is positioned as the first and only private bank to process consumer cord blood in an FDA licensed Class 10,000 facility.

"We have been processing cord blood units under federal contract since 2006," said Brian Freed, Executive Director at ClinImmune Labs and a Professor at the University of Colorado's School of Medicine. "We were among the first to elevate our cord blood banking practices to FDA BLA licensure. I'm pleased to announce we are the first to leverage our lab's best practices to serve private consumers, while sustaining our efforts to build the National Cord Blood Inventory with life-saving transplant ready units. We believe our partnership in CariCord demonstrates a sustainable pathway that is responsive to current and future private and federal sector demands."

"Our mission is to provide parents with the confidence that they have taken the best steps to protect their children's future," said Calvin Cole, CariCord's newly appointed President and CEO. "By delivering the highest quality processing and storage of umbilical cord stem cell products available anywhere, we offer families peace of mind that they chose the only company offering banking under FDA licensed practices. CariCord's clients will have the confidence that they preserved their child's life-saving cells for the possibility of future care under the same rigorous standards of the University of Colorado bank that has a long-track record supplying successful transplant units worldwide."

The University of Colorado Cord Blood Bank, operated by ClinImmune Labs, is evidence of the University of Colorado's commitment to biotechnology sector innovation, development and commercialization. CariCord will benefit from the University's approved $38 Million investment at its Bioscience II Building, a joint project with the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority (FRA) planned for construction immediately.

About CariCord, Inc.
CariCord, Inc. is a public-private joint venture corporation (Delaware Corp.) with the University of Colorado owned ClinImmune Labs. Corporate offices and Customer Service are located in Irvine, CA, with laboratory processing at the FDA licensed ClinImmune Labs at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine in Aurora, CO. CariCord is the first and only company offering private consumers cord blood and cord tissue banking services under pharmaceutical grade practices nationwide. Its clients have the option of selecting value added HLA tissue typing. For more information please visit www.CariCord.com.

SOURCE CariCord, Inc.