Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine and World Blood Congress

LONDON, September 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Showcases increasing investor interest in the global stem cell sector 

Precious Cells Group, the international provider of stem cell technologies including bio-banking services, this week attended the sixth annual Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine and World Blood Congress in Boston which included presentations on major therapeutic advances and showcased increasing interest from public and private investors in the sector.

Convincing evidence from clinical trials has attracted a range of institutional and venture capital investors seeking the potentially strong returns stem cell banking and related technologies offer.

The global stem cell technology sector, now one of the fastest developing areas in healthcare, is projected to grow from about $5.6 billion in 2013 to nearly $10.6 billion in 2018, according to BCC Research (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-global-market-for-stem-cells-2014-08-11).

Pivotal to the further growth of the sector is stem cell banking. Proper extraction, handling, processing and storage of stem cells are vital if they are to be used effectively in the new technologies and therapies.

Companies that offer stem cell banking have not been uniform in terms of their governance and regulation. At Precious Cells Group, we have a compliance and security division of the company led by Dr. Salmaan Dalvi, formerly a key figure at the UK's NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT).

Evolution in how stem cells are extracted also promises accelerated growth opportunities and larger markets. For example, we recently acquired top stem cell technology specialist Pharmacells Group. It has developed its own patented adult stem cell collection service aimed at all adults ideally between ages of 18-50, and is powered by the leading Oristem® technology which allows stem cells to be collected from a small amount of a person's blood.

Being able to offer this service enables us to target the much larger health concerned adult market and will also accelerate growth in initiating clinical trials for stem cell therapies.

Unsurprisingly, the sector's growth potential is attracting attention from private equity and venture capital firms, which have been investing in stem cell businesses as has big pharma.  

Precious Cells Group has been successful, raising several million over the past three years, which has helped to accelerate international expansion. Better funding options will allow the sector to offer the real life insurance that stem cells can provide to a growing community that will increasingly span the globe.