Is Cord Tissue Banking Worth It? New Cord Tissue Research, Aggressive Product Development and Lower Prices Make Cord Tissue

Banking More Appealing

NEW YORK, Feb. 3, 2014 - When Americord validated its proprietary method for harvesting and

preserving mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from placenta tissue late last year, it joined leaders in the

global scientific community who are increasingly investing significant resources in what many researchers

believe represents the future of stem cell-based medical therapies. Found in vast quantities in both cord

and placenta tissue, MSCs have unique properties that scientists believe may make them invaluable in the

treatment of numerous diseases and regenerative therapies.

Management believes Americord is the first cord blood banking company to harvest and store MSCs from

both cord tissue and placenta tissue in the United States, and is the first to bring to market a way to collect

and store MSCs from placenta tissue. MSCs are widely considered to be at the forefront of the cord blood

banking industry. According to BioInformant Worldwide, an organization that assembles data on the

industry, "Trend analysis of grant activity, scientific publication rates, and patent applications trends

reveal that global research activity involving mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) increased 112% from 2009

to 2010, and 116% from 2010 to 2011. Of most interest is that this rate of growth accelerated throughout

2012, making mesenchymal stem cells the fastest growing area of stem cell research."

MSCs are currently the subject of almost 50 clinical trials, including those investigating MSCs use in

treatment of Graft-versus-Host Disease, Type 1 Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, Critical Limb Ischemia,

Stroke, Hereditary Ataxia, liver regeneration, and the treatment of burns. A complete list of these clinical

trials can be found onhttp://parentsguidecordblood.org/diseases.php or onhttp://clinicaltrials.gov. It has

also been proposed that cord tissue could one day be used to treat heart disease, lung cancer, Parkinson's

disease, and injuries to bones and cartilage.

According to Transparency Market Research, a research organization based in Albany, New York, the

global industry for cord blood banking services is expected to grow from USD 12.40 billion in 2012 to USD

15.23 billion in 2019. This growth is fueled by the expansion of affordable cord blood banking services,

growing bodies of research, more stem cell transplants, and a wider range of stem cell products available.

Widely recognized as a high-quality affordable option for cord blood banking, Americord announced in

early 2014 that as a result of its pricing and additional product offerings it was once again believed to be

the fastest growing cord blood bank in the United States. Since 2011 the company has achieved revenue

growth of more than 2200%.

"We are committed to being at the forefront of the cord blood banking industry with innovative products,

services, and pricing," said Americord CEO Martin Smithmyer. "Our investment in our proprietary

method of collecting mesenchymal stem cells from placenta tissue is an example of how we offer

expectant parents a level of quality and value that they won't find with any other cord blood banking

company."

About Americord

Americord is a leader in the advancement of umbilical cord blood, cord tissue and placenta tissue

banking. Americord collects, processes, and stores newborn stem cells from umbilical cord blood for

future medical or therapeutic use, including the treatment of more than 80 blood diseases such as sickle

cell anemia and leukemia. Founded in 2008, Americord is registered with the FDA and operates in all

50 states. The company's laboratory is CLIA Certified, accredited by the AABB and complies with all

federal and state guidelines and applicable licenses. Americord is headquartered in New York, NY. You

may visit Americord's cord blood blogor website at cordadvantage.com for more information. You may

also find Americord on Facebook and follow the company on Twitter.