China's cord blood transplant engraftment rate tops 97%

(ECNS) -- China has made significant progress in cord blood transplantation, with the stable engraftment rate now exceeding 97%, experts said at a recent conference in Shanghai. 

China's cord blood storage and application sector has developed over more than three decades. Seven approved cord blood banks nationwide now store more than 2.45 million samples and have supported over 50,000 clinical applications.

The figures were released at the 22nd China Cord Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Ethics Conference, which also featured a symposium on the coordinated development of the cord blood banking industry.

The event concluded in Shanghai on Saturday.

The summit brought together representatives from seven cord blood banks to discuss industry standards, technological innovation and public services.

According to experts, cord blood transplantation in China has achieved a stable engraftment rate of more than 97%. Its applications have expanded from blood disorders such as leukemia and aplastic anemia to nearly 80 diseases, including immune deficiencies and genetic disorders.

Chen Zhu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said in a letter of congratulation to the conference that cord blood stem cells have evolved from medical waste discarded after childbirth into a valuable biological resource, reflecting advances in China’s life sciences sector.

Representatives called for greater public awareness of cord blood donation, stronger industry regulation and dedicated legislation. They also urged closer cooperation among cord blood banks to ensure standardized services nationwide.

They also proposed exploring the inclusion of cord blood storage costs in basic medical insurance programs and establishing faster transportation channels to ensure the safe and timely delivery of cord blood.

The Shanghai Cord Blood Bank has also worked with medical institutions to advance the clinical application of universal CAR-T cell therapies derived from cord blood, achieving initial progress.

Chen added that the development demonstrates China’s growing capabilities in cutting-edge cell therapy research and its potential to provide new treatment options for patients with blood cancers.

(By Helen Mo, intern Liu Shuangjing)