Cryo-Save Group N.V. (Euronext: CRYO, 'Cryo-Save', or 'the Group'), the leading international stem cell storage company and the largest family stem cell bank in Europe, announced a stem cell transplantation in Spain to treat Blackfan-Diamond Aneamia. It is the first time in Spain that this congenital anaemia, classified as a rare disease, has been treated using cord blood stem cells which were stored with Cryo-Save.

A 4-year-old boy was treated for Blackfan-Diamond anaemia (BDA) with a stem cell transplant from his sister's umbilical cord blood. The transplant was performed on April 25 at the Hospital del Niño Jesús in Madrid, one of the most important paediatric hospitals in Spain.
The transplantation was successful, and the child is expected to make a normal recovery. This pioneering treatment in Spain may herald a radical improvement in the child's quality of life, as since birth he has required regular red blood cell transfusions.

"Up until the transplantation our life was bound to red blood cell transfusions. We could hardly be happier, because now our son will be able to lead a completely normal life", said Elena, the boy's mother. The parents had only found out about the possibility of this type of treatment when Elena was pregnant with her daughter, now the cord blood donor. "We had the opportunity to heal our son, if the sample was compatible, and we could not forego it", she said. "Our daughter will be very happy when she learns that her brother got better thanks to her", she added.

"Blackfan-Diamond anaemia is a congenital disease that prevents the bone marrow from producing the red blood cells needed to carry oxygen throughout the body", explained Dr. Luis Madero, Head of the Oncohaematology Department of the Hospital Niño Jesús in Madrid, and the physician who performed the transplantation. Until recently, the main treatments were periodical red blood cell transfusions, which clearly affects the patient's quality of life, and long-term corticosteroid therapy, which is not tolerated in all cases. "The transplantation of umbilical cord blood stem cells, especially between siblings, is now a recommended treatment option for certain types of haematological diseases, such as BDA. The benefits versus other treatments for this disease are clear and confirmed by several studies", asserted Dr. Madero.

Arnoud van Tulder, Chief Executive officer, commented:
"We are very proud and pleased to have contributed to alleviating this family's suffering. Cryo-Save strives to serve society by offering the highest quality in stem cell cryopreservation and supporting innovative stem cell therapies that could save lives and improve the quality of life of patients.

"This successful stem cell transplantation is another example of the implementation of our mission, the quality of our internal procedures and underlines the importance of storing umbilical cord blood stem cells for potential family needs."