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    Which Diseases Can Be Treated with Cord Blood?

     The Hidden Power of Cord Blood Stem Cells

    Cord blood contains multiple types of stem cells - primarily hematopoietic stem cells responsible for blood formation and immune function, along with signaling molecules, growth factors, and fetal hemoglobin. Modern biobanks isolate and store the leukocyte-rich stem cell fraction while retaining active biological components. In selected cases, the remaining plasma and fetal hemoglobin may be used in a newborn's early days, if needed.

    Cord blood stem cells are currently used in standard treatments for over 80 diseases, as well as for experimental and regenerative therapies.

    • From 1988 to 2020, cord blood was used instead of bone marrow in over 40,000 transplants worldwide
    •  Over 1,000 clinical trials using cord blood have been registered globally
    • In 2009, Hemafund and the National Pediatric Cardiology Center in Ukraine introduced a new method for using a newborn's own cord blood during surgery (CorD method), now officially recognized internationally
    • In 2010, Hemafund and the Romodanov Institute of Neurosurgery developed a protocol for treating Spina Bifida in newborns using cord blood during surgery. These procedures are now performed at the national children's hospital, Okhmatdyt
    • Hemafund has processed and supplied cord blood components in over 600 clinical applications

    Standard Cord Blood Applications

    • Acute and chronic leukemia (leukemia) - oncology in which white blood cells are affected
    • Myelodysplastic syndromes (anemias and preleukemias)
    • Diseases associated with the pathology of blood cell proliferation (aplastic anemia, Fanconi anemia, thalassemia, etc.)
    • Diseases associated with the pathology of myeloid proliferation (myelofibrosis, polycythemia, thrombocythemia)
    • Lymphomas
    • Phagocytic dysfunctions
    • Hereditary metabolic disorders
    • Hereditary erythrocyte abnormalities
    • Hereditary disorders of the immune system
    • Severe mixed immunodeficiencies
    • Hereditary platelet disorders
    • Other hereditary disorders
    • Solid tumors (retinoblastoma, neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma)
    • Malignant tumors of the bone marrow

    As of early 2021, clinicaltrials.gov listed more than 1,000 ongoing studies involving stem cells or cord blood components. One of the most notable initiatives is led by Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg at Duke University, supported by the FDA. In 2014, her team began clinical trials using cord blood stem cells to treat autism.

    Initial results are encouraging:

    • 70% of children (ages 2–6) in a 25-patient study showed marked behavioral improvements.
    • A double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III trial is now underway, involving 165 children with autism aged 2 to 8 years.

    Investigational and Regenerative Uses in Clinical Trials

    • Neurological conditions:

      • Cerebral palsy
      • Autism spectrum disorder
      • Sensorineural hearing loss
      • Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
      • Neonatal brain injuries

    • Spinal cord injuries

    • Autoimmune diseases:

      • Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
      • Crohn's disease
      • ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
      • Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)
      • Lupus
      • Multiple sclerosis
      • Rheumatoid arthritis
      • Scleroderma

    • Cardiovascular conditions (e.g., ischemia, congenital heart surgeries, cardiomyopathy)

    • Stroke

    • Heart attack (myocardial infarction)

    • Orthopedic disorders

    • Metabolic disorders

    • Alzheimer's disease

    • Parkinson's disease

    • Decompensated liver cirrhosis

    A separate group is GENE THERAPY OF INHERITANT DISEASES, which uses hematopoietic stem cells:

    • HIV
    • Chronic granulomatous disease (X-linked)
    • Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
    • Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)
    • Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD)

    The list of diseases is growing every year, so the preservation of the baby's umbilical cord blood, umbilical cord and placenta makes it possible to talk about using stem cells to treat all family members. Using your own umbilical cord blood guarantees full compatibility. If we are talking about brothers and sisters, the compatibility is about 25%. For the treatment of other close relatives, the probability of a match will be much higher than when searching for a stem cell donor.

    Learn more about which conditions are treatable with stem cells from the umbilical cord and placenta.

    Storing cord blood in a family biobank ensures that the family retains full control and access to the deposit — enabling treatment at any time, for any eligible condition.

    Clients of Hemafund have already withdrawn over 80 deposits for treating:

    • Multiple sclerosis
    • Post-infectious recovery (including post-COVID complications)
    • Myasthenia gravis
    • Hydrocephalus
    • Hepatic recovery after hepatitis
    • Type 1 diabetes
    • Cerebral palsy
    • Autism
    • Crohn’s disease
    ...and more.

    In many cases, children underwent surgery using their own cord blood components instead of donor material — minimizing risk and improving outcomes.

    Discover more real-life stories of cord blood-based therapies.

    Resources:

    1. “Cord Blood in the Treatment of Oncohematology and Radiation Damage.” Hemafund, 2024, https://hemafund.com/news/pupovinna-krov-u-likuvanni-onkogematologii-i-naslidkiv-radiacijnogo-urazenna.
    2. “ClinicalTrials.gov: Umbilical Cord Blood Studies.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, 2021, https://clinicaltrials.gov.
    3. Kurtzberg, Joanne, et al. “Autologous Umbilical Cord Blood Infusion for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Initial Results of a Phase I/II Trial.” Duke University Medical Center, 2014.
    4. “Cord Blood Transplant Facts & Statistics.” World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA), 2020, https://wmda.info.
    5. “Stem Cell Research: Cord Blood Clinical Applications.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2021, https://fda.gov.
    6. “Hemafund Clinical Applications of Cord Blood.” Hemafund Biobank, 2021, https://hemafund.com.