FamiCord Story
FamiCord Story
Today’s FamiCord Group is the result of the gradual merger of European stem cell banks. Our roots go back to the founding of the German Vita 34 in 1997 and the Polish PBKM in 2002. 25 years of continuous development have resulted in the largest European stem cell bank.
2025
FamiCord becomes a corporate brand. The parent company Vita 34 AG is renamed into FamiCord AG.
2024
FamiCord opens its first laboratory outside Europe in Dubai.
For the first time, the Group is storing more than one million umbilical cord blood units and other biological materials.
2023
FamiCordTx in Warsaw manufactures the first proprietary CAR-T product for cancer therapy.
2022
Following the merger, the Group consolidates its overlapping activities in Spain and Switzerland.
2021
PBKM FamiCord acquires the SmartCells Group, which operates in the UK, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Vita 34 and PBKM FamiCord merge to form the largest european stem cell bank. Vita 34 AG will become the sole owner of PBKM S.A. and PBKM shareholders receive Vita 34 shares in exchange for PBKM shares.
2020
AOC Health GmbH becomes the main shareholder of PBKM.
FamiCordTx is founded as a PBKM spin-off to develop CAR-T therapies for the treatment of cancer.
PBKM strengthens its presence in Turkey with a further acquisition and begins strategic cooperation with Acibadem, the country’s largest hospital group.
PBKM acquires a stake in Sorgente, the market leader on the Italian market.
2019
Sevibe, the Spanish subsidiary of the PBKM FamiCord Group, acquires local competitor IVI Cordon.
PBKM acts as a backup for a stem cell bank in Switzerland and transfers its stem cells safely from Belgium, Switzerland and Germany to Warsaw for storage.
PBKM FamiCord launches an Expanded Access Program for the use of umbilical cord blood for brain repair.
2018
PBKM FamiCord’s services will also be available in the Balkans in cooperation with BioSave.
PBKM acquires Stemlab, the market leader in Portugal, which also operates in Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
PBKM acquires a laboratory in Switzerland.
The PBKM FamiCord Group has grown to become the world’s fifth largest umbilical cord blood bank.
2017
Vita 34 acquires the largest German competitor Seracell and thus becomes the clear market leader.
2016
PBKM goes public as Polski Bank Komórek Macierzystych S.A. on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.
2015
Sevibe Cells’ laboratory becomes the first private stem cell bank in Spain to be accredited by the AABB.
Vita 34 acquires Stemcare, the largest private umbilical cord blood bank in Denmark.
Vita 34 is expanding via partnerships and minority shareholdings in the Balkans and the Baltic States.
Following further acquisitions, the PBKM FamiCord Group stores 122,000 umbilical cord blood and tissue samples.
2014
PBKM acquires majority stakes in local competitors in Poland.
2013
PBKM acquires Yasam Bankasi, the oldest umbilical cord blood bank in Turkey.
In Warsaw, PBKM opens the most modern site for the processing and storage of stem cells in Europe.
2012
PBKM acquires a blood bank in New Jersey, USA with 1,800 preparations for allogeneic applications.
2011
The first stem cell transplant from umbilical cord blood is performed in Hungary.
The first therapy with PBKM mesenchymal stem cells is carried out in Poland.
2010
Enterprise Investors invests in PBKM with a venture fund.
PBKM FamiCord has stored more than 35,0000 umbilical cord blood and tissue samples.
2009
PBKM launches FamiCord as a common brand for all European activities.
PBKM founds the joint venture in Romania (Biogenis) and FamiCord Italia.
2008
PBKM acquires the umbilical cord blood and sperm bank Krio Intezet in Hungary.
2007
Vita 34 AG goes public and is listed on the regulated market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and at the same time in the Prime Standard sub-segment.
The first stem cell application with umbilical cord blood from the PBKM laboratory is carried out.
PBKM receives approval to operate a tissue and cell bank in accordance with the Polish Transplantation Act and also receives the internationally recognized AABB accreditation.
PBKM makes its first international acquisition in Latvia and acquires a minority stake in an umbilical cord blood bank in Spain.
2006
Vita 34 receives approval for the production of blood samples for allogeneic use and can now also work as a public blood bank.
PBKM secures further financing from a business angel investor and continues to expand the laboratory.
2005
For the first time, Vita 34 successfully uses stored umbilical cord blood to treat a sibling suffering from lymphoblastic leukemia (allogeneic application).
PBKM expands its activities throughout Poland and becomes the market leader in the country.
2004
PBKM is audited by the Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine.
2003
Vita 34 moves into its current company headquarters in Bio City Leipzig and opens up the “Glass Laboratory” to give customers an insight into its own work.
2002
In Warsaw, PBKM commences operations under the name Polski Bank Komórek Macierzystych Sp. z o.o. (Polish Stem Cell Bank) and sets up its first laboratory at the Children’s Memorial Health Institute.
1997
Vita 34 is founded in Leipzig as VITA 34 Gesellschaft für Zelltransplantate GmbH and opens the first private stem cell bank in Europe.
The company is expanding its business in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).
Vita 34 conducts active research and development on the preparation of stem cells from umbilical cord blood. Possible applications for umbilical cord blood transplants are being researched in cooperation with renowned research institutions.