International Conference “Stem Cell Therapy – Science Fiction or Modern Reality”

The Stem Cell Bank in Latvia is celebrating its 20th anniversary 2024. Since 2004, SIA Cilmes šūnu banka has been the representative office of FamiCord Group in Latvia. The company is a pioneer in the preservation of umbilical cord stem cells in Latvia, thus it is the largest and oldest stem cell bank. The stem cell bank has always been the market leader over the years. Also in recent years, despite the negative demographic situation in the country, our market share has increased to 80% in 2023. The latest data on the population of Latvia is 1.8 million, the number of births in 2023 was 14490.

There are 2 more companies operating in the Latvian market: ivf klīnika, which is a local company, and Biobank hearts, which is a marketing company that offers to preserve newborn umbilical cord stem cells in laboratories in the UK, Switzerland and Portugal.

The market situation and our good results demonstrate the trust in the standards set by PBKM among the Latvian population.  For 20 years now, young parents in Latvia have been given the opportunity to preserve the stem cells of newborns’ umbilical cord for future family treatment. To mark this great event, in November, which is the month of World Cord Blood Day, we organized a serious international conference to tell our cooperation partners and the public about the latest developments and trends in this field. The event took place on November 14 at the “Islande Hotel” in Ķīpsala.

The program was quite extensive, starting with a biologist’s perspective on the possibilities of using stem cells, to practically applied methods and real stories of patients who have received these therapies in treatment. We are very grateful to our foreign partners for their responsiveness and the valuable topics we covered, thus proving that cell technologies are no longer science fiction about what could be done in medicine.

The conference was opened by Dr. Tomasz Baran, MD, MBA, President of Cilmes Šūnu Banka, Chief Commercial Officer VITA 34, Executive VP PBKM/FamiCord, whose presentation reviewed the overall European situation in the development of stem cells and FamiCord’s leadership in it. The insight provided confirmed that FamiCord is more than a stem cell bank, giving people the opportunity to use stored stem cells in therapy when necessary.

Dr.biol. Uldis Bērziņš, MD (Cilmes Šūnu Tehnologijas SIA / owner, RTU, biochip laboratory / leading researcher, BA Turība / assistant professor) spoke about the possibilities of cell technologies in his presentation, “Stem cell potential – a vision of the future from a biologist’s perspective”. The presentation reviewed the current situation and possibilities of using stem cell technologies in Latvia, showing that there are all the prerequisites to start the production of Exceptionally Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products (HE ATMPs) for Latvian patients. This would be a big step forward, as it would allow our patients to receive new treatment methods without having to travel to other European countries.

Joanna Płaczkowska, Director of Medicinal products manufacturing, showed how it works and what is needed to produce Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products from umbilical cord blood stem cells. The enormous meticulous work in the laboratory to prepare such personalized products for patient treatment is aimed at ensuring that scientific achievements enter practical medicine as soon as possible, which is what both patients and the medical community are waiting for.

Dr. Kristīne Ķempe from the EGV clinic linked new cell technologies with gynecological practice in the lecture “IVF procedure and umbilical cord blood stem cells”, emphasizing the introduction of technologies into our daily medical practice.

We listened to Professor Emilian Snarski’s presentation on the use of umbilical cord blood stem cells in the treatment of patients in the video lecture “Use of umbilical cord blood stem cells in therapy”. The professor compared the differences in the use of different types of hematopoietic cells and the results obtained. This presentation also discussed completely new methods, such as CART (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells) products, which with a single administration can replace months of therapy for leukemia or lymphoma. The professor also touched on another new technology in his presentation, the possibilities of using so-called NK (natural killer lymphocyte) products in oncology. Thus, we once again received confirmation that the umbilical cord blood bag in the laboratory is not just a bag, but a very valuable raw material for the production of cell products in the future.

Our neighboring Lithuanian colleagues also participated in the conference. Dr. Ignė Kairienė from the Lithuanian Santariškių Clinic spoke about the use of stem cells in pediatric hematology in Lithuania. It was very interesting to listen to the doctor’s findings and experience, because Latvian patients also receive treatment in Lithuania.

Prof. Magdalena Chrosćińska-Krawczyk (Poland Žagielmed Clinic) was especially welcome, as presented on the use of autologous umbilical cord blood stem cells in pediatric neurology, as Latvian children have received treatment directly from the professor in connection with various severe neurological diseases. It was a living example that treatment is really happening.

In conclusion, Dr. Inese Bolmane, who is a patient coordinator and consultant physician at the Stem Cell Bank, demonstrated in her presentation a more accurate compilation of stories of Latvian patients who have had stem cell products used in the treatment process. From 2020 to 2024, 9 Latvian patients received stem cell therapy at the Žagielmed clinic in Poland and the Blue Horizon clinic in Slovakia for the treatment of various neurological conditions. In all cases, good tolerability of the therapy and varying degrees of improvement were observed. The results correlate with the overall PBKM statistical data. Similar to elsewhere in the world, the biggest problem is that those who need to use stem cells in the treatment process do not have access to them, because stem cell material is not preserved at birth.

The atmosphere of the conference showed that the medical community and also various groups of society have an interest and need for new and comprehensive knowledge in the field of stem cell topicality. This was the first such large-scale conference that we organized, but it is clear that it is necessary to regularly talk to the medical community about this area in order to dispel the myths that prevail.