A new partnership between The International NetCord Foundation (NetCord) and the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Center for Cord Blood will offer expanded access and efficiency for transplant center teams treating more than 35,000 people diagnosed with life-threatening blood diseases each year.
The NetCord database, located in Germany, currently has records of more than 115,000 cord blood units, representing the inventory of 23 blood banks in 16 countries. The NMDP Center for Cord Blood provides access to over 50,000 units from 16 banks within its network, the largest listing of cord blood units in the United States.
A new ability to simultaneously access both registries on behalf of patients will allow transplant centers to more efficiently determine whether a potential match exists within one of the registries’ cord blood banks.
Search Exchange
Through the partnership, NetCord and NMDP will exchange search reports that list potential matches of cord blood units for individual patients. A search for a match can be initiated online through either the NMDP or NetCord portals by transplant physicians or coordinators. All preliminary searches submitted to either NetCord or NMDP will receive cord blood search results from both registries, thereby eliminating the need to enter searches in both systems.
“The new partnership is based on our shared dedication to helping patients who are in critical need of a cord blood transplant," said Jeffrey W. Chell, MD, chief executive officer of NMDP. "By providing a new, high level of efficiency to access cord blood units from more than 40 banks worldwide, transplant centers will now have a streamlined process for finding the best potential match for their patients.”
According to Peter Wernet, MD, president of NetCord, “This is only the beginning for patients who are in desperate need of a transplant as we explore ways to expand our partnership to access potentially life-saving treatment options. The partnership provides physicians and their patients with access to a diverse listing of cord blood units, which is critical to finding a successful match.”