DGAP-News: Vita 34 and Berlin Charité launch joint research project

Vita 34 and Berlin Charité launch joint research project

- Study to examine umbilical cord blood collection under difficult birth conditions

- Vita 34 to provide research team with financial and personnel support

- Focus on treatment of severe early childhood birth defects

Leipzig, October 2017 - Vita 34 AG (ISIN: DE000A0BL849, WKN: A0BL84), Europe's second largest stem cell bank, has launched a study on umbilical cord blood collection under difficult birth conditions together with Charité Hospital in Berlin. The study is scheduled to last a total of 12 months. The plan is to investigate methods of umbilical cord blood extraction during the birth process in up to 100 cases.

Vita 34 will provide the joint research project with both financial and personnel support. The company will be responsible for processing, evaluating and storing umbilical cord blood preparations collected within the scope of the cooperation. "About 5,000 children are born in our clinic every year. Exploring treatment options with umbilical cord blood in early childhood helps ensure that even more children are able to grow up healthy," emphasizes Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Henrich, Director of the Department of Obstetrics at the Charité Hospital in Berlin and the head of the study. "Vita 34, a pioneer among private European umbilical cord blood banks, is an experienced partner who shares our vision and has been working on it for years."

The research team hopes the results of the study lead to new findings that provide a basis for future studies on the clinical application of umbilical cord blood in early childhood diagnostics. Phase I preliminary studies in the US have already suggested that using umbilical cord blood to treat infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy ("HIE") has a positive effect on the children's further development. HIE is an early childhood brain injury that can result from oxygen deficiency during birth.

"We are happy to be able to bring such important stem cell research a step forward with this study," explains Dr. Wolfgang Knirsch, CEO of Vita 34 AG. "Stem cells hold the key to treating so many diseases. We can be sure of that."

Contact:
Ingo Middelmenne
Investor Relations
Vita 34 AG
Deutscher Platz 5a
04103 Leipzig
Phone: +49 341 48792-0
Mobil: +49 174 9091190
E-Mail: [email protected]

PR Contact:
Kaja Skorka
MC Services AG
Bavariaring 26
80336 Munich
Phone: +49 89 210228-25
E-Mail: kaja.skorka@ mc-services.eu

About Vita 34

Vita 34 was founded in 1997 as the first private umbilical cord blood bank in Europe and, as a complete provider, offers collection logistics, preparation and storage of umbilical cord blood and cord tissue. The basis for its successful work is an outstanding position in the technological segment of cryo-preservation. Here, cells and tissue are preserved alive at some -190ºC for long periods of time, and can be used if needed in the context of medical treatment. More than 210,000 customers are already taking advantage of this offering and have provided for their children with a stem cell deposit at Vita 34.