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Fact sheets: Company background

  • At Virgin Health Bank, we have a very simple vision – every child, woman and man should have access to matched donated healthy stem cells if they fall ill, and access to a store of stem cells they might be able to use in the future for possible regenerative medicine treatments.
  • Our unique dual - private and public bank - will help to provide cord blood stem cells to those that need them. Children and adults needing stem cell therapy will benefit from healthy, donated cells sourced from the public bank. As a child reaches adulthood, they may benefit from the future possibilities of regenerative medicine treatments, using their own cord blood stem cells stored in the private bank.
      • One unit is held in a private bank, for the sole use of the individual and their family. The chance of someone his or her own cord blood for any childhood condition (known as autologous transplantation) is extremely small. This unit will, however, always provide them with a source of stem cells that could be used for regenerative medicine.
      • The second unit will be placed in our public bank. This is where we expect people to benefit most, because the vast majority of transplants are carried out using cells from another person (allogeneic transplantation). There’s a global shortage of matched stem cell units, so the more stem cell units that are stored in public banks the better. Increasing the size of the public bank means that anyone who needs a donated stem cell treatment (allogeneic transplant) is more likely to find a matched unit.
  • To help realise our vision, Richard Branson has made a personal commitment that all future proceeds from Virgin Health Bank to the Virgin Group will be donated to initiatives that are helping to fully realise the potential of cord blood stem cells.
  • Our storage facility is based in the UK. It complies with the highest standards and has already stored over 5,000 cord blood units. It has Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority (MHRA) accreditation as a cord blood bank, and is fully licensed by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA).
  • Virgin Health Bank employs a Scientific Director who has managed a MHRA accredited private cord blood bank in the UK since 2003. We also work closely with a number of independent scientists, healthcare professionals and medical ethics specialists who contribute their expertise on a regular basis.
  • Virgin Health Bank has invested in a team of Local Advisors that is wholly dedicated to working with healthcare professionals who are involved in maternity services. Each member of this team is experienced in working with NHS professionals, they have an understanding of the issues they may face and are knowledgeable about the latest scientific data in this area.
  • Virgin Health Bank also has a team of customer support advisors who are available 8am-8pm, 7 days a week, and can explain all aspects of the service to interested parents-to-be.
  • The cost of banking a child’s umbilical cord blood stem cells with Virgin Health Bank is £1,500.
  • There is a payment plan for customers choosing to pay by instalments.
  • Virgin Health Bank is a partnership between the Virgin Group and Merlin Biosciences.