CRYO-CELL International – on a mission to collect the umbilical cord blood cells of all newborn babies and maintain affordability

 Healthcare
Medical Equipment & Supplies
NASD: CCEL

CRYO-CELL International, Inc.

3165 McMullen Booth Rd., Bldg. B
Clearwater, FL 33761

 

Daniel D. Richard
Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer

Interview conducted by:
Walter Banks, Co-Publisher

CEOCFOinterviews,com
July 2001

BIO OF CEO

Background Information

Daniel D. Richard, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer CRYO-CELL International, Inc. Although not a M.D. or researcher, Mr. Richard's background in the cryopreservation and stem cell field is extensive.  

·         Co-inventor of world’s first computer-controlled, robotically operated, laser scanning, long-term cryopresevation unit.

·         Founder and CEO of CRYO-CELL International, Inc., America’s fastest growing and largest exclusive autologous/sibling umbilical cord blood cryopreservation program 11 years ago.

·         Pioneered affordable, commercial, fractionated U-Cord™ blood stem cell preservation program.

·         Founded CCEL Bio-Therapies 8 years ago.  This subsidiary of CRYO-CELL is involved in providing U-cord™ blood to the University of South Florida for conversion to neural cells for research in treating neuro-degenerative diseases such as stroke, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and severed spinal columns.  The research agreement with the University of South Florida (USF) a leader in research in the neural transplantation field.  Research team includes Dr. Paul Sanberg, Dr. Juan Sanchez-Ramos, and Dr. Allison Wheeling).  Dr. Sanberg recently presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in San Francisco.

·         Negotiated world marketing rights for any pharmaceuticals developed by USF utilizing cord blood from their research program.  Funded initial research, co-inventor on joint patent application utilizing cord blood for developing therapies to treat neuro-generative diseases. 

·         Co-inventor of worlds largest capacity, computer-controlled, robotically operated, laser scanning DNA cellular storage system.

·         Founded Stem Cell Preservation, Inc. which will be involved in dealing with adult peripheral stem cells.

·         Negotiated and signed all agreements for CRYO-CELL’s expansion into Europe, Mexico and Central America.  Advised CRYO-CELL Europe management to approach insurance companies to provide coverage for their expectant parent policyholders committed to and invested U.S. $1,000,000 once the insurance companies agreed to provide this maternity coverage and  also invested one million euros.

·         Negotiating other license agreements in South America, and Asia.

·         Founder and first Director and Officer of Marrow Tech, Incorporated (now Advance Tissue Science) a firm currently involved in skin replication.

·         Created the National (and soon to be International) “Save the Stem Cells” program.

·         He made tremendous in-roads in developing alliances with groups and organizations serving the African-American communities after the announcement of the first successful treatment of a sickle-cell anemia patient.  This is imperative since 97% of all sickle cell patients are African-American or other people of color.

About CRYO-CELL
International, Inc.

CRYO-CELL International, Inc. is a cellular storage company specializing in preserving newborn babies' umbilical cord (U-Cord™) blood stem cells at the Company's state-of-the-art laboratory in Clearwater, Florida. They are committed to keeping their prices affordable to make it easy for expectant parents to store for their family first. At CRYO-CELL, every U-Cord specimen is professionally processed, thoroughly tested and cryopreserved under closely monitored conditions.

CRYO-CELL is also dedicated to developing patented technology to serve the medical and scientific communities. They have pioneered several technologies that allow  specimens to be stored long-term in a computer controlled, robotically operated cryogenic environment. 

CEOCFOinterviews - Mr. Richard, can you give us a brief history of CRYO-CELL International?

Mr. Richard: "We started the company in 1989, and have developed and patented the world's first computer controlled, robotically operated, long-term, cellular storage unit. I was literally going to be in the machine business because people were not comfortable with long-term storage of specimens since opening and closing the cryo chambers over a period of years might threaten the viability of the stored specimens. 

In 1990, I first learned of a child suffering from Fanconi’s anemia that had been saved in France with an umbilical cord blood transplant. All of a sudden I realized that I had to change the course of our company to then become a long-term U-Cord™ cellular storage company.  We now cryopreserve umbilical cord blood from newborn babies only for the benefit of that baby, their siblings and other members of the family. When you preserve for a newborn it is a perfect match for the entire life of the baby and a 1 in 4 match or better for any sibling in the family."

CEOCFOinterviews - What diseases are treatable from the stem cells that are preserved?

To receive a complete copy of this interview call: 570-839-0236