StemCyte – KY announced on November 4 the launch of the world’s first “Cord Blood Assurance Service”, in collaboration with the life insurance sector. This initiative transforms cord blood into a medically deliverable asset, establishing a new type of regenerative medicine protection platform. CEO Tong-Young Lee stated that the insurance policy covers the 29 indications approved by Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare, with plans to replicate this model globally.

The collaboration is with Taiwan Life Insurance, and the service officially went online in November. The 29 covered indications include hematologic disorders such as leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, neuroblastoma, and severe bone marrow failure like aplastic anemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, as well as severe congenital diseases such as combined immunodeficiency syndromes and osteopetrosis.

Lee explained that due to historically high costs of cord blood cell therapy, StemCyte is pioneering the integration of insurance. Once a clinical assessment identifies the need for cord blood therapy, StemCyte will match the patient with suitable cord blood units from public banks to ensure timely treatment.

StemCyte’s cord blood drug RGENENCYTE received FDA Biologics License Application (BLA) approval in the U.S. at the end of 2024, making it the only Taiwan-originated cell therapy product with FDA approval. In the U.S., it can be applied to nearly 80 hematologic disorders, including cancers, immune diseases, metabolic disorders, and rare diseases.

StemCyte has accumulated over 2,300 allogeneic transplant cases globally and maintains more than 36,000 cord blood units ready for immediate delivery, forming Taiwan’s most comprehensive public bank resource. Through collaboration with life insurance companies, StemCyte integrates public cord blood into insurance contracts, providing three layers of protection: annual personalized cord blood matching analysis, guaranteed provision of cord blood units when clinically indicated, and overseas procurement if domestic units are unavailable.

Lee emphasized that while cord blood has traditionally been used for storage or medical purposes, StemCyte is now treating it as a deliverable medical asset, adding tangible value to insurance policies and realizing cross-industry integration between regenerative medicine and insurance.

To enhance cord blood matching efficiency, StemCyte has implemented AI technology to automate the public bank matching assurance service, significantly reducing genetic matching and delivery time. Lee stated that the true value of cord blood assurance lies in its ability to save lives at critical moments. StemCyte is already collaborating with multiple insurers to establish a B2B model and plans to expand the service to the U.S. and ASEAN markets, bringing this innovative model to an international scale.

Resource: 永笙全球首創「臍帶血保障服務」 攜手台新人壽 開創再生醫療新模式