Willing parents can chose to store stem cells from the umbilical cord blood, which can be used to regenerate tissues of brain, heart and the like.

Cordlife, a foreign network of private cord blood banks in Pan Asia, after obtaining a five-year operating licence from Drug Controller General of India in March, officially launched its first venture in Kolkata on Tuesday.

The cord blood bank with a storage capacity of up to 1,50,000 cord blood units that can support stem cell therapies can be kept.

“We take the umbilical cord and draw the stem cells, which can be stored for a lifetime and in course of fatal diseases can help in regenerating specific tissues,” said Dr Prosanto, a haematologist.

The initial storage costs can run as high as Rs 38,000 and then Rs 3,500 per month.

“The number of diseases that can be treated with stem cells has increased from 46 in the year 2000 to more than 80 today. Stem cells can be used to treat lifestyle-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes,” said Steven Fang, group CEO, Cordlife Ltd.

With an approximate investment of Rs 30 crore and an initial investment of Rs 10 crore in the Kolkata facility, the company is looking at developing collection centres and such similar facilities in Delhi next in the line followed by Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and others within 2009-2010.