Remote temperature surveillance, experienced lab staff hired as Cordlife resumes cord blood units collection

SINGAPORE: A new laboratory monitoring system to keep track of storage tank temperatures remotely, while more experienced laboratory staff and technicians have been hired. 
These are among the additions to Cordlife’s processes as the firm resumed cord blood banking in a limited manner on Sunday (Sep 15).
The Singapore-listed company was given the green light to do so by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in August, after a months-long suspension over its mishandling of cord blood units.
From Sep 15, 2024, to Jan 13, 2025 – unless approved sooner by the director-general of health – Cordlife may collect, test, process and store no more than 30 units of new cord blood per month.
Last December, Cordlife, the longest-running private cord blood bank in the country – was hit with a six-month suspension, shortly after it was announced that seven of its storage tanks were exposed to temperatures above acceptable limits.
About 2,200 cord blood units were damaged in the first tank, which affected at least 2,150 clients.
In April, MOH said that another 5,300 cord blood units stored in a second tank and dry shipper were deemed “non-viable”.
The six-month suspension was then extended by another three months on Jun 15 this year for Cordlife to complete the validation of its new cord blood processing method.
Follow-up audits conducted by MOH in August showed that Cordlife met the essential requirements to resume its provision of cord blood banking services.
On Tuesday – two days after the partial resumption of cord blood banking services – members of the media were given a tour of Cordlife’s lab and its improved processes.  
A “significant” highlight of the improved 502 sq m facility is the new laboratory monitoring system, which tracks the temperature of 27 cryogenic storage tanks and other critical equipment, Cordlife said in a press release. 
This system ensures 24/7 real-time surveillance both on site and remotely. Previously, lab staff were only able to monitor the temperatures while at the facility. 
It provides detailed alerts to technicians, supervisors, and management through multiple communication channels, namely SMSes, emails and phone calls. 
Procedures are also in place to escalate the issues to senior leadership if necessary. 
For example, in the event that the temperatures of the storage tanks fall outside the acceptable limits of -150 degrees Celsius, the laboratory staff on duty will first be alerted of the situation. 
There will be two laboratory staff members who are on call each day. 
The laboratory directors will be alerted 10 minutes later. After another 10-minute interval, the system will alert top management such as the group CEO.
The monitoring system is also equipped with its own power source to further safeguard operations and power supply, Cordlife said. 
Other equipment in the facility are supported by multiple “uninterruptible” power supplies and a backup generator, the cord blood bank added. 
There is also an additional cryogenic tank which now holds the cord blood units that were previously stored in the dry shipper, group CEO Ivan Yiu told CNA. 
The company has also implemented further measures, such as assigning more technicians to be on duty after office hours to ensure continuous operations under any circumstances.
On manpower, Mr Yiu said that the company has increased its laboratory and technical staff by 18 per cent since his appointment in February. There are currently 23 lab staff, including technicians as well as four quality assurance officers. 
Those hired include more experienced employees such as lab supervisors. 
“We will continue to recruit more experts and professionals to elevate standards further and prepare for future growth,” said Mr Yiu.
Cordlife also validated an automated platform for processing cord blood units – known as AXP II – under the supervision of MOH’s expert panel.
The system’s advanced sensors ensure precise control during processing of cord blood units, allowing for a higher yield of viable stem cells.
This is crucial for successful cord blood transplants, said Cordlife. It added that it has also refurbished its facility and plans to reorganise its key laboratory equipment to streamline operations and improve efficiency.
On Tuesday, group executive director Chen Xiaoling said Cordlife has already received new sign-ups since the partial resumption. The company, however, did not disclose how many such sign-ups there have been so far.
The cord blood bank has also reduced the cost of its price plans by 20 to 25 per cent compared to before its suspension. Ms Chen added the price needs to be adjusted “from time to time” to align with the market. 
While Cordlife only lists its annual fee of S$250 (US$193) on its website, some clients CNA spoke to previously shared that they had forked out at least S$6,000 for the collection and storage of their child’s cord blood.
Over the last nine months of its suspension, Cordlife staff has worked closely with various industry experts as well as MOH, said Ms Chen.
“We intend to progress from controlled resumption to full resumption. We will work hard to regain the full trust of MOH and our clients in Singapore,” she added. 
Noting that the cord blood bank has “emerged from a major challenge”, Mr Yiu highlighted that its facilities outside of Singapore are not affected. 
Apart from Singapore, Cordlife also has storage facilities in Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, India and Indonesia. 
“We will grow our group’s operations to provide more reliable and innovative services, establish strategic partnerships, and grow our market share in the region,” Mr Yiu said.