Cleft lip and cleft palate (CLP) are the most common craniofacial birth defects in the world.¹ Yet, those born with CLP often feel isolated in their struggle to lead a normal life.
A new path forward
Traditional cleft lip repair treatment is a complex process that often involves multiple challenging surgeries and invasive procedures for obtaining graft material.² Newborn stem cells derived from umbilical cord tissue, known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), could potentially provide an alternative source of graft material in CLP treatment due to their non-invasive collection method and capacity for self-renewal.³
Cells for Life aims to help provide new hope for CLP patients by allowing eligible families with a prenatal CLP diagnosis to enroll in the Newborn Possibilities Program™ to receive no-cost processing and storage of newborn stem cells, which may potentially be used in future cleft lip/palate repair surgeries when patients reach 7-8 years of age.²
The addition of CLP to the list of eligible conditions is due to a previous research collaboration between Cells for Life’s sister company, CBR, and researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) on an animal model using MSCs for bone regeneration. Mice treated with MSCs were found to experience significant bone regeneration compared to controls,⁴ demonstrating that the use of MSCs may provide some benefit in alveolar cleft repair, but more studies are needed.
Shaping the future of reconstructive surgery
For As more CLP patients join our no-cost program, we create a pool of potential candidates for future cleft repair using autologous MSCs. Every additional candidate brings us closer to conducting more research so that those born with CLP may someday have new treatment options for their condition.
More peace of mind starts here
While no parent wants to think about their newborn experiencing a potential health issue, planning ahead with Cells for Life can help provide valuable peace of mind. Share this article with expecting friends and family or provide them with a cost-saving referral to Cells for Life. When your referral chooses to preserve with us, you’ll receive a cheque or storage credit to fund your storage fees.
1. Dar P and Gross SJ (2000). Craniofacial and neck anomalies. Clin. Perionatol. 27:813–837. 2. Putri IL, Fabian P, and Wungu CDK (2024). A meta-analysis of alveolar bone grafting using bone substitutes in cleft lip and palate patients. Tzu Chi Med J. Jan 12;36(1):53-58. 3. Shang F, Yu Y, Liu S, et al. (2020). Advancing application of mesenchymal stem cell-based bone tissue regeneration. Bioact Mater. Sep 21;6(3):666-683. 4. Stanton E, Feng J, Kondra K, et al. (2024). A Calvarial Defect Model to Investigate the Osteogenic Potential of Umbilical Cord Stem Cells in Bone Regeneration. Plast Reconstr Surg. Mar 1;153(3)
