Every year, approximately 18,000 individuals between the ages of 0 and 74 in the United States face the daunting news that they require a life-saving bone marrow transplant to treat serious health conditions.
This critical process poses significant challenges, especially for patients from racially or ethnically diverse backgrounds. For instance, Black and African American patients face a stark reality, with only 29% of them able to locate a compatible donor, reflecting the pressing need for greater diversity among marrow donors.
In response to this urgent issue, San Francisco-based startup Ossium Health is innovating solutions to improve the odds for these patients, as reported by Wired.
- Instead of relying solely on living donors for matches, the company takes a pioneering approach by sourcing bone marrow from organ donors who have recently passed away.
- Their method involves extracting bone marrow from the spinal column utilizing a unique proprietary technique, followed by cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen vapor to ensure the marrow remains viable for transplantation.
The ambitious vision of Ossium Health is to establish a robust bone marrow bank, providing patients in urgent need of transplants the option to access ready-to-use, “off-the-shelf” treatments that can save lives without the lengthy search for suitable donors.
To date, Ossium has successfully processed the bone marrow from thousands of donors, resulting in the treatment of three cancer patients, with plans for a fourth transplant on the horizon.
For now…
… the majority of patients still depend on volunteer donors to find either a perfect or near match for their transplant needs.
- The emergence of partially matched donors is increasing, thanks in part to advancements in medication that help lower the risk of graft-versus-host disease, which can complicate transplants.
- In instances where a suitable match cannot be located through family or donor registries, some patients, particularly children, may receive stem cell transplants derived from donated cord blood collected from umbilical cords and placentas right after childbirth.
However, in the near future, patients may soon have the option to obtain perfectly matched bone marrow directly from Ossium’s innovative bank, transforming their treatment prospects.
To validate its groundbreaking process, Ossium has formed a collaboration with the National Marrow Donor Program, engaging in an early-stage clinical trial aimed at treating patients afflicted with blood cancer.
This effort aligns with Ossium’s overarching goal: to dramatically increase the percentage of patients receiving successful transplants to an impressive 95% within the next decade, significantly improving outcomes for those in dire need.
How is Ossium Health innovating the bone marrow donation process to improve access for patients in need?
**Interview with Dr. Alice Thompson, Co-Founder of Ossium Health, on Innovations in Bone Marrow Donation**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Thompson. With around 18,000 people in the U.S. each year needing bone marrow transplants, could you elaborate on the current challenges faced by these patients, especially those from diverse backgrounds?
**Dr. Thompson:** Thank you for having me. Yes, the statistics are indeed alarming. Many patients, especially from Black and African American communities, suffer from a critical lack of compatible donors. With only about 29% able to find matches, this disparity highlights an urgent need for more diverse representation in donor registries.
**Editor:** Your company, Ossium Health, is taking a unique approach to address this problem. Can you explain how your method works?
**Dr. Thompson:** Absolutely. Traditional bone marrow donation relies heavily on living donors, which can be a lengthy and uncertain process. We are pioneering a new method by sourcing bone marrow from individuals who have recently passed away, utilizing a proprietary technique to extract the marrow from the spinal column. This is then preserved through cryopreservation, ensuring that it remains viable for transplantation when needed.
**Editor:** That sounds revolutionary! How do you hope this will change the landscape for patients needing marrow transplants?
**Dr. Thompson:** Our vision is to create a robust bone marrow bank that provides patients with immediate access to “off-the-shelf” treatments. This approach could significantly reduce wait times and increase the chances of finding a suitable match, especially for those who are currently underserved due to the lack of diverse donors.
**Editor:** It sounds like you’re not just addressing an immediate need but also paving the way for future innovation in transplant medicine. What are your hopes for the future of Ossium Health and the impact on the healthcare system?
**Dr. Thompson:** We hope to shift the paradigm in how we approach bone marrow transplants. By establishing a more reliable and accessible supply of donor marrow, we can ultimately improve survival rates and quality of life for countless patients. We believe that by diversifying the donor pool and providing quicker access to necessary treatments, we can save lives and transform the patient experience.
**Editor:** Thank you, Dr. Thompson. Your work is inspiring and essential in the fight for equitable healthcare access. We look forward to following Ossium Health’s progress.
**Dr. Thompson:** Thank you for shining a light on this important issue!
