In order to be successful, every business has to detect market opportunities, identify potential target groups, research distribution channels and market its audience. By following those rules, new products and services (or innovation in products and services) gather consumer’s attention. Dealing with genetic information on Biotechnology is not different. Thus, a company that makes a bet on its cutting-edge technology is attracting more and more customers, in addition to investors seeking such an innovative kind of Franchise.
That is the case of the Banco de Cordón Umbilical - BCU (Umbilical Cord Bank), a business launched in the year of 2000 in Mexico City, aiming to store stem cells obtained from the umbilical cord. The company has grown and achieved its own place in the market as a state of the art genetic code warehouse feasible in case of an eventual and future therapeutic treatment of the own person. Banco de Cordón Umbilical counts on doctors, scientists, chemist’s pharmaco-biologists, and laboratory tech experts who are skilled to ensure the processing and packing of the genetic material.
The Road to Success: Daring and Innovation
The process works in an interesting and revolutionary way and quite a mere possibility some time ago. The work developed by the BCU has been already considered an efficient way to help scientific researchers healing diseases known as chronicle and irreversible. The process starts by pumping out the fluid from the inner portion of the recently baby-born umbilical cord, cut portion that would be discharged. There is the home of the stem cells, the blood and immunologic system builders besides the baby genetic code givers. A stem cell is very special due to its capability to create other cells. By preserving those special cells, labs can create an alternative to treat several diseases such as leukemia, liver cancer and diabetes with no incompatibility risk. The benefits of the stem cells are not restricted to the baby donor. They can help up to three next generations as well. Such genetic material will be kept frozen at the laboratory for an indeterminate period of time.
Nowadays, the genetic manipulation is having a great momentum and umbilical cord banks have become an excellent opportunity to the Franchise market. However, several countries do not allow research with human embryonic stem cells or even its importation. Italy, for instance, is against this kind of research but in Latin America; Brazil and Mexico already have specific legislation towards such research. The Mexican law is more flexible than the Brazilian one because it allows the creation of embryos for research purposes. Seventeen companies, between 2001 and 2007, also bet on the umbilical cord blood cryopreservation, thus visualizing the promising future that comes with cellular therapy. Those Franchises share the market with companies that have contracts with hospitals and public banks as well the ones that are in high demand. The great advantage of choosing services rendered by BCU is to get rid of line waiting time to receive treatment, besides being sure of its compatibility. Research has shown that the chances to find a donator at a public-cord bank ranges between 1 to 10 thousand and even between 1 to 40 thousand.
The visionary innovation offered by BCU Franchises requires an umbilical cord bank facility. The total investment is US$ 600 thousand approximately. US$ 120 thousand out of that are meant for Franchise fee, and the remaining investment is for building a high tech, ready to work lab. The return of investment is 36 months approximately. In Mexico, where the company was launched, monthly sales are US$ 90 thousand. BCU expansion plan includes European and North American markets and to achieve 100 unities worldwide before 2010. The brand offers an innovative and out of the box activity.
