Foundation supporters and community leaders heard how BioBridge Global is advancing blood donation, laboratory testing, research, and cell therapy innovation.
A golden age for medicine is right around the corner, Dr. Scott Jones told Foundation board members, their guests, and members of the BioBridge Global team at the Care to Cures breakfast on Wednesday.
The event sponsored by The Blood & Tissue Center Foundation included panel discussions on a range of services and products from BBG, from blood collection to research & development efforts.
The moderator was Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia, President and CEO of the Center for Health Empowerment in South Texas and a longtime advocate for blood donations.
BBG CEO Marty Landon opened the event, noting the organization’s long history in South Texas healthcare and its role in the current growth – growth that has Jones excited for the future.
Care to Cures Breakfast Showcases Innovation
“We’re on the cusp of a golden age for medicine,” said Jones, who is the Chief Scientific Officer at BioBridge Global. “You have to forgive me, I get a little excited when I see bigger and better things on the way – we’re building on expanding our mission.”
Jones, who leads the BBG Research & Development team, told the 60-plus attendees about new research being enabled through the Texas Cord Blood Bank, which was one of the first projects of The Foundation.
Of the 13,000-plus cord blood stem cell units stored in the Texas Cord Blood Bank, 20 a month are being set out to stem cell therapy researchers for use as starting materials – the building blocks of advanced therapies, he said.
Expanding Access to Advanced Therapies
Jimmy Johnson, Director, Starting Materials & Research Operations for BBG Advanced Therapies, outlined how the organization is working with a developer in California on a new CAR T-cell therapy.
“We collect the cells via leukapheresis and they are manufactured in 24 hours or less – and they can produce 200 to 300 doses of their therapy from a single donation,” he said. “It’s remarkable to see how our mission matches with other organizations working in this field.”
He reported that the second Mobile Leukapheresis Center – which was funded by last year’s Red & White Ball – will be arriving this week. He added that BBG Advanced Therapies has received interest from major companies about using the mobile center for cell collections.
Emmanuel Casasola, Vice President, Lab Operations, talked about how QualTex Laboratories works to make sure all blood donations are safe and ready for distribution as soon as possible.
“The last of the day’s blood donations come to us between 10 p.m. and midnight, and our goal is to have those available for South Texas (Blood & Tissue) to release them by noon the next day.”
He noted that QualTex is expanding its testing role to support advanced therapies.
Belinda Flores, Senior Director, Product Management & Customer Relations, encouraged the group to help build the blood donor base in one of the nation’s fastest-growing areas.
“The No. 1 reason people donate blood is because they’re asked,” she said. “We need everyone to help spread the word.”
