Biohellenika Group of Companies

Biohellenika, the exclusive partner of the Hellenic National  Reasearch foundation in the field of Stem cell banking and stem cell research is a group of companies and includes Biohellenika Biotechnology Company S.A. (founded at 2006 in Thessaloniki), Biohellenika Biotechnology Applications S.A (2007 Athens), Hellenic National Research Foundation - Stem cell bank TAK-EIE S.A. (2007 Athens), DentostemS.A. (2007 Athens) Cyvio Biotechnology LTD (Cyprus 2009), Biohellenika SRL (Romania 2010) and Cellenika LTD (2010 Melbourne Australia).

Biohellenika affiliated companies include today Biohellenika Cyprus, Biohellenika Bulgaria, BioStem (FYROM) and BeoStem (Serbia).

Hellenic National Research Foundation (HNRF) is a non for profit governmental organization that has been founded at 1958, being the first research center that has been founded and operates in modern Greece. Since 1989 HNRF operates under the auspices of the Hellenic General Secretariat for Research and Technology that is currently assigned to the Hellenic Ministry for Education, Lifelong learning and Religion. HNRF comprises of six research institutes, three institutes for humanistic sciences, three institutes for exact sciences and “The Hellenic Center of Documentation” (EKT). Exact sciences institutes include the Institute for Biological Research and Biotechnology, the institute for Organic and Pharmaceutical chemistry and the institute for Theoretic Physics and Chemistry.

In addition to HNRF Biohellenika scientific collaborations include today: National center for Technology development (EKETA), Aristotle University Thessaloniki (AUTh), Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens Academy Foundation for Medical and Biological Research (AAFMBR), Democritus University Alexandropolis, MDC research institute Berlin in Germany and Masha University in IRAN.

R&D projects under development include:

• The use of “sleeping beauty” Transposon for potential stem cell assisted gene therapy. (MDC Berlin and HNRF).
• The use of “sleeping beauty” Transposon for developing of human cell lines capable of producing therapeutic proteins (MDC Berlin and EKETA).
• Cartiladge Regeneration (Aristotle University department of nanotechnology)
• Cardiac Regeneration (AAFMBR)
• Wound healing (Masha University, Plastic Surgery Clinics Medical School AUTh and Kapodistrian University Athens).
• Use of stem cell therapy for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (Pulmonology Clinic Democritus University Alexandropolis)
• Development of effective scaffolds for tissue regeneration (Aristotle University and EKETA)

Biohellenika is also supporting stem cell therapy applications and Clinical trials aiming to the therapeutic use of stem cells

Including:

• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (Pulmonology Clinic Democritus University Alexandropolis)
• Autism (Metropolitan Hospital Athens)
• Cardiac insufficiency (Cardiosurgery Clinic Medical School AUTh).

Biohellenika patent portfolio today includes

1. Measurement of the oxidant antioxidant balance in liquids (07733812) EP
2. A system for the storage of biological materials in cryotubes with integrally attached segments for cryopreservation and thawing (20100100290)GR
3. Regeneration of dental pulp using adipose derived stem cells, peripheral blood stem cells platelets and fibrin glue  (20100100582)GR
4. Method and system of collection of placenta blood that is enriched in haematopoetic and mesenchymal stem cells (20100100605)GR
5. Method for the preparation of mesenchymal stem cells from the entire length of cord blood (20100100609)GR

Biohellenika established a state of the art stem cell bank that includes two laboratories and storage facilities one in Thessaloniki and one in Athens (HNRF). Today Biohellenika stem cell bank is one of the most prominent stem cell banks in Greece. (In Greece today operate 10 family stem cell banks). Biohellenika is one of the three largest stem cell banks in Europe with an inventory of more than 20.000 collected units, and is the only stem cell bank in Greece that has successfully released units to a USA Hematology Clinic for autologous therapeutic use. Biohellenika has successfully supported up to date more than 150 autologous therapies in Greece and abroad.

Biohellenika has developed its own proprietary technology for stem cell banking that includes stem cell banking from the umbilical cord, Wharton’s jelly and placenta upon birth, dental pulp and ligaments, bone marrow and adipose tissue.

Biohellenika’s technology combines low consumable and banking cost and high quality.

The Biohellenika integrated quality system is based on AABB and FACT requirements as well as ISO 9001, ISO15189, ISO 13485, ISO14644, & ISO 27001. The quality system includes a customized CRM and Barcode information technology system and is fully computerized, includes training and is designed to be easily transferable to new affiliated laboratories. Biohellenika’s laboratories and stem cell banking facilities meet all necessary requirements defined by the EU Commission Directive 2006/17/EC.

Biohellenika is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) (September 2010). Biohellenika is also accredited according to ISO 15189:2007 by the Hellenic National Accreditation System with the document No 410, 8/2/2008 and TAK EIE Νο 618, 2/10/2009.

Biohellenika has also certified its innovative storage system as a medical device according to ISO 13485.

Clean room operation is certified according to ISO 14644.

Biohellenika is certified according to the International Quality Management Systems Standard ISO 9001:2008 for the processing, qualitative controls and preservation of autologous cell systems (haematopoietic autografts from the umbilical blood and placenta; and  mesenchymal autografts from the pulp of deciduous teeth and third molars; adipose tissue and wharton jelly), from the Lloyds' Register Quality Assurance International Accreditation Group.

Biohellenika is in the process to be certified according to ISO 27001 for the information security.

Τhe laboratories of Biohellenika fully operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and provide standard conditions of stem cell processing and storage. The central laboratories, total area of 2700m², lie at the headquarters of the company, 65 Georgikis Scholis Avenue, at the exit of Thessaloniki to the airport, in the professional use building ZEDA. The Athens laboratories (TAK EIE) are situated in an independent building (800 m²) at walking distance from the HNRF main building. A storage facility is situated in the main HNRF building.

The laboratories of Biohellenika are supported by electric power generators, stabilizer of voltage, camera-observation system and 24 hours of clean room air microparticle density and liquid nitrogen tank temperature and level recording.

Quality control laboratories of Biohellenika are fully equipped so all the required tests including microbiology, virology, and flow cytometry are performed in the company.