X-Message-Number: 14040 Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2000 17:48:05 -0600 From: Fred Chamberlain <> Subject: Scott Badger re: "21st Century Update" Date: 7/5/2000 From: Fred Chamberlain Re: Scott Badger's Questions re: 21st CM Scott's Posting: Message #14033 From: "Scott Badger" <> References: <> Subject: 21st Century Update Date: Tue, 4 Jul 2000 00:05:17 -0500 I was asked by a friend to pass on the following inquiry: How about an update from 21st Century? Saul Kent et al developed a protocol that was supposedly designed to aid the organ transplant industry. What happened? Any takers? Any interest? If not...why not? Best regards, Scott (Answer) 21st Century Medicine, Inc. will have to address organ preservation, but ways of applying these protocols in cryotransport are being worked out on an urgent basis. Since this is an area of concern on CryoNet, an update might be useful. BioTransport, Inc. has recently been licensed by 21st Century Medicine, Inc. (21st) to use its new cryoprotectants and base perfusates, or permit Alcor to use them. Methods for scaling up from animals to humans are being worked out between 21st and Alcor/BioTransport on an urgent basis. 21st's freeze blocking compounds (there are two of them now) are needed for maximum effectiveness. Extremely rapid cooldown is also required, to prevent or minimize ice crystal formation. (Pausing even for a few minutes at dry ice temperatures is not acceptable.) After cooling to vitrification or "glass" point temperatures, long term storage must be closely stabilized by a regulated system, operating at an optimal temperature below -100 Deg C. The required apparatus costs about the same as a Bigfoot dewar, and is equally expensive to operate. However, the new apparatus only accommodates one quarter the number of neuropatients (12) as the Bigfoot (45). Increased long term care expenses could drive up suspension fees for neuros, to about the same level as for whole body suspension. The technology at Alcor is as yet in the "early engineering model" stage of development. It is only applicable in cases where a whole-body funded, high risk patient signs a special consent and waiver of the standard procedure. Members with neuro arrangements will be able to upgrade to this by increased funding, but it may be some time before firm pricing for this is approved by Alcor's Board of Directors. (It presently seems unlikely that funding for a neuro based on the new technologies will rise above current levels for standard whole body funding.) Ways of engineering more efficient storage for new-technology neuros will be studied and developed. Applications for whole body patients will be included, as the development budget permits (new storage apparatus may have to be designed and constructed, or ordered on a custom basis from those who manufacture the equipment). Anything which brings down the cost of using the new technology in neuros should ultimately benefit whole body patients also. The pace of development will be limited by the dollars available. Most of the work presently in progress to implement 21st Century Medicine's methods at Alcor is funded by BioTransport, Inc. We will be seeking to expand this, so development doesn't "stall" at the end of this year, curtailing or slowing further development. 21st's new freeze blockers and the constituents for the new cryoprotectants and base perfusates are on hand at Alcor. BioTransport has also procured low viscosity, low freezing point cooling media as recommended by 21st CM, and is (with 21st's assistance) modifying Alcor's cooldown apparatus for compatibility. The regulated temperature storage apparatus is similarly on the point of being ordered. Without the funding provided by BioTransport's investors, none of these advances would be taking place. The higher technologies do require more expensive materials, and licensing fees for use of the proprietary formulations. Equipment will be increasingly automated and thus more expensive, but this will not mean that we can use unskilled personnel. The qualifications for team members will rise also, along with what we have to pay them. In the long term, the best procedures for cryotransport will be comparable in both quality and cost to those performed in hospitals. We always knew (or at least suspected) that this would be the case. Now, the picture is becoming more definite. Less expensive procedures must still be kept available, due affordability factors. Many members are "locked in" to fixed levels of funding. One of the most difficult challenges for the Alcor Board over the months ahead will be to explore and resolve these issues. For years, we have been speculating on how long it would take for the research in 21st Century Medicine to reach a stage where we could apply it for our member's suspensions. The answer is that we are closing in on this rapidly. Fred Chamberlain, President/CEO () Alcor Life Extension Foundation Non-profit cryotransport services since 1972. 7895 E. Acoma Dr., Suite 110, Scottsdale AZ 85260-6916 Membership Information: (877) GO-ALCOR (462-5267) Phone (602) 905-1906 FAX (602) 922-9027 for general requests <http://www.alcor.org/>http://www.alcor.org Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=14040