Immunaeon | Frequently Asked Questions

Who qualifies for immune cell storage? What if I have cancer in my family?

Anyone who does not have a current cancer diagnosis can store their immune cells. Because cancer negatively impacts the immune cells, age does not matter- storing your cells today can potentially benefit anyone if they develop cancer later. People with a family history of cancer or certain pre-cancer conditions such as MGUS should think of storing their cells as fast as possible.

Is there a limit on the time my cells can be safely stored?

Immunaeon preserves your cells at extremely cold temperatures, allowing them to “freeze” in time, as the cells do not age at such cold temperatures. Immunaeon stores your immune cells the same way that cord blood is stored for newborn babies, which has been shows to be safe and effective after decades of cryopreservation.

Studies done by Dr. Hal Broxmeyer have shown that cells stay viable for decades. Importantly, when creating a cell-based drug like CAR-T therapy, your doctor will “expand” the cells, creating many more cells through the development process. So whether you store for 10 years or 50, the cells have the ability to be expanded into much larger numbers when they are used for immunotherapy!

Can I donate my immune cells to other people? Can I use someone else's cells?

No. Once the immune cell soldiers in your body are fully trained, they can only be used in your body. There are special proteins in your body called MHC, it is how your body knows that your cells are your own. These are unique to every individual. If you were to put someone else’s immune cells in your body, they would recognize your cells as foreign enemies and attack! Only your immune cells can be used in your body.

How can my cells be used?

There are many treatments that can be made more effective with your immune cells. Currently, there are several cell-based CAR-T therapies for cancer and over 1000 clinical trials developing these therapies for blood cancer and solid cancers. As of March 21st, 2022 there have been promising results shown in prostate cancer using cell-based therapy: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01742-1

There are also many immunotherapies that use “monoclonal antibodies” to activate the immune cells to fight cancer. By using your healthy stored immune cells, you may be able to make antibody-based therapies more effective.

We also know as we age, the immune cells break down. If there is another pandemic, instead of waiting for therapies and vaccines to be developed, there is a possibility you might be able to boost your immune system with healthier stored cells.

There are so many potential applications today and many more will be available in the future. Protect your future, and give yourself peace of mind by storing your cells today!

What do doctors think?

Our Chief Medical Officer, Tom White, has been at the Buffalo Medical Group for over 30 years, and both he and his family have stored. He knows how important it is for his family and his patients!

We know doctors understand the benefits of immune cell storage for use in many therapies. We have resources for your doctor and are happy to provide them, just have them reach out to us!

We also presented our ideas to leading oncologists at the American Society of Hematology conference in 2021, and they agree that immune cell storage is the future of treatment options! We also work closely with our physician partners to expand the number of potential uses. We actively participate in research in order to bring more options to more people.

What if I had cancer, but am in remission?

Certain types of cancer can be successfully treated with no detectable disease for years afterwards. But, there is always a chance the cancer will come back. We evaluate on a case-by-case basis if you can store immune cells safely. If you have no cancer after treatment, we may be able to store for you so that you can sleep better at night knowing if the cancer comes back, you may have better options!