Read more about Cerus’ Phase III Clinical Trials for RBCs  

 


First Danish Hospital Signs INTERCEPT Platelet Agreement with Cerus
 
Aalborg University Hospital in Denmark signed a five year project collaboration agreement for the INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets. The first hospital in Denmark to adopt INTERCEPT, the department of FBE Klinisk Immunologi at Aalborg University Hospital supplies an estimated 3,000 platelet units annually to Region Nordjylland, representing approximately 10% of Denmark’s platelet market. “Bacterial contamination of platelets is one of the most prevalent infectious risks in blood transfusion, posing serious health risks to transfusion patients. We believe the INTERCEPT Blood System will significantly decrease residual risk due to bacterial contamination, provide a proactive defense against emerging pathogens, and offer key operational advantages such as reduced waste rates,” stated Dr. Kim Varming of the department of FBE Klinisk Immunologi.

Read the Press Release
 


Cerus' ISBT Symposium Video Replay is Now Available

Safeguarding the blood supply as it relates to the minimization of bacterial contamination, as well as donor deferral policies used to contain the spread of emerging pathogens, are significant challenges faced by blood centers and hospitals today. This workshop explores such challenges, including current detection technologies, and the potential impact that pathogen inactivation might have on policies and methodologies. The discussion features the INTERCEPT Blood System, the pathogen inactivation system that has been proven through 10 years of routine use, with almost 2 million transfusion products treated in over 100 centers throughout Europe, and selected countries in other regions around the world.

Speakers & Topics:

• ADDRESSING THE RISK OF BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION IN PLATELETS
  Dr. Steven Kleinman (Canada), Chair
   
• THE PREDICTED EFFECTS OF PATHOGEN INACTIVATION ADOPTION ON CURRENT PRACTICES TO ENSURE BLOOD SAFETY
  Dr. Susan Stramer (USA)
   
• A DECADE OF BLOOD SAFETY THROUGH ROUTINE USE OF PATHOGEN INACTIVATION IN BLOOD CENTERS
  Dr. Jean-Pierre Cazenave (France)

Watch the video replay

	Ask the Expert... Nina Mufti, PhD Vice President, Development, Cerus Corporation

Q:  How is blood transfusion used in the treatment of chronic anemia patients?
 
A:  Chronic anemia patients such as those with hemoglobinopathies like sickle cell disease (SCD) and thalassemia suffer from blood disorders that affect oxygen transport in the body. These diseases are lifelong, systemic disorders that may present challenges across organs including the brain, spleen, heart, and lungs. Five to ten percent of SCD patients are transfusion dependent, as are many thalassemia major patients, necessitating regular (~monthly) RBC transfusions. Life-long transfusion therapy makes for continuous exposure to RBCs from multiple donors. Indeed, these patients are exposed to more blood transfusions than almost any other patient group, receiving as many as 1,500 RBC units over the course of a lifetime. In addition to iron accumulation that may result from chronic RBC transfusions, these patients are at elevated risk for exposure to existing and emerging pathogens and to bacterial contamination.

Learn more about Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia

BioPlasma World Asia (IMAPAC) - Bloodborne Pathogen Safety Workshop
Sept 5, Bali, Indonesia

SWISSTRANSFUSION (SVTM)
Sept 5-6, Geneva, Switzerland

Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Transfusionsmedizin und Immunhämatologie (DGTI + ÖGBT)
Sept 24-27, Munster, Germany

SAATM (South Asian Association of Transfusion Medicine)
Oct 3-4, Gurgaon, India

AABB Annual Meeting
Oct 12-15, Colorado, USA