CONCORD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ:CERS) announced today the successful outcome
of a multi-year trial of INTERCEPT-treated platelet components conducted
at the Swiss Red Cross Blood Center in Basel, Switzerland. The INTERCEPT
Blood System is a pathogen inactivation treatment designed to protect
against transfusion-transmitted diseases.
"This study demonstrated that INTERCEPT platelets provide adequate
prophylactic support for hematology-oncology patients," said Dr. Andreas
Buser, director of the Swiss Red Cross Blood Center in Basel. "The
INTERCEPT platelet count increments in this study mirror what we see for
conventional platelets. Our clinical experience with INTERCEPT adds
evidence for the recent Swiss Red Cross decision to convert almost all
of its centers to INTERCEPT in order to ensure proactive protection
against bacterial contamination and emerging pathogens."
The open label experience study included platelet-deficient hematologic
patients at the University Hospital Basel and was conducted to evaluate
both platelet count increments and transfusion related adverse events.
The corrected count increment measures the increase in the patient's
platelet count following a platelet transfusion, adjusted for dose and
patient blood volume.
A control arm (72 patients) provided data to compare with the data
generated for INTERCEPT platelets (44 patients). The mean one-hour
corrected count increment for the INTERCEPT arm compared favorably to
the control arm. This was true both for the 19 patients who received
only INTERCEPT platelets per protocol (15,600 INTERCEPT / 10,200
control), as well as for the 25 patients who received at least one
transfusion of conventional platelets in addition to INTERCEPT platelets
(intent-to-treat, 13,600 INTERCEPT / 10,200 control). Patients in the
INTERCEPT arm were transfused with conventional platelets if no
INTERCEPT platelets were available at the time a transfusion was
required.
The investigators in Basel noted no differences in serious adverse
events related to bleeding, in the number of platelet transfusions or
the interval between transfusions, nor were there any reports of
platelet transfusion related bacteremia or other transfusion transmitted
infection. The investigators plan to submit the study data for
presentation at an upcoming transfusion medicine congress.
"We are especially pleased with these clinical outcomes in the context
of the economic advantages realized from obtaining 100% of INTERCEPT
platelet components from double-dose splits and eliminating the need for
gamma irradiation," added Dr. Buser. "Our experience preparing INTERCEPT
platelet components for this study will be shared with other Swiss Red
Cross centers to streamline their deployment of the technology."
"With over 8 years of experience in routine use, the INTERCEPT system
continues to perform exceptionally well in blood center operations and
in clinical practice," said Dr. Laurence Corash, Cerus' chief medical
officer.
The INTERCEPT systems for platelets and plasma are used by over 60 blood
centers in Europe, Russia and the Middle East. The INTERCEPT red blood
cell system is in clinical development. The INTERCEPT Blood System is
not yet approved for use in the United States.
ABOUT CERUS
Cerus Corporation is a biomedical products company focused on
commercializing the INTERCEPT Blood System to enhance blood safety. The
INTERCEPT system is designed to reduce the risk of
transfusion-transmitted diseases by inactivating a broad range of
pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and parasites that may be present in
donated blood. The nucleic acid targeting mechanism of action allows
INTERCEPT treatment to inactivate both established transfusion threats,
such as hepatitis, HIV, West Nile virus and bacteria, as well as
emerging pathogens such as influenza, malaria and dengue. Cerus
currently markets and sells the INTERCEPT Blood System for both
platelets and plasma in Europe, Russia, the Middle East and selected
countries in other regions around the world, with over 600,000 units
transfused to date. The INTERCEPT red blood cell system is in clinical
development. Visit http://www.cerus.com
for more information.
INTERCEPT and INTERCEPT Blood System are trademarks of Cerus Corporation.
Source: Cerus Corporation