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Goal of research collaboration is to develop a standardized,
pathogen-inactivated treatment option for anemia patients requiring
red blood cell transfusions
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New York Blood Center will contribute expertise in red blood cell
collection, separation, storage and transfusion
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Cerus’ INTERCEPT pathogen inactivation technology will be applied to
enhance safety against transfusion-transmitted infectious threats
CONCORD, Calif. & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ: CERS) and New York Blood Center (NYBC)
announced today that they have entered into a research collaboration to
explore the possibility of creating a red blood cell (RBC) biologic
product with improved uniformity compared to a standard unit of red
blood cells.
Because RBC units are currently prepared from a single blood donation,
the broad variability across the population of blood donors can lead to
significant differences in the volume and hemoglobin content of
individual RBC units. The collaboration will investigate whether small-
to medium-scale pooling of RBC units can provide a product with more
consistent characteristics while maintaining compatibility with major
and most common minor blood group antigens. Cerus’ INTERCEPT Blood
System red cell pathogen inactivation process will be included as a step
in preparing the novel red cell product, to provide enhanced protection
against transfusion-transmitted disease. The collaboration will also
investigate the use of advanced RBC storage solutions to extend storage
time and optimize characteristics of the stored red cells.
“This ultimate goal of this collaboration is to provide a better and
more uniform way to treat patients with anemia,” said Dr. Beth Shaz,
chief medical officer of the NYBC. “We are excited about the potential
to offer a safer product, which will decrease risk of transfusion
transmitted diseases, decrease risk of forming potentially harmful
antibodies, and improve overall transfusion outcomes. We believe Cerus’
INTERCEPT technology is the obvious choice to marry with our internal
initiative to improve red cell product uniformity and safety.”
“We welcome this opportunity to work with the NYBC, which has a long
history of pioneering pathogen inactivation for the plasma derivatives
industry, as well as an excellent reputation in the field of transfusion
medicine research,” commented Dr. Adonis Stassinopoulos, Cerus’ vice
president of scientific affairs. “We've built an extensive network of
research collaborations in Europe arising from our commercial activities
there over the last six years, and we look forward to increasing our
U.S. focus as we pursue FDA approval of our INTERCEPT products.”
Cerus’ INTERCEPT pathogen inactivation system is designed to reduce the
risk of transfusion-transmitted infections by inactivating a broad range
of pathogens, such as the viruses, bacteria and parasites that may be
present in donated blood. The system is approved in Europe for treatment
of platelets and plasma and used by over 100 blood centers in Europe,
CIS and the Middle East. The INTERCEPT red cell system, under
development to treat individual RBC units, is planned to begin Phase III
trials in Europe later this year. The Cerus-NYBC collaboration
represents a new application of the INTERCEPT technology, applying the
pathogen inactivation treatment process to the novel red cell biologic
product under development.
Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, both organizations will
support their own costs in the research effort. Terms for
commercialization of the resulting product are to be negotiated once
proof of principle has been established.
ABOUT NEW YORK BLOOD CENTER
New York Blood Center (NYBC) is one of the nation's largest non-profit,
community-based blood centers. NYBC has been providing blood,
transfusion products and services to hospitals serving more than 20
million people in New York City, Long Island, Hudson Valley, New Jersey,
and parts of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. NYBC is also home to the
Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute and the National Cord Blood
Program at the Howard P. Milstein National Cord Blood Center, the
world's largest public cord blood bank. NYBC provides medical services
and programs (Clinical, Transfusion, and Hemophilia Services) through
medical professionals along with consultative services in transfusion
medicine. See http://www.nybloodcenter.org
for more information.
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 enables
INTERCEPT treatment to inactivate established transfusion threats, such
as hepatitis B and C, HIV, West Nile virus and bacteria, and is designed
to inactivate emerging pathogens such as influenza, malaria and dengue.
Cerus currently markets and sells the INTERCEPT Blood System for both
platelets and plasma in Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States,
the Middle East and selected countries in other regions around the
world. The INTERCEPT red blood cell system is in clinical development.
See http://www.cerus.com
for more information.
INTERCEPT and the INTERCEPT Blood System are trademarks of Cerus
Corporation.
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Any
statements contained in this press release that are not statements of
historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements,
including, without limitation, statements relating to future research
and other activities by Cerus and NYBC under the collaboration,
the potential characteristics and performance of the proposed red blood
cell product and the potential benefits to red blood cell transfusion
recipients, and future U.S. product development activities by Cerus.
These forward-looking statements are based upon Cerus’ current
expectations. Actual results could differ materially from these
forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including,
without limitation, risks associated with the uncertain research and
product development process, including the risks that proof of principle
may never be established and/or that the proposed red blood cell product
could fail at any stage of the development process, risks related to
regulatory review and oversight by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration, the risks that Cerus and NYBC may not fulfill their
respective obligations under the collaboration agreement or that the
collaboration agreement may not be maintained, risks related to Cerus’
need for additional capital, and other risks detailed in the Cerus'
filings with, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including in
Cerus' annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011,
filed with the SEC on March 5, 2012. You are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date of this press release. Cerus does not undertake any
obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new
information, future events, changed assumptions or otherwise.
Source: Cerus Corporation