CONCORD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ: CERS) announced today the results of a
haemovigilance study reflecting two years of experience with routine
transfusion of 62,500 INTERCEPT-treated platelet components recently
presented by Swissmedic and the Swiss Red Cross at the 15th
International Haemovigilance Seminar (IHS) in Brussels, Belgium.
“Swiss haemovigilance data from transfusion of INTERCEPT-treated
platelet components support the favourable safety profile of this
pathogen inactivated blood product compared with conventional
platelets,” said Dr. Markus Jutzi, Haemovigilance, Swissmedic, Swiss
Agency of Therapeutic Products. “As expected, in routine use, we
observed that INTERCEPT-treated platelet components prevented septic
transfusion reactions. Furthermore, we detected no increased risk for
pulmonary adverse events. The introduction of the INTERCEPT procedure
also obviated the need for gamma irradiation.”
The INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets was introduced into routine use
in Switzerland in 2011, where reporting of transfusion-related adverse
events is mandatory. The cumulative haemovigilance data allowed for
comparison of risks associated with transfusion of conventional platelet
components (during 2009-2011) and INTERCEPT-treated platelet components
(during 2011-2012).
As presented at IHS, Dres. Rüesch, Jutzi and colleagues observed no
change in platelet or red blood cell utilization between the two
periods. There were fewer reports of non-infectious transfusion
reactions in general (1:400) as well as of severe (grade 3, 4)
transfusion reactions (1:10,000) with INTERCEPT-treated platelet
components compared to conventional platelet components (1:300 and
1:3,000, respectively). There were no instances of septic reactions
reported with INTERCEPT-treated platelet components, compared to 4
septic reactions, including 1 fatality, with conventional platelet
components. Additionally, fewer and less severe transfusion reactions
with respiratory symptoms were reported for INTERCEPT-treated platelet
components.
“We are very pleased by the improvements in transfusion safety
documented by the Swiss haemovigilance data after the adoption of the
INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets, and these results are consistent
with the 6-year experience in France reported by the ANSM haemovigilance
system,” said Dr. Laurence Corash, Cerus’ chief medical officer. “Cerus’
goal is to enable transfusion services to deliver safe and effective
blood products to patients, and we are proud to work with countries such
as Switzerland in this effort.”
The poster presentation (“Two years experience with pathogen
inactivation for platelet concentrates in Switzerland”) is available for
download on the Swissmedic website at http://www.swissmedic.ch/marktueberwachung/00159/00160/00437/index.html.
The poster abstract has been published as P-11 in Blood Transfusion,
Supplement No. 1, February 2013, ISSN 1723-2007 and is available for
download at http://www.bloodtransfusion.it/scarica.aspx?tipo=A&id=002454&riv=81.
ABOUT CERUS
Cerus Corporation is a biomedical products company focused on enhancing
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. In the United States, Cerus is seeking regulatory approval of the
INTERCEPT Blood System for plasma, and is in the process of determining
the application shell for a potential regulatory submission for the
INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets. The INTERCEPT Blood System for red
blood cells is in clinical development. See http://www.cerus.com
for more information.
INTERCEPT and the INTERCEPT Blood System are trademarks of Cerus
Corporation.
Source: Cerus Corporation