Cerus Corporation Signs Contract With American Red Cross for INTERCEPT Blood System

Cerus Corporation has forged a deal with the American Red Cross for use of its INTERCEPT Blood System for Platelets.

The company recently signed a five-year contract with the American Red Cross to supply the organization with the INTERCEPT Blood System, which is used to produce pathogen-reduced platelets. The contract helps support the American Red Cross’s goal to transition toward a full pathogen-reduced platelet supply for its U.S. hospital customers.
 
“The Red Cross is a global leader in transfusion medicine, with a track record of establishing blood safety protocols that have provided a blueprint for many blood centers globally. Cerus is proud of our history of collaborating with the Red Cross, as they have played a critical role in the deployment of the INTERCEPT Blood System to safeguard the U.S. blood supply,” stated William “Obi” Greenman, Cerus’ president and CEO. “Thanks to their leadership and commitment to blood safety, the Red Cross is now the largest producer of INTERCEPT treated blood components in the world. Our partnership has made thousands of INTERCEPT treated platelets available for patients across the country each day, and we are excited to extend this relationship and continue advancing the INTERCEPT Blood System.”
 
Supplying about 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply, the American Red Cross is the largest provider of blood products in the United States, collecting more than 4.6 million blood donations and 1 million platelet donations for its approximately 2,500 hospital and transfusion center customers in 2021.¹
 
“The safety and sustainability of the blood supply is of paramount importance for us, as well as for the hospitals, physicians and patients who we serve,” said Chris Hrouda, president, Biomedical Services at the American Red Cross. “INTERCEPT treated platelets meet the FDA’s bacterial safety requirements and also protect patients against a broad spectrum of transfusion-transmitted infections caused by known and unknown pathogens. The Red Cross remains committed to finding proactive ways to ensure the safety and availability of the blood supply.”
 
Headquartered in Concord, Calif., Cerus Corporation develops and supplies vital technologies and pathogen-protected blood components to blood centers, hospitals, and ultimately patients. The INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets and plasma is available globally and remains the only pathogen reduction system with both CE Mark and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for these two blood components. The INTERCEPT red blood cell system is under regulatory review in Europe, and in late-stage clinical development in the United States. Also in the United States, the INTERCEPT Blood System for Cryoprecipitation is approved for the production of INTERCEPT Fibrinogen Complex, a therapeutic product for the treatment and control of bleeding, including massive hemorrhage, associated with fibrinogen deficiency. 

Reference
¹ American Red Cross Annual Report 2021: https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/about-us/publications/2022-publications/Annual_Report_FY2021.pdf (Accessed on April 22, 2022)