German Red Cross and Cerus Develop Erythrocyte System

The German Red Cross in the Baden-Württemberg and Hesse regions (DRK; Frankfurt, Germany) agreed to collaborate with Cerus Corp. (Concord, CA, USA) in the development of the company's Intercept blood system for red blood cells. DRK Frankfurt will invest both expertise and personnel for the commercial system design, commercial system validation, and activities directed toward German regulatory approval. In return, DRK Frankfurt will receive royalties on future sales of the Intercept red blood cell system in Europe.

The collaboration provides Cerus with direct access to DRK Frankfurt's scientific and operational expertise in relevant areas. The contract commits resources from the DRK Frankfurt to support the development of the commercial product and design of a system compatible with blood processing procedures in Europe. Under the agreement, the two organizations will also work together on planning for phase III and phase IV clinical trials of the red blood cell system in Europe.

Cerus Corp. is a biomedical products company focused on commercializing the Intercept blood system to enhance blood safety. The system is designed to inactivate blood-borne pathogens in donated blood components intended for transfusion. Cerus currently markets the Intercept blood system for both platelets and plasma in Europe and the Middle East. The Intercept red blood cell system is currently in clinical development.

The DRK Frankfurt actively collaborates with transfusion medicine professionals within Germany and worldwide, sharing with them data on best practices in blood banking. The DRK Frankfurt collects and processes 1.2 million units of red blood cells annually and has a team that has conducted translational research in transfusion medicine for many years.

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German Red Cross
Cerus