Alliance to Recover Leukocytes for Therapeutic Use

An alliance to recover leukocytes has been entered into by Pall Corp. (East Hills, NY, USA) and Viragen, Inc. (Plantation, FL, USA). Pall will grant an exclusive (except for Japan) worldwide license to proprietary technology that will enable Viragen to efficiently remove and recover leukocytes from leukoreduction filters. The goal is to provide additional sources of leukocytes for Viragen's production of interferons for therapeutic use.

Viragen's lead product, Omniferon, a multisubtype alpha interferon, is currently in phase II clinical trials for the treatment of hepatitis C. Omniferon is derived from white blood cells using Viragen's unique manufacturing technology. Viragen has white blood cell sourcing agreements with other blood organizations, including the American Red Cross and the German Red Cross.

"Blood centers normally discard blood filters after each use,” noted Gerald Smith, chairman and CEO of Viragen. "The potential access to all filtered white blood cells increases Viragen's capability to maximize production of Omniferon.”

Pall is a leader in the filtrations and separations industry, supplying products for use in transfusion medicine, biopharmaceuticals, and in other industries. Pall blood filters are used in all 10 countries that have mandated universal leukocyte reduction.



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Viragen