Cerus Corporation (Nasdaq:CERS) announced today that multiple abstracts featuring the INTERCEPT Blood System pathogen reduction technology, including four oral presentations, will be included in the scientific program at the 29th regional congress of International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT). The ISBT is one of the premier congresses in the field of transfusion medicine. This year, the meeting is being held in Basel, Switzerland from June 22nd to June 26th.

Cerus will also be hosting a satellite symposium on Tuesday, June 25th from 12:30 pm CEST to 1:30 pm CEST. The symposium will feature presentations titled Safeguarding the Blood Supply Against (Re)emerging Pathogens and Balancing Blood Safety and Economics.

“The clinical body of evidence supporting the use of INTERCEPT blood products continues to grow as shown by the number of oral presentations and posters being presented this week at ISBT,” said Dr. Richard Benjamin, Cerus’ chief medical officer. “The data being presented at this year’s ISBT will highlight topics including the operational benefits associated with INTERCEPT treated 7-day platelets compared to conventional 5-day platelets, the design of a Phase 1 clinical trial in Africa evaluating INTERCEPT in whole blood transfusions, and the assessment of INTERCEPT’s efficacy in reducing the load of viral and bacterial pathogens.”

Key presentations of interest include:

  • Toward an Appropriate Pathogen Reduction Technology for Whole Blood in Resource-Limited Settings: Clinical Development Plans for the INTERCEPT Blood System for Whole Blood, S Amar, R Schwabe, A Grzesiczek et al.
    The Phase 1 study using INTERCEPT in whole blood is the first step that marks a clinical program that could bring pathogen reduction technology in resource-limited regions.

  • Efficient Inactivation of Brucella Clinical Isolates in Human Platelet Concentrates in 100% Plasma with Amotosalen and Ultraviolet A Light Treatment, F Alseraye, O Alsaweed, F Albloui et al.
    INTERCEPT pathogen reduced Brucella in six isolates.

  • Therapeutic Response to Amotosalen/UVA-Treated Platelets With Up to 7 Days Storage During 5 Years of Routine Practice, L Infanti, A Holbro, J Passweg et al.
    Data showed that INTERCEPT treated platelets older than 5 days was safe and effective to transfuse to hematology/oncology patients and did not affect hemostasis.

  • How to Prepare the Madrid Region for a Potential Outbreak of Emergent Pathogens without Increasing Overall Production Cost?, A Arruga, I Lucea, A Richart et al.
    The study confirmed the center’s objective of converting 25% of its production to pathogen-reduced platelets without increasing the overall production cost.

  • Influence of the Use of 7-Day Platelets Pathogen Inactivated with Amotosalen/UVA on the Discards Due to Expiry in the Hemotherapy Area of Castilla La Mancha (Spain), AL Pajares Herraiz, C Coello de Portugal, MD Morales et al.
    Improved forecasting, information technology, and product shelf-life extension as a result of INTERCEPT treatment contributed to lower product discards due to expiry at the three hospitals in the study.

  • Efficient Inactivation of MERS-Coronavirus in Human Apheresis Platelets with Amotosalen and Ultraviolet A Light, Treatment SI Hindawi, A Hashem, A Hassa et al.
    Platelet concentrates spiked with MERS-CoV and treated with INTERCEPT resulted in a greater than 4 log reduction in plaque forming units (pfu) per ml. INTERCEPT may be effective in minimizing transfusion transmitted infections of MERS-CoV.

ABOUT CERUS

Cerus Corporation is dedicated solely to safeguarding the world’s blood supply and aims to become the preeminent global blood products company. Based in Concord, California, our employees are dedicated to deploying and suppling vital technologies and pathogen-protected blood components for blood centers, hospitals and ultimately patients who rely on safe blood. With the INTERCEPT Blood System, we are focused on protecting patients by delivering the full complement of reliable products and expertise for transfusion medicine. Cerus develops and markets the INTERCEPT Blood System, and remains the only company in the blood transfusion space to earn both CE Mark and FDA approval for pathogen reduction of both platelet and plasma components. Cerus currently markets and sells the INTERCEPT Blood System in the United States, 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. For more information about Cerus, visit www.cerus.com.

INTERCEPT and the INTERCEPT Blood System are trademarks of Cerus Corporation.