Biomedical products firm Cerus has entered into a three-year purchase agreement with Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center (MVRBC) to provide its Intercept blood system for use in the treatment of platelets and plasma.

The Intercept blood system was developed to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections by inactivating a wide range of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and parasites presented in donated blood.

The system’s nucleic acid targeting mechanism will inactivate established transfusion threats such as Hepatitis B and C, HIV, West Nile Virus and bacteria, as well as emerging pathogens, including chikungunya, malaria and dengue.

MVRBC CEO Mike Parejko said: "With support from our donors, we provide world class blood and blood components to hospitals throughout our region.

"Intercept-treated platelets and plasma will enable us to offer another safe choice of blood components to the hospitals we serve."

Currently, the firm markets Intercept blood system for both platelets and plasma in the US, Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Middle East and selected countries across the globe.

Based in Davenport of Iowa, MVRBC exclusively provides blood products and services to around 88 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, US.