Biomedical products company Cerus has partnered with Kawasumi Laboratories to develop an Intercept platelet kit, for use in Japan.
Cerus CEO and president William Obi Greenman said: "By leveraging Kawasumi’s global manufacturing expertise and unique position in the Japanese market, we will be able to propose to the Japanese Red Cross a version of the Intecept Blood System for platelets that is optimized for Japan’s blood products specifications, with kits meeting the highest quality standards."
The Japan Red Cross (JRC) provides blood components for transfusion. It produces around 800,000 apheresis platelet doses and 2.3 million fresh frozen plasma (120ml-equivalent) units for transfusion each year.
Earlier, JRC selected a competitive pathogen inactivation technology, which is under evaluation for platelets. It is yet to take a decision on the adoption of pathogen inactivation for the territory.
Kawasumi Laboratories senior corporate officer and sales general manager Takeshi Saino said: "We are pleased to partner with Cerus in an effort to propose a solid alternative for pathogen inactivation to the Japan Red Cross."
Cerus is seeking regulatory approval of the Intercept Blood System for plasma and platelets, in the US.
Kawasumi businesses include hemodialysis, plasmapheresis, blood banking and transfusion, and infusion therapy.