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NEWS Feasibility of Freeze Drying Blood BTL are applying University of Cambridge technology to test the feasibility of freeze drying whole blood. The six month development programme is funding by the UK government’s Technology Strategy Board under its Regenerative Medicine therapeutic feasibility study. BTL scientists are working with novel polymers that have been developed at the University of Cambridge to allow greater loading of lyoprotectant material into the cell. The project is evaluating the feasibility of freeze drying red blood cells, which have very fragile membranes that cannot be preserved by freezing or freeze drying currently. A successful feasibility study would support further work in two areas. Firstly demonstrating a means of extending the shelf life of human blood and ensuring that valuable product is not destroyed because it is passed its use by date. Additional development work would need to be undertaken to demonstrate clinical safety. This is important area of unmet clinical need as blood stocks are struggling to keep up with clinical demand. Secondly, it may be possible to apply the approach to freeze drying therapeutic cells for other applications. This would have application in the area of regenerative medicine where freeze drying therapeutic cells for storage or transportation would broaden potential product opportunities. The six month project which builds upon the research work at University of Cambridge will begin in December 2009. Other News This Month |
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