System Inactivates Two Pathogens in Blood

A system that can inactivate a variety of viruses, bacteria, and parasites in donor blood to improve the safety of transfusion blood has also shown the ability to inactivate the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease, and the virus that causes West Nile encephalitis.

Both Lyme disease and West Nile encephalitis have shown increased prevalence in eastern regions of the United States in recent years. The causative agents of both require an insect vector. Both pathogens also share an asymptomatic period during which blood-donor guidelines would not exclude blood donations by people during this stage.

The red blood cell inactivating system, called Inactine, works by binding to the RNA or DNA of the pathogen. Once bound, the compound forms an irreversible bond to the pathogenic nucleic acid, preventing replication and thereby "killing” the pathogens. The system was developed by V.I. Technologies, Inc. (Vitex, Watertown, MA, USA). Efforts are underway to demonstrate the system's success in three key areas necessary for commercial viability: broad pathogen kill, a wide safety margin for patients, and minimal interference with the function of the red cell.

"West Nile virus and the bacterium that causes Lyme disease are prime examples of emerging pathogens,” said John R. Barr, president and CEO, Vitex. "Further epidemiologic studies in human transfusion recipients are needed before the transfusion risk, if any, can be ascertained.”




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