Oxygen Therapeutic for Surgical Patients with Anemia

A study has found that polymerized bovine hemoglobin can offer an effective, short-term replacement for donated human red blood cells during surgery.

The bovine hemoglobin (HBOC-201) is one of a new class of drugs called oxygen therapeutics. Chemically stabilized and formulated in a balanced salt solution, HBOC-201 can be administered intravenously to deliver oxygen to the body's tissues. The bovine hemoglobin molecules circulate in the patient's plasma. They are smaller, flow better in veins and arteries, and even release oxygen more efficiently to tissues than human red blood cells, the researchers found.

The phase III clinical trial involved 350 patients who received the bovine hemoglobin and 338 patients who received allogenic red blood cells. The results showed that there were no consistent abnormal clinical problems with the bovine hemoglobin compared to the red blood cell group. A common side effect of the bovine hemoglobin was a superficial yellow skin discoloration.

HBOC-201 has practical benefits over donated human red blood cells. Stored human red blood cells require refrigeration, testing, typing, and cross-matching. HBOC-201 is compatible with every blood type, is stable at room temperature for three years, and undergoes a pharmaceutical manufacturing process to remove potential infectious agents. Also, HBOC-201 could be valuable when blood supplies are low. In June 2002, one-third of all US blood centers had only a day's worth of blood or less on hand.

"It's not a matter of being more effective than human, or allogenic, blood,” noted Jonathan S. Jahr, M.D., director of clinical research at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and one of the investigators. "HBOC-201 effectively provides an oxygen ‘bridge' that helps keep acutely anemic patients stable during and after surgery. It can also fill an unmet medical need when compatible red blood cells are not readily available or when there is a need or preference to avoid blood transfusions.”




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