The Swiss Red Cross Humanitarian Foundation has awarded a grant of 2 million Swiss Francs to Cerus, the University Hospital of Basel, and the Swiss Transfusion SRC to complete the necessary clinical studies to develop a whole blood pathogen inactivation system for use in Africa. In many African countries, whole blood transfusions remain common, requiring the development of a robust whole blood pathogen inactivation system optimized for use within the limited infrastructure of local blood banks and hospitals. Such system has been developed, consisting of a process that is easy to use in remote settings, without the need for electricity.

“Blood safety is a significant health concern in Africa, where a number of endemic pathogens may be present in donated blood,” said Dr. Rudolf Schwabe, chief executive officer of Swiss Transfusion SRC. “We have an obligation to bring this technology to Africa and other regions where it has the potential to vastly improve blood safety."