CaridianBCT’s Mirasol® Pathogen Reduction Technologies System Selected to Increase Safety of Poland’s Blood Supply

Poland’s Largest Blood Centers Invest in Blood Safety

23/06/2010 — LAKEWOOD, Colo. — (BUSINESS WIRE)

CaridianBCT, a leading global provider of technology, products and services in the blood banking, transfusion medicine and cell therapy industries, announced that Poland’s Ministry of Health has chosen CaridianBCT’s Mirasol® Pathogen Reduction Technologies (PRT) System as the exclusive technology to improve the safety of the country’s supply of fresh frozen plasma (FFP).

The Mirasol system uses the unique properties of riboflavin (vitamin B2), a naturally occurring compound, and ultraviolet light to inactivate disease-causing agents including viruses, bacteria, parasites and white blood cells that may be present in blood components for transfusion. Poland’s largest blood center, the Warsaw Blood Bank, has already begun routine use of the Mirasol system for both FFP and platelets stored in plasma. With the recent national tender award, an additional seven blood centers in Poland will begin using the Mirasol system for treatment of FFP. Implementation has already begun.

“The National Blood Center, on behalf of the Minister of Health, coordinates the Health Program in the Republic of Poland to assure the self sufficiency of blood products and blood components,” said Mateusz J. Kuczabski, vice director of The National Blood Center. “The Mirasol system was selected as an integral part of this program with the objective that safe pathogen reduced plasma could be supplied to the Polish health care system.”

“The Mirasol system gives blood centers an easy and effective means to increase the level of safety for patients receiving the life-saving gift of blood,” said Teresa Ayers, senior vice president of Pathogen Reduction Technologies at CaridianBCT. “We are excited to work with Poland and implement our technology that can safely and effectively reduce the infectious risks from viruses, bacteria and parasites in blood products.”

About the Mirasol System

The only device on the market to use a combination of riboflavin (vitamin B2), a non-toxic naturally occurring compound, and ultraviolet light, the Mirasol system delivers immediately transfusable blood products, enabling blood centers to release pathogen reduced blood products for timely patient care. CaridianBCT received a CE Mark for the Mirasol system in 2007 for treating platelets suspended in plasma, in 2008 for treating fresh frozen plasma (FFP) in addition to treating plasma-reduced platelet concentrates that are subsequently stored in Platelet Additive Solution. The Mirasol system is available for sale in countries where the CE mark is accepted and is not currently available for sale in the United States.

About CaridianBCT

CaridianBCT is the leading global provider of innovative technologies and services specializing in automated blood collections, therapeutic apheresis and cell therapy systems, whole blood processes and pathogen reduction technologies. The company serves patients through its commitment “For Better Blood and Better Lives” by developing and commercializing products that serve global customers in the blood banking, therapeutic apheresis and transfusion medicine industries. For more information, visit www.caridianbct.com.

CONTACT:

CaridianBCTTarra Ryerson, +1 303-246-3868 (Mobile)Manager of Global Corporate Communicationspress@caridianbct.comorBaudouin van de Werve de Schilde, + 32 (0)2 710 58 58Marketing Communicationspress@caridianbct.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  Europe  North America  Colorado  Poland

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Health  Biotechnology  Hospitals  Medical Devices

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