Medical demand
Rapidly growing, diverse medical demand
Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is essential in the treatment of different types of anemia.
Demand is very high: 100 million packed red blood cell concentrates (PRBC) are transfused each year, worldwide, and demand is not fully met (in emerging or developing countries).
Each year, 60 million people around the world receive red blood cell transfusions, with demand steadily rising by 1.5% annually.
Blood donation: a single, limited source of red blood cells:
- Global demand for red blood cells is far from being met.
- Collection can be severely disrupted in the event of epidemics (Covid-19, SARS, chikungunya, dengue, etc.).
- Both the quantity and quality of red blood cells are vital for patient safety.
- Donor age limit cannot keep increasing indefinitely (age 70 years at present).
Additional sources are essential.
Repeat red blood cell transfusions can lead to complications: iron overload, alloimmunization, etc.
- Some patients with hereditary blood disorders or cancer can require up to 10 transfusions per year, and may need transfusions throughout their lives.
- Hereditary blood disorders affect over 25 million people worldwide, and transfusion therapy, in this context, accounts for approximately 30% of RBC administered.
Owing to its unique properties, our product will improve quality of life in these patients, by reducing the number of transfusions required, together with related complications.
A perfect addition to blood collection
The risk of shortages is increasing each year.
Multiple transfusions can cause numerous complications.
Our cultured red blood cell technology offers a solution for these challenges, through the industrial production of red blood cells with greater efficacy.