BioPharma, Devices & Diagnostics, Hospitals

Technology to screen blood for bacteria before transfusions raises $12M

Each year, about 13.9 million units of red cells or whole blood are transfused in […]

Each year, about 13.9 million units of red cells or whole blood are transfused in the U.S. Blood transfusions come with some risks, particularly the danger that the recipient will contract a life threatening illness from contaminated blood. In an effort to make the process of blood transfusions safer and to improve outcomes, a biotechnology company has developed a test to screen blood for bacteria. Verax Biomedical has raised $12 million to fuel its growth, according to a company statement.

The financing will accelerate the company’s completion of clinical trials to develop a updated version of its bacterial contamination test that will screen red blood cells for bacterial contamination. Both products are designed to address a significant and potentially lethal bacterial contamination risk in transfused platelets.

The US Food and Drug Administration cleared its first platelet test as a quality control measure to detect bacterial contamination in 2009.

Among Verax Biomedical’s investors are Village Ventures and KB Partners.

The company points points out that the risk of bacterial contamination in red blood cells is lower than in platelets but it is far higher than the risk of contracting associated with transmitting viruses such as HIV, Hepatitis C or the West Nile Virus through a blood transfusion.

Verax sees stem cells and cell-based therapies as other potential growth areas for expanding  its screening test, according to its website.

The idea is to improve outcomes for surgery and transplant patients. The biggest challenge posed by bacteria is that unlike viruses, bacteria can replicate outside of a living host. An infectious contaminant can be present in blood or in cells but in levels too small to measure when it is initially collected. That means they may be present in great amounts when it comes time for a transplant or transfusion, according to the company’s website. It wants to have a series of rapid tests that are convenient to implement as near as possible to the time for the transfusion or transplant and clear contaminated products from the hospital.

[Photo credit: Image from Flickr user Andrew Mason]

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