Cerus INTERCEPT Blood System Kit Shipments Surpass 7.5 Million Treatable Platelet and Plasma Doses Since Launch

CONCORD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cerus Corporation (Nasdaq:CERS) announced today that INTERCEPT Blood Systems disposable kit shipments have surpassed 7.5 million treatable platelet and plasma doses globally since commercial launch.

“This is a significant milestone for Cerus and highlights the scope our technology has had within the transfusion industry and on the millions of patients worldwide transfused with INTERCEPT treated platelet and plasma components,” said William ‘Obi’ Greenman, Cerus’ president and chief executive officer. “We have a solid track record with the safety and efficacy of our INTERCEPT products, which now surpasses more than 7.5 million treatable doses.”

The INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets and plasma provides a proactive approach to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infectious disease (TTID). Cerus’ proprietary pathogen-reduction technology provides a foundational strategy for safeguarding the blood supply against a broad spectrum of known and emerging pathogens. Annually, over 115 million units of blood are donated worldwide and there is no therapeutic alternative for patients who need blood¹.

About the Cerus INTERCEPT Blood System:

• Provides robust, broad-spectrum reduction of the risks of TTID, including sepsis, and can be used to replace bacterial detection, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Babesia testing and gamma irradiation for prevention of transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD).
• INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets and plasma utilizes amotosalen, a photoactive compound activated with ultra-violet light that specifically targets DNA and RNA, irreversibly cross-linking nucleic acids, which blocks the replication of viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
• Over a decade of national hemovigilance data on INTERCEPT treated platelets establishing a proven track record of safety and clinical utility . The INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets is now the standard of care in nine countries including France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Austria.^‡
• INTERCEPT complies with the FDA guidance on bacterial safety in platelets and also provides a proactive solution to address pandemic preparedness.
• A recent study conducted at the King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah Saudi Arabia demonstrated that INTERCEPT Blood System inactivates SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent for COVID-19, in plasma components.
• The use of INTERCEPT provides an alternative to the three-month donor deferral period for residents of non-malaria endemic countries after traveling to malaria-endemic regions, thereby potentially improving blood component availability for hospitals, blood banks, and ultimately, patients in need.

‡ Standard of care defined as treating greater than 50% of platelets

1. World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/news-room/facts-in-pictures/detail/blood-transfusion

ABOUT CERUS

Cerus Corporation is dedicated solely to safeguarding the world’s blood supply and aims to become the preeminent global blood products company. Based in Concord, California, our employees are dedicated to deploying and supplying vital technologies and pathogen-protected blood components for blood centers, hospitals and ultimately patients who rely on safe blood. With the INTERCEPT Blood System, we are focused on protecting patients by delivering the full complement of reliable products and expertise for transfusion medicine. Cerus develops and markets the INTERCEPT Blood System and remains the only company in the blood transfusion space to earn both CE Mark and FDA approval for pathogen reduction of both platelet and plasma components. Cerus currently markets and sells the INTERCEPT Blood System in the United States, Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Middle East and selected countries in other regions around the world. The INTERCEPT Red Blood Cell system is in clinical development. For more information about Cerus, visit www.cerus.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

INTERCEPT and the INTERCEPT Blood System are trademarks of Cerus Corporation.