CONCORD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cerus Corporation (Nasdaq:CERS) today announced its contract with Canadian Blood Services for the INTERCEPT Blood System for Platelets. Canadian Blood Services is one of Canada’s two blood operators, serving all Canadian provinces and territories except Quebec.
“Today’s announcement is a significant milestone for Cerus as we enter the Canadian market. We are proud to partner with Canadian Blood Services to introduce pathogen inactivated platelets in Canada,” said Christian Boutemy, Cerus’ vice president, commercial operations EMEA, who is also responsible for Canada. “For nearly 30 years, Cerus has been dedicated to safeguarding the blood supply around the globe. We are pleased that Canadian Blood Services is taking this step to bring INTERCEPT to Canadians. We look forward to supporting them as they scale up production of pathogen inactivated platelets for patients throughout the region.”
“As an organization, we are committed to ensuring high quality blood components and to minimizing the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections. The INTERCEPT Blood System allows us to deliver on this goal,” said Dr. Graham D. Sher, Canadian Blood Services’ chief executive officer. “Our aim is to drive full adoption of pathogen reduced platelets once INTERCEPT is deployed across all of our production sites.”
Canadian Blood Services intends to implement pathogen reduced platelets in a gradual and measured manner, beginning in the Ottawa region in Fall 2021 subject to Health Canada approval. Broader implementation will begin after Cerus has attained Canadian regulatory approval for extension of pathogen reduced platelets’ shelf life from five days to seven.
Canadian Blood Services manufactures approximately 115,000 platelet doses annually.
ABOUT CERUS
Cerus Corporation is dedicated solely to safeguarding the world’s blood supply and aims to become the preeminent global blood products company. Headquartered in Concord, California, the company develops and supplies vital technologies and pathogen-protected blood components to blood centers, hospitals, and ultimately patients who rely on safe blood. The INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets and plasma is available globally and remains the only pathogen reduction system with both CE mark and FDA approval for these two blood components. The INTERCEPT red blood cell system is under regulatory review in Europe, and in late-stage clinical development in the US. Also in the US, the INTERCEPT Blood System for Cryoprecipitation is approved for production of Pathogen Reduced Cryoprecipitated Fibrinogen Complex, a therapeutic product for the treatment and control of bleeding, including massive hemorrhage, associated with fibrinogen deficiency. 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.
About Canadian Blood Services
Canadian Blood Services is a not-for-profit charitable organization. Regulated by Health Canada as a biologics manufacturer and primarily funded by the provincial and territorial ministries of health, Canadian Blood Services operates with a national scope, infrastructure and governance that make it unique within Canadian healthcare. In the domain of blood, plasma, and stem cells, CBS provides products and services to hospitals on behalf of all provincial and territorial governments, except Quebec. The national transplant registry for interprovincial organ sharing and related programs reaches into all provinces and territories, as a biological lifeline for Canadians. For more information visit: blood.ca.
Forward Looking Statements
Except for the historical statements contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Cerus’ products, prospects and expected results, including statements relating to Cerus’ contract with Canadian Blood Services and the expected benefits to Cerus thereof; the expectation that Canadian Blood Services will introduce INTERCEPT in Canada and scale up production of pathogen reduced platelets for patients throughout the region; the expectation that Canadian Blood Services will implement pathogen reduced platelets in the Ottawa region in Fall 2021 subject to Health Canada approval and more broadly thereafter; the expectation of obtaining Canadian regulatory approval for extension of pathogen reduced platelets’ shelf life from five days to seven; and other statements that are not historical fact. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including, without limitation: risks related to Cerus’ ability to maintain its partnership with Canadian Blood Services and to achieve its intended benefits; risks related to the uncertain and time-consuming development and regulatory process, including the risks that the INTERCEPT Blood System for Platelets may not receive the requisite Canadian regulatory approvals in a timely manner or at all; risks related to Cerus’ and Canadian Blood Services’ ability to demonstrate to the transfusion medicine community and other health care constituencies in Canada and elsewhere that pathogen reduction and the INTERCEPT Blood System is safe, effective and economical; risks related to adverse market and economic conditions, including continued or more severe adverse fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and/or continued or more severe weakening in economic conditions resulting from the evolving effects of the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise in the markets where Cerus currently sells and is anticipated to sell its products, as well as other risks detailed in Cerus’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading “Risk Factors” in Cerus’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on May 4, 2021. In addition, to the extent that the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects Cerus’ business and financial results, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks and uncertainties described above. Cerus disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
