Blood Pharming
Abstract
The Blood Pharming program developed an automated culture and packaging system that yields transfusable levels of universal donor red blood cells (RBCs) from progenitor cell sources. The program produced 100 units of universal donor (Type O negative) RBCs per week for eight weeks in an automated closed culture system using a renewing progenitor population, and demonstrated a two hundred million-fold expansion of progenitor cell populations to mature RBCs. The program capitalized on advances in cell differentiation, expansion, and bioreactor technology developed early in the program. The Blood Pharming effort provides a safe donorless blood supply that is the functional equivalent of fresh donor cells, satisfying a large battlefield demand and reducing the logistical burden of donated blood in theater.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2015
- Source ID
- d544618651fa8a965246c638ef1a1630