Cerus' blood-safety system meets main goal in late-stage trial

Nov 2 (Reuters) - Cerus Corp CERS.O said on Monday a late-stage study showed that red blood cells treated with its blood-safety technology performed as well as conventional red blood cells in patients requiring transfusions.

Cerus' Intercept technology is designed to reduce the risk of viruses, bacteria and other pathogens in donated blood products.

Here are more details:

• The late-stage trial met its main goal, showing that Intercept'-treated red blood cells were non-inferior to conventional red blood cells based on adjusted hemoglobin increment, a measure of transfusion effectiveness

• The company also said there was no statistically significant difference in treatment-related adverse events between patients who received Intercept-treated blood and those who received conventional blood

• Cerus reported that a small number of patients developed temporary Intercept-specific antibodies, but said there was no evidence of hemolysis, or destruction of red blood cells, and no clinical impact was observed

• Intercept-treated red blood cells remain experimental in the United States and have not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration

• Cerus said the agency has not yet reviewed the final study report