On Tuesday, March 24th, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval for the use of convalescent plasma to combat serious COVID-19 cases. Granting doctors, the ability to initiate the process of single-patient emergency Investigational New Drug Applications (eINDs) for individual patients facing serious or life-threatening COVID-19 infections.
What is convalescent plasma?
Convalescent plasma as outlined by The Scientist is a process that goes back more than 100 years. It is plasma collected from donors who in this case have recovered from COVID-19. The plasma collected from a recovered patient may have antibodies that can be effective in treating the viral infection. FDA reports that “Use of convalescent plasma has been studied in outbreaks of other respiratory infections, including the 2009–2010 H1N1 influenza virus pandemic, 2003 SARS-CoV-1 epidemic, and the 2012 MERS-CoV epidemic.”
There is much promise in this approach. A report published in the American Medical Association Journal on Friday, March 27th, 2020 shows that 5 critically ill patients hospitalized in Shenzhen, China being treated with convalescent plasma showed improvement in clinical status. Though they warn that these findings are preliminary and require evaluation in clinical trials.
What is plasma?
Plasma is the clear liquid portion of blood that remains after the other components of blood are removed. It is the single largest component of human blood, comprising about 55 percent, and contains water, salts, enzymes, antibodies, and other proteins.
Plasma is a critical raw material for developing life-saving plasma-derived therapies.
I’m a recovered COVID-19 patient; where can I donate my plasma?
20 days prior to the FDA announcement, Takeda, a biopharmaceutical company based in Japan announced the development of TAK-888, a plasma-derived therapy to treat high-risk individuals with COVID-19.
Through their BioLife Plasma centers based throughout the United States, Takeda has launched a program to collect plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients. You can learn more about the program by visiting this dedicated BioLife Plasma page.
Grifols, a global healthcare company based in Spain, has also committed to partnering with the FDA and other Federal health agencies to collect plasma from convalescent COVID-19 patients through its network of U.S. plasma collection centers.
The FDA has set specific requirements in order to qualify as a donor. Take some time to review these guidelines.
I am not a COVID-19 patient; should I donate plasma?
YES! Plasma donations are needed now more than ever. To ensure that there are no interruptions in the manufacturing of plasma-derived therapies for rare disease patients around the world.
Find a plasma center near you on iPlasma.
Other plasma companies helping to battle COVID-19
CSL, a global biotech leader based in Australia has announced they would share the company’s expertise in plasma, technology, science, and manufacturing with governments around the world. CSL is not developing a coronavirus vaccine of their own but will offer up their scientists to collaborate with other teams actively working on a vaccination.
In order to address this global issue, collaboration across competitors, industries, and governments are needed now more than ever before. We applaud and are excited to see the plasma industry stepping up around the world to do their part in helping fight this pandemic.
For more information visit: iPlasma.Life
Want to Donate Plasma? Find a center near you: Plasma Donation center
