Blood borne pathogens, and especially those that are emerging, re-emerging, or yet unknown can significantly increase the risk of transfusion transmitted diseases. As a result, maintaining the safety of blood transfusions requires constant development and implementation of new blood tests, which, without providing full safety, saps resources and drives up the blood transfusion cost. Presently in the US the number of blood transfusion blood tests exceeds fourteen, without testing for such dangerous pathogens as Zika, Ebola, Malaria, and others. Many low income countries cannot afford the high cost of those tests, and for them transfusion transmitted infections become a major health risk. According to the World Health Organization, as much as 10% of new HIV and malaria infections in developing countries have been acquired through blood transfusion.
To be prepared in advance for emerging pathogens, implementing a comprehensive strategy to inactivate pathogens in transfusion blood is intrinsically more effective than developing tests after emergence. Simple, effective and safe pathogen inactivation in donated blood is a proactive alternative to the current reactionary approach to developing screening tests upon emergence of new blood borne pathogens. Development and implementation of ZATA’s Anti-Pathogen Systems (ZAP-systems) enabling effective reductions of blood borne pathogens addresses that need.
The blood transfusion process and its safety measures are subject to different regulations depending on each country around the globe. The unique versatility of the ZAP-Systems enables the development of four different treatment systems with the minimum modifications that covers all regulatory requirements around the globe without compromising of the safety standards.
Short description of ZAP-C deactivators and ZAP-systems: ZAP-C is a family of small molecules that effectively penetrate the pathogens and selectively and permanently deactivate their genomic molecules, thus eliminating their infectivity, without affecting proteins or other biological components. The cells in the blood intended for transfusion, red blood cells and platelet, are anucleated, i.e. they do not contain nuclei and DNA. Therefore, unlike the pathogens, they are resistant to the effect of the ZAP-C compounds. After inactivation of the blood borne pathogens, the residual ZAP-C is neutralized and the product of neutralization is completely removed by cartridge filtration. The entire process of blood collection, treatment with ZAP-C, inactivation of residual ZAP-C, removal of ZAP-C inactivated product, and final processing of pathogen depleted blood, takes place in a simple, entirely closed, sterile, disposable ZAP-systems.
For further evaluation of properties and feature of ZAP-C and ZAP-Systems please click on the link below:
ZATA’s Closed Systems for Pathogen Reduction in Donated Blood
Advancing Biomedical Sciences with ZATA 