New centers in St. Louis and St. Ann, Mo. open to support an urgent patient need for human plasma, including convalescent plasma from fully recovered COVID-19 patients
ST. LOUIS, Mo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BioLife Plasma Services, part of the global biopharmaceutical company Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, today announced the openings of two new plasma collection centers in the St. Louis metropolitan area. In addition to collecting standard plasma, both centers will accept convalescent plasma from fully recovered COVID-19 patients, which may be used to help develop an investigational medicine for COVID-19 made from human plasma.
“Now, more than ever, donors in the St. Louis area have a unique opportunity to make a difference in the community through plasma donation, and we are deeply committed to making treatment options available for patients who rely on plasma-derived medications,” said Dave Wiscombe, manager of the BioLife Plasma Services St. Louis center. “Not only may plasma be a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19, it is a lifeline for thousands of people with rare, chronic and complex diseases.”
Through a simple, low-risk process called plasmapheresis, plasma is separated from the blood and the blood elements are returned back into the donor’s body. Screened plasma collected from healthy individuals is processed into a wide variety of therapeutics for people around the world with rare, life-threatening diseases, such as immunodeficiency disorders, hemophilia and hereditary angioedema.
BioLife Plasma Services is also collecting convalescent plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19. In addition to the usual eligibility, donors must have a confirmed diagnosis and symptom free for 14 days in order to donate. Takeda is a founder of The CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance, an unprecedented partnership of world-leading plasma companies working together to accelerate development of a potential new medicine for people at risk for serious complications from COVID-19.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BioLife Plasma Services has implemented additional screening and safety measures in line with public health guidance to help guarantee the safety and health of donors and employees, as well as the safety of the collected plasma. All donors will need to wear a mask or other cloth face covering inside a BioLife Plasma center.
Prospective donors can make online appointments to visit the St. Louis “Shrewsbury area” center (7531 Watson Rd., St. Louis, MO 63119), and the St. Ann “Bridgeton area” center (11300 Blake Dr., St. Ann, MO 63074), which opens on Saturday, June 13. They must pass a physical examination at their first visit and are screened at each visit to ensure they meet eligibility criteria. All donors are compensated for their time and commitment.
Both centers are approximately 18,000 square feet, and these state-of-the-art facilities provide access to free Wi-Fi and a clean, professional, smoke-free environment. The new centers join the nearby St. Peters, Mo. center in the St. Louis area and expect to bring more than 50 new jobs to the community.
To learn more about BioLife Plasma Services, the donation process, and to schedule an appointment, please visit the BioLife website.
To learn more about convalescent plasma donation for those who have recovered from COVID-19 and meet the eligibility criteria, please visit the BioLife COVID-19 landing page.
About Plasma
Plasma is the clear, straw-colored liquid portion of blood that can be easily replaced by the body. Plasma makes up more than half of whole blood and consists primarily of water and proteins. During plasma donation, a donor’s blood is collected into an automated device that separates the plasma from the other whole blood components, including red and white blood cells and platelets. While the plasma is collected, the other blood components are returned to the donor. Each donation procedure uses sterile and disposable collection materials. The body quickly replaces the plasma removed during the donation process, which allows healthy individuals to donate as often as twice in a seven-day period, with at least one day between donations.
About BioLife Plasma Services
BioLife Plasma Services is an industry leader in the collection of high-quality plasma that is processed into life-saving plasma-based therapies. Founded in 2002, BioLife has been in operation for 18 years. We operate approximately 150 state-of-the-art plasma collection facilities across the United States and Europe. BioLife Plasma Services is part of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK), a global values-based, R&D-driven pharmaceutical company that produces and delivers plasma-derived therapies among other specialty medicines.
About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to patients by translating science into highly-innovative medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Diseases, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people’s lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries. For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com.
Contacts
Media Contacts:
Julia Ellwanger
BioLife Plasma Services
BioLife.Media.Relations@takeda.com
Lauren Barbiero
W2O Group
(646) 564-2156
lbarbiero@w2ogroup.com