Preclinical Investigations of Lyophilized Platelet Preparations

摘要

This project is a collaborative effort between UNC-Chapel Hill and East CarolinaUniversity to test the efficacy and safety of preparations of lyophilized blood platelets for transfusion. The development and testing of these preparations is an extension of previous work done under grants N00014-92-J-1244 and N00014-89-J-1712 from the U.S. Office of Naval Research. The present emphasis has been on infusions of rehydrated platelet preparations into animal models of hemostasis for the arrest of hemorrhage and/or correction of bleeding time test results. Functionality comparable to liquid stored platelet concentrates was obtained and no adverse effects were noted. Experiments in vitro demonstrated the adhesion of rehydrated platelets to exposed blood vessel subendothelium, and evidence of activation response (Thromboxane formation, neoantigen expression) as a result. These findings are encouraging for the eventual pharmaceutical production and clinical trial of our lyophilized platelet preparations under an FDA IND. Armour Pharmaceutical Corp. (now Centeon Corp.) has been licensed to carry out this goal.