In a breakthrough step towards innovative healthcare, the world’s first human trial of artificial blood, grown in a lab from stem cells, is set to take place in the UK by 2017.
Over the past years, scientists have been investigating ways to manufacture red blood cells as an alternative to donated blood. Artificial blood has now been created by the scientists from NHS and the team will be able to carry out the phase I Clinical trials on 20 human volunteers who will receive 5-10 millilitres of the sample. Their results will be compared to a control group that shall receive normal blood donations.
Within two years, the UK through National Health Service (NHS) will be embarking on this clinical trial for synthetic or artificial blood, which hopes to address various blood related disorders like sickle cell anemia, thalassemia and blood shortage. If successful, such a medical breakthrough could help to create specialized donations for patients suffering from blood conditions and may even eventually give health services an unlimited supply of red blood cells for emergency transfusions.
Scientists from NHS Blood and Transplant and the Universities of Bristol, Cambridge and Oxford – led by Prof Dave Anstee and Dr Ashley Toye; have used stem cells from adult and umbilical cord blood, which are cultured in nutrients, and then processed to carry oxygen just similar to the red blood cells.
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“We are confident that by 2017 our team will be ready to carry out the first early phase clinical trials in human volunteers. These trials will compare manufactured cells with donated blood. The intention is not to replace blood donation but provide specialist treatment for specific patient groups.” Said Dr Nick Watkins, NHS Blood and Transplant Assistant Director of Research and Development.
This study will help monitor the effects of the new blood to the body, including whether it will be rejected or if the body will develop other adverse reactions. So they can determine how long the synthetic blood can survive in the body and if it will cause infection. If the trial turns out to be successful, the next step is to find ways to mass-produce it. It may also be of service to remote places where healthcare infrastructure is poor and blood supply is incredibly low, if not contaminated.
More long-reaching plans of this NHS initiative include the creation of an unlimited supply of blood for blood banks. The current availability of donated blood does not match its need. According to the Blood Centers of the Pacific, only 37 % of the American population is actually eligible to donate blood, and of this group, an estimated less than 10 % actually do so regularly. Factors such as weight, past drug use, and having visited certain areas of the globe prevent many from donating their blood. The NHS hopes that synthetic blood will help to address the deficit availability of blood donations and also to keep blood’s price low.
More on this can be read at the following links: http://entm.ag/1IB6IUK and http://bit.ly/1Rbk0g1.
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