European blood pathogen inactivation market set to more than double by 2013

Although remarkable advances have been made in the prevention of the major transfusion-transmitted diseases, long intervals have transpired between the first recognition of transfusion risk and the implementation of a preventive strategy.

For hepatitis B virus, that interval was 30 years; for non-A non-B/hepatitis C virus, 15 years; and for human immunodeficiency virus, West Nile virus, Trypanosoma cruzi and bacteria, 3, 4, 5 and 18 years, respectively. In the existing reactive approach, there is a fundamental and inevitable delay before the government health care authorities can react; thus, infections are destined to occur. The continued emergence or re-emergence of transfusion-transmitted infections calls for a new paradigm of pre-emptive pathogen reduction (PR) and pathogen inactivation (PI).

A new analysis from Frost & Sullivan, titled European Blood Pathogen Inactivation Market, finds that the market generated revenues of about $238.5 in 2009 and estimates this to reach $521.5 million by 2013, as this is an early growth stage market with very good potential for growth. The following segments are covered in the research: platelets, plasma and red blood cells.