MARLBOROUGH, Mass., April 29, 2019 – Verax Biomedical Incorporated announced today that it has entered into a three-year group purchasing agreement with Blood Centers of America (BCA) for the company’s Platelet PGD Test (PGD).
BCA is a member owned organization comprised of blood centers across North America. A number of BCA members are already users of the Platelet PGD Test and the organization sought an agreement with Verax to expand the products availability to its membership.
“At the Oklahoma Blood Institute, PGD has proven to be a valuable tool in reducing our outdates and therefore being a good steward of our donor’s precious gifts” said Kim van Antwerpen, Vice President of Technical Operations at Oklahoma Blood Institute, a BCA member organization.
The Verax Platelet PGD Test improves platelet safety and also allow its users to extend platelet shelf life from 5 to 7 Days. This extension in dating reduces platelet outdating and waste. The average blood center that uses PGD to extend platelet dating saves an average of over $400,000 annually through reduced platelet discards according to data provided to Verax by its blood center users.
“We’re pleased that BCA approached us to join in this agreement and to see increasing use of PGD at U.S. blood centers,” said Verax CEO Jim Lousararian. “Unlike other methodologies to address bacterial risk in platelets that add cost, their members have seen significant savings with PGD.”
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports fatal septic events associated with contaminated platelets every year and over 15% of apheresis platelets outdate and are discarded in the U.S. The PGD test is unique in that it is the only rapid test that not only reduces the risk of bacterial contamination but also allows the extension of platelet dating to 7 days.
About Verax Biomedical
Verax is the producer of the Platelet PGD Test, the only rapid test for bacterial contamination in platelets granted a Safety Measure claim by the FDA. It is located in Marlborough, MA. For more information, visit www.veraxbiomedical.com.
About Blood Centers of America
BCA is the nation’s largest blood supply network and provides almost 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply – collecting and distributing more than 5.4 million blood units annually. It is headquartered in West Warwick, RI.
Media Contact:
Joe Sanders
VP Marketing and Business Development
Verax Biomedical Incorporated
508-755-7029
The Company's first product is the Platelet PGD Test – a rapid test for the detection of bacterial contamination in platelets.