New York Blood Center (NYBC), one of the largest non-profit, community-based blood centers, announced that the award of several new patents in 2014/15, continuing its unique role as an independent, community-based blood center that also operates a successful research institute dedicated to developing products and services that benefit patients worldwide.

This lifesaving mission is historically exemplified by the list of patents awarded to NYBC and the breadth of technologies developed and introduced by NYBC or its licensees – including solvent/detergent inactivation of viruses in plasma, the first HIV drug that acts as a fusion inhibitor, fibrin “glue,” and the hepatitis B vaccine, among many others.

“Research has been central to the mission of New York Blood Center since its founding more than 50 years ago,” said President and CEO Christopher D. Hillyer, MD.  “These new patents provide solid evidence of our continuing leadership in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies.”

Two patents were awarded by the US Patent & Trademark Office to Dr. Hillyer and senior vice president Beth Shaz, MD.  The first patent relates to the development of a red blood cell (RBC) product that has been cleansed of pathogens and is packaged in a uniform dose.   The second patent awarded to these physician-inventors is an automated blood component preparation system that will allow hands- off separation of the components of whole blood, RBCs, platelets and plasma, into their respective units thus increasing efficiency and maintaining a controlled manufacturing process.

NYBC continues to make research breakthroughs and continue its portfolio of patents, including one relating to the prevention and treatment of flu with a “universal” influenza vaccine. This vaccine targets a particular region of the influenza virus that is present on most types of influenza viruses including Influenza Types A, B and C. Inventors are Drs. Shibo Jiang, Lanying Du, Guangyu Zhao, and Yusen Zhou.

Dr. Sara Lustigman and her colleague, Dr. Angus MacDonald, were awarded a US patent for an adjuvant that, in times of an influenza pandemic, can be used to extend the number of vaccinations by 10 times, thus preventing shortages of the vaccine. The adjuvant is being studied for use with other vaccines to boost their efficacy.  The active component was isolated from the parasite that causes River Blindness – a disease that affects over 33 million persons in Africa.

NYBC’s legacy of developing therapeutics to prevent and treat HIV continues with six US patents being awarded to two teams of NYBC scientists lead by Dr. Asim Debnath (Drs. Francesca Curelli, Hongtao Zhang, Q. Zhao) and Dr. Shibo Jiang (Drs. Lanying Du, Chungen Pan, Lu Lu, Yusen Zhou, Guangyu Zhao, Zhi Qi). These new therapies span the range from small molecules to peptides and other novel compositions.

Significantly, NYBC was awarded the prestigious Prix Galien award in 2014 for its work in developing Hemacord, the first FDA-licensed hematopoietic stem cell product in the nation.

Since 1964, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute (LFKRI) has led the way in blood research, breaking new ground in transfusion medicine and disease treatment and prevention. The institute is committed to furthering research efforts that support the discovery of new blood-related products, techniques, and therapies.