Hemopure has been shown to be stable at room temperature for at least 30 months. The product is compatible with all Blood types, and is purified through patented techniques that are validated to remove infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses, prions, and other potential contaminants, the company states. Toxicity of the latter has limited its use to support oxygen delivery during percutaneous coronary angioplasty. Hemoglobin solutions appear very attractive, offering the advantages of a product devoid of red cell antigens, capable of being virally inactivated, stored for long periods of time, and available in the field for use in mass trauma situations. However, because of its high oxygen affinity and rapid renal excretion, it requires chemical modification with crosslinking and polymerizing agents such as pyridoxal phosphate.
Toxicity remains a major challenge.
There are risks of bacterial sepsis, due to the effect of iron on bacterial growth and vasoconstriction due to binding of nitric oxide by the hemoglobin. A few products have reached the clinical trial stage. If successful, this product, and others likely to follow, may replace red cells for many of the current indications such as acute Blood loss. In addition to efforts to find Blood substitutes, research focusing on platelet substitution is being driven by potential use in treating certain conditions that are common among cancer patients. One of the side effects of cancer therapy is the drastic reduction in platelets, or thrombocytopenia.