Patent ID: 7293985

Claim:
A method of treating a material comprising red blood cells, the method comprising, a) adding a compound to the material comprising red blood cells in order to inactivate a pathogen, if present in the material, the compound comprising a nucleic acid binding ligand and a functional group which is, or which forms, an electrophilic group, wherein the electrophilic group can react covalently with nucleic acid; and b) adding an effective amount of a quencher to the material comprising red blood cells that reduces the level of side reactions of the compound, wherein the quencher comprises a nucleophilic group that reacts covalently with the electrophilic group, wherein the addition of the quencher is done prior to, simultaneously with, or within about 20 minutes after the addition of the compound, and wherein the compound inactivates at least about 1 log of the pathogen, if present in the material.