Supercharged Platelets as a Novel Therapy for Reducing Blood Loss Post-Cardiac Surgery


Alexi Crosby, D.Phil.
Cambridge University
Cambridge, United Kingdom

Measures to restore hemostasis in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery include the administration of clotting factors. This has huge cost implications because of the very short half-lives of clotting factors and the inherent risk of adverse thrombotic events. Donor platelets were loaded with recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) and showed a reduction in hemorrhage in a mouse model, compared with mice administered donor platelets alone or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). By the overexpression of three specific transcription factors, megakaryocytes (MKs) were generated from stem cells. These MKs were virally transduced with FVIIa. Alexi Crosby’s presentation highlights the concept of “supercharging” platelets and the ability of generating platelets from stem cells, thus providing clinics with an effective and continuous supply of platelets. 



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