Glycosorb® ABO 4ml reduces the presence of anti-A/B antibodies in human plasma and can thus enable production of universal blood components

Limited access to AB plasma

AB plasma is currently used as universal plasma for all blood groups because it does not contain anti-A or anti-B antibodies. AB plasma is often used in emergency cases where the patient’s blood group is unknown, or when there is a shortage of the recipient’s blood type plasma. This means that the demand for AB plasma is often high. However, since AB plasma only accounts for about 4–5 percent of available blood plasma, the supply is limited. This poses a particular challenge in trauma situations where non-compatible plasma must be used, which is known to increase complications and the risk of mortality. Additionally, AB plasma contains soluble AB antigens, which can react with blood group-specific antibodies and cause side effects.

Positive results

The definitions of what are considered universal blood components are primarily defined through so-called titer measurement of the concentration of blood group antibodies in the plasma. It is well known that the lower the concentration/titer, the lower the risk for transfusion-related adverse effects.

Excellent results have been presented at several congresses in Europe and the USA [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6], showing that the product has a significant effect on the reduction of anti-A/B antibodies in plasma. Often, the titers measured after using Glycosorb® ABO are far below the limits currently used by blood banks. The results also show that the product does not have a significant impact on other antibodies or other blood components, such as coagulation factors, complement factors,
and protein.

Usage

The blood plasma bag is sterilely connected to Glycosorb® ABO, after which the plasma passes through the product by gravity, specifically reducing the blood group-specific antibodies. The product neither adds nor removes any additional substances, resulting in plasma with a low titer of blood group antibodies.

Other applications

Besides the obvious use for plasma and convalescent plasma [7], there are several other potential applications. Since plasma is present in, among other things, platelet concentrates and whole blood, the same issues with blood group incompatibility exist for these products. In vitro studies have shown that Glycosorb® ABO also here is efficient in reducing blood group antibodies in blood plasma. The product thus enables the preparation of universal (low titer) platelet concentrates and whole blood of blood group O.

Other potential applications include the reduction of anti-A/B antibodies in the preparation of, for example, cryoprecipitates, stem cells for blood group incompatible bone marrow transplants, allogeneic eye drops, etc.

[1] Weidner et al. Isoagglutininadsorbtion by Anti-A/Anti-B Mini-columns.
[2] Brosig et al. Glycosorb® UBP system for manufacturing universal plasma: are there any limits? Abstract. P30. Transfusion Medicin and Hemotherapy 2021;48(suppl 1)
[3] Brosig et al. Coagulation factor activity in 4 °C stored universal plasma manu- factured with UBP Glycosorb® columns. DGTI 2022. Abstract PS-1-18.
[4] Gupta et al. Reduction of Anti-A and Anti-B Isoagglutinin Titers of Group O Whole Blood Units with the Glycosorb® ABO Column. Abstract. (SABM) 2021. (AABB) 2021.
[5] Gupta et al. Reduction of anti-A and anti-B isoagglutinin titers of group O whole blood units employing an ABO antibody immune adsorption column Transfusion and Apheresis Science 62(2023)103686.1473-0502/© 2023 Elsevier Ltd.
[6] Robbins et al, Reduction of Anti-A and Anti-B Isoagglutinin Titers of Group O Platelet Units with an ABO Antibody Immune Adsorption Column.
2023. Abstract. P-CB.22, Transfusion 160A.
[7] Glycorex Transplantation AB (GTAB B): Bolagets UBP-produkt har bidragit till att rädda liv i samband med behandling av akut sjuka covid-19 patienter
[8] Glycorex Transplantation AB: Ingår avtal med Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.