Oxygen therapeutics: oxygen delivery without blood

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Hematology
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Millions of packed red blood cell units are transfused annually in the US, with shortages impacting patient care.
• Packed red blood cell transfusions carry risks and limitations, especially for critically ill patients.
• Existing blood transfusion practices face challenges including limited shelf-life, cross-matching needs, and infectious risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the development of alternative oxygen-carrying agents.
• To highlight the advantages of oxygen therapeutics over packed red blood cells.
• To discuss the potential clinical applications of novel oxygen carriers.

Main Methods:

• Review of current research and clinical trials on oxygen therapeutics.
• Comparison of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers and perfluorocarbons.
• Analysis of advantages and potential applications of developed oxygen carriers.

Main Results:

• No approved oxygen therapeutic currently replaces both oxygen transport and volume of packed red blood cells.
• Oxygen therapeutics offer benefits like extended shelf-life, no cross-matching, and reduced infectious risks.
• Two products, Polyheme and Hemopure, are in clinical trials, with others in preclinical development.

Conclusions:

• Oxygen therapeutics show promise as alternatives to packed red blood cells.
• Potential applications include managing perioperative blood loss, trauma, and in patients with transfusion contraindications.
• Continued development is crucial to address limitations and risks associated with traditional blood transfusions.