Automated preparation of washed platelet concentrates through spinning-membrane filtration

Washed platelet concentrates (WPC), prepared with an automated system cell processor (ACP), have recently been approved to be manufactured and marketed in Japan. From the perspective of risk management, it is preferable to secure alternative technologies for ACP. Here, we conducted a study to evaluate the quality of WPC prepared using an automated membrane filtration-based system, Lovo.

Replaced PCs prepared from apheresis PCs were equally divided into control and test units, and subsequently washed using ACP and Lovo respectively. Work and operational efficiencies were evaluated by in vitro analyses, including total handling time, platelet recovery, and plasma protein removal rate. Product quality, including a set of biochemical and physiological indicators of platelets and supernatants, were assessed before and 3 days after washing.

In vitro platelet recovery rates and plasma protein removal rates were >85% and >95%, respectively, in both groups. The pH values on day 0 were significantly high (6.97 vs. 6.86) due to low pCO₂ in the test group, while no significant differences in glucose consumption and lactate production were observed between the two groups. The levels of hypotonic shock responses, aggregation response, platelet shape, CD62P expression, and sCD62P concentration were similar in both groups during the 3-day storage period.

Platelet washing with Lovo provides platelet quality equivalent to, or better than, conventional washing with ACP. Thus, the new automated system, Lovo, can be considered as an alternative to ACP for WPC preparation.