Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies (Terumo BCT) and the Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, the Netherlands national blood supply authority, have signed a 10-year agreement to implement Lakewood-based Terumo BCT’s Reveos Automated Blood Processing System across Sanquin’s blood processing facilities.
Sanquin, known for its pioneering buffy coat process for producing blood components, will transition to the Reveos system to enhance efficiency and boost production of essential blood components, including platelets and plasma, without increasing donor requirements. The implementation addresses global challenges in donor recruitment and retention while responding to rising demand for blood components, particularly for treatments of acute and chronic diseases.
With the integration of Reveos, Sanquin aims to produce a unit of platelets from four blood donations instead of five. The automation will also reduce the number of manual steps involved in processing from 26 to nine, easing the physical demands on staff. Sanquin currently processes approximately 400,000 whole blood donations annually.
“Implementing Terumo BCT’s technology will have a tremendous impact on our nation’s blood supply,” said Peter Verheggen, director of blood supply at Sanquin. “Blood donors provide an invaluable gift, and we have a duty to maximize its patient impact. Transitioning to the Reveos technology will help us ensure we can continue to meet patient demand with increased efficiency, consistent quality and a smaller production footprint.”
Chetan Makam, general manager of global blood solutions at Terumo BCT, noted, “We are dedicated to supporting Sanquin in achieving operational excellence through the Reveos platform. Automation brings efficiencies — speed, consistency, quality and reduced waste — to the complex work of producing lifesaving blood components to deliver life-changing therapies.”