Abstract
Plasma-derived factor VIII (FVIII) and von Willebrand Factor (VWF)/FVIII concentrates have been successfully used to treat haemophilia since the late 1960s. These products are derived from pools of plasma donations that may contain viral contaminants - including hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) - and may therefore present a transmission risk to recipients. To ensure the safety of Haemate P/Humate-P, a plasma-derived VWF/FVIII concentrate, donors of plasma are carefully selected and all donations are screened for viral antigens (HBV), virus-specific antibodies (HIV-1/2, HCV) and genomic material [hepatitis A virus, HBV, HCV, HIV-1 and high titres of human parvovirus B19 (B19V)]. As a quality control measure, plasma pools for fractionation are only released for further processing when non-reactivity has been demonstrated in serological and genome amplification assays. The manufacturing process for plasma-derived products, especially the fundamental procedure of pasteurization, is effective in inactivating and/or removing a wide variety of viruses that may potentially be present despite the screening process. This has been demonstrated in virus validation studies using a range of different viruses. New emerging infectious agents, including prions, which potentially pose a threat to recipients of plasma derivatives, are also the subject of safety evaluations. The multiple precautionary measures that are inherent in the overall production process of Haemate P/Humate-P have resulted in an excellent safety record, documented during 25 years of clinical use, and will help to maintain the high safety margin in the future.