World’s First Artificial Blood Transfusion: UK Trials

The world’s first laboratory-grown red blood cells have been transfused into people for a clinical trial in the UK.

Known as the RESTORE trial, a joint initiative between the National Health Service Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and the Universities of Bristol, Cambridge and other organizations used blood cells grown from donated stem cells.

This small amount of blood (5-10 milliliters, or 1-2 teaspoons) was transfused to two volunteers.

Ash Toye, a professor of cell biology at the University of Bristol and NHSBT principal investigator, told CTV News Channel on Tuesday that the process took about a decade.

He said it would take about a year for the data to arrive, but no adverse events had been reported and the blood was working as safely as possible.

If proven safe and effective, lab-grown blood cells could help treat people with blood disorders such as sickle cell disease and rare blood types, researchers say. said.

“The ideal here is to be able to take blood from virtually any donor and grow that blood from stem cells,” Toye said.

“So if the donor is a rare donor, you can basically extend your gift as a blood donor and grow more cells from your initial donation. It means to get

The researchers say that if the manufactured cells persist longer in the body, patients will not need blood transfusions as often as they normally would.

Going forward, at least 10 participants will receive 2 mini-transfusions at least 4 months apart. One transfusion was standard donated red blood cells and the other was lab-grown.

Principal Investigator Cedric Ghevaert, professor of transfusion medicine at the University of Cambridge and NHSBT and consultant hematologist, said in a statement:

“If such a world-first trial is successful, it could mean that patients who currently require regular long-term blood transfusions will need less in the future, helping transform care.”