Artificial blood made from stem cells could be used in transfusions in just two years, which would prevent shortages in hospitals, prove a lifesaver on battlefields, and at car crash sites.
The manufactured blood would carry a much lower risk of infection and could be given to almost everyone, regardless of their blood type.
Marc Turner, of Edinburgh University, hopes to make a supply of O-negative blood type, suitable for 98% of people. A supply of safe blood would also be a boon in developing countries.
Turner predicts that in two to three years, he will be ready to inject a teaspoon of man-made blood into healthy volunteers, in the first British trial of blood from stem cells.
Large-scale trials would follow, but the blood could be in routine use in a decade. Within 20 years, it may be possible to produce two million pints of artificial blood a year.
Turner isn’t the only scientist hoping to tap into the lucrative market of artificial blood. One idea being pursued is the use of haemoglobin, taken from cows as a blood substitute.
Does this suggest there are opportunities for opportunistic entrepreneurs to tap into the market?
COMMENTS
SmartCompany is committed to hosting lively discussions. Help us keep the conversation useful, interesting and welcoming. We aim to publish comments quickly in the interest of promoting robust conversation, but we’re a small team and we deploy filters to protect against legal risk. Occasionally your comment may be held up while it is being reviewed, but we’re working as fast as we can to keep the conversation rolling.
The SmartCompany comment section is members-only content. Please subscribe to leave a comment.
The SmartCompany comment section is members-only content. Please login to leave a comment.