) announced today that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with the Nipro Corporation's pharmaceutical division to develop technology to support commercial implementation of the INTERCEPT System for Red Blood Cells (RBCs). Under the agreement, the companies will leverage Nipro's proprietary technology to develop a set that enables the mixing and delivery of key chemical compounds to the red cell component, a process which is integral to the pathogen inactivation technology for RBCs. “The intent is to have a disposable kit for red cells that is very easy to use and operationally efficient in both large and small blood centers. With a simple manual squeeze of a connected double bag, active components in the kit are reconstituted in a solution to begin the inactivation process,” said Nina Mufti, Cerus' vice president of development. “We are excited about our partnership with Nipro, a company known for its innovation, and believe that this collaboration sets the stage for a broader arrangement for the large-scale production of this key component of the INTERCEPT red cell disposable set.” Nipro Corporation's pharmaceutical business specializes in producing innovative kit products that maximimize operational ease-of-use, including prefilled syringes and liquid/powder double-bag kits. Nipro Group (Nipro Corporation and its affiliate companies) has one of the largest contract manufacturing operations in Japan, and manufactures drug products for more than 70 companies in Japan and abroad.