autologous cultured red blood cells

Autologous cultured red blood cells (cRBC) are an experimental cell therapy developed by the Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) in collaboration with Cellectis through their joint venture, StemRed. The therapy involves the ex vivo expansion and terminal differentiation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), typically harvested from the patient's peripheral blood, into mature, enucleated red blood cells using a specific cocktail of cytokines. This approach is primarily intended for patients with rare blood phenotypes or those requiring frequent transfusions who have developed complex alloimmunization, where finding compatible donor blood is challenging. A landmark proof-of-principle clinical trial demonstrated that these lab-grown cells have an in vivo lifespan and survival rate comparable to native red blood cells, marking a significant milestone in transfusion medicine.

Other names

cRBCcultured red blood cellsex vivo generated red blood cellsStemRed