Pathogen inactivation via amotosalen and ultraviolet A treatment

Pathogen inactivation via amotosalen/UVA treatment is a process for improving blood transfusion safety. It utilizes amotosalen, a photoactive chemical, and UVA light to irreversibly crosslink the nucleic acids of pathogens and residual leukocytes in collected platelet and plasma products. This blocks DNA/RNA replication, thereby preventing transfusion-transmitted infections and complications such as transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease. Commercially implemented via the INTERCEPT Blood System, it inactivates a broad spectrum of bacteria, viruses (enveloped and non-enveloped), protozoa, and leukocytes. The method increases patient safety but may cause impaired platelet function, increased storage lesions, and may be less effective against certain multidrug-resistant bacteria with high efflux pump activity or against certain resilient viruses and spores. It is not a molecular target but a process with nucleic acids as its functional targets

Other names

amotosalen/UVA pathogen reductionINTERCEPT pathogen reductionphotochemical pathogen inactivation

Amotosalen intercalates with DNA/RNA, and upon UVA illumination, covalently cross-links nucleic acids, thus blocking replication and inactivating pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and leukocytes