Chen,
I will just copy it here:
CHICAGO, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Northfield Laboratories (Nasdaq:NFLD) today presented
the successful findings to date in its clinical trials of the Company's blood substitute product,
PolyHeme(R) to The American College of Surgeons at the College's annual symposium.
Northfields' findings indicate that PolyHeme may serve as a substitute for blood in acute blood loss
situations.
Northfield's clinical trials are the first of its kind involving large volume transfusions, typically found
in trauma and emergency surgery settings, which compare the therapeutic benefit of PolyHeme to
allogeneic blood. The findings demonstrate that PolyHeme is able to maintain acceptable
hemoglobin levels in lieu of lost red blood cells despite the marked fall in red blood cell
hemoglobin, which ultimately reduces the need for donated blood. Hemoglobin molecules which
are contained in red blood cells are responsible for delivering oxygen to the body's organs. In a
situation with acute blood loss, the red blood cell count is reduced and the body's ability to deliver
life carrying oxygen is diminished.
PolyHeme is a universally compatible, disease-free, oxygen carrying resuscitative fluid which is
being used in lieu of donated blood in controlled randomized trials. The findings also cited the lack
of adverse side effects or difference in mortality between the two groups which consisted of 44
trauma patients. Northfield is currently conducting final Phase III trials of PolyHeme in elective
surgery patients at hospitals across the country prior to requesting approval of PolyHeme from the
FDA.
''We are excited about the ramifications of our findings.'' said Dr. Steven Gould, Northfield's
president. ''Northfield's product is intended to eliminate the need for donated blood and the
associated delays and risks that a transfusion entails.'' PolyHeme has three key advantages over
transfused blood: it is free of disease including HIV and hepatitis virus, has a shelf life of over a
year and is universally compatible, eliminating the time- consuming need to type a person's blood in
the case of acute blood loss due to trauma.
Northfield Laboratories was founded in 1985. The Company is headquartered in Evanston,
Illinois, and its stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market System under the symbol NFLD.
For more information on Northfield Laboratories Inc. via facsimile at no cost, simply dial
1-800-PRO-INFO and enter the company code NFLD.
SOURCE Northfield Laboratories
More news for referenced ticker symbols: NFLD, and related industries: medical.
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