UC Ends Enrollment for Blood Substitute Trial

CINCINNATI—The University of Cincinnati (UC) Academic Health Center has ended its enrollment of patients in a national blood substitute trial, which was being conducted in collaboration with University Hospital’s emergency department.

University Hospital was one of nearly 30 level-1 trauma centers nationwide participating in a phase-3 study of PolyHeme, a red blood cell substitute designed for use in emergency situations when human blood was unavailable.

Northfield Laboratories Inc., which makes PolyHeme, announced Monday that they have reached their national enrollment goal of 720 patients.

“Locally, we enrolled seven trauma patients in the PolyHeme study,” says Donald Locasto, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine at UC. “This was an important test to determine the effectiveness of this as a blood substitute in trauma patients. Results from the study will be published in the fall.”

Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky residents who requested blue bracelets to opt out of the study no longer need to wear them.

The PolyHeme trial is the first study in the United States designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of an oxygen-carrying red blood cell substitute. PolyHeme is intended to be administered by emergency personnel at the scene of an injury and continued during the journey to hospital and the early hospitalization period.