Dutch Covid medicine made from blood plasma ready for use

Blood bank Sanquin and plasma producer Sanquin Plasma Products produced 4 thousand doses of Covid-19 antibody treatment made from the blood plasma of recovered patients. "This medicine is now ready to be used," Sanquin said on Wednesday.

The plasma medicine will first go towards preventing coronavirus infections in people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients and people who have just undergone an organ transplant. 

A study will also be launched into how effective the medicine will be in preventing Covid-19 infections in vulnerable elderly people, specifically in nursing homes. Minister Hugo de Jonge of Public Health made funding and doses of the medicine available for this study. The first results are expected in the summer of next year.

De Jonge visited Sanquin on Tuesday, to see how the medicine was made. "Good work, and many thanks to everyone who donated plasma. Now quickly on to the next step: starting with this innovative treatment!" he said.

Earlier this year, the Health Ministry made 10 million euros available to Sanquin to collect plasma and develop a plasma product containing antibodies against Covid-19. Since then thousands of recovered Covid-19 patients donated plasma. But more donors are needed, Sanquin said. Those interested in donating, can find more information here.