South Texas Blood and Tissue Center First US Civilian Blood Center to Install Velico's FrontlineODP™ System

BEVERLY, Mass., Jan. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Velico, Inc. has launched a groundbreaking collaboration with the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center (STB&T), a subsidiary of San Antonio-based non-profit BioBridge Global and a recognized leader in prehospital transfusion. STB&T has made history as the first U.S. civilian blood center to install Velico's FrontlineODP™ system for spray drying human plasma as part of Velico's Blood Center Education Program (BCEP).

Through its participation in BCEP, STB&T gains early access to Velico's innovative FrontlineODP™ Spray Dried Plasma System, providing the opportunity for hands on experience in evaluating its potential integration into routine blood component production. STB&T will also deliver valuable feedback on the system's commissioning process and operational performance.

The FrontlineODP™ system produces "on demand" spray dried plasma, a revolutionary solution for transfusion in environments where conventional plasma products (often frozen) are unavailable or logistically challenging to use. Velico's proprietary spray drying manufacturing process creates a powdered plasma product that is stable at ambient temperature, can be reconstituted with sterile water and is ready for transfusion in approximately 2 ½ minutes. This technology is anticipated to transform plasma transfusion accessibility for:

• First responders, including ground and air ambulances
• Rural hospitals, which typically lack plasma inventory
• Military applications, including battlefield applications
• Mass casualty events, where stockpiled plasma inventories provide rapid access

Richard Meehan, President and CEO of Velico Medical, expressed excitement about the collaboration with STB&T on the Blood Center Education Program. He emphasized that the partnership aims to generate valuable insights for advancing best practices in service, supporting the future commercial launch of the FrontlineODP™ spray dried plasma system, and equipping customers for manufacturing readiness. "FrontlineODP™ has the potential to be a transformative, life-saving solution for emergency medical providers, with the capability to save thousands of lives annually," Meehan stated.

"Participating in the BCEP program provides us the opportunity to continue our history of firsts in serving bleeding patients and those who treat them in our region and across the country," says Audra Taylor, Executive Director of Blood Operations and former Division Chief of the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) for the Defense Health Agency. She adds, "I fully expect that FrontlineODP will enable us to provide life-saving plasma to many EMS and emergency medical providers currently unable to carry conventional liquid blood products due to logistical challenges and product availability."

Investigational device. Limited by Federal (or US) law to investigational use.
The FrontlineODP™ System is currently under investigation and has not received FDA approval for any indication.

Velico's development program has been funded in whole or in part with federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, under contract number 75A50121C00059.

About Velico:
Velico, Inc. is a private US medical technology company, committed to the mission of eliminating preventable death from bleeding. Headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts, USA. Velico personnel have substantial expertise and experience in transfusion medicine and medical device development. In support of its mission, Velico is developing partnerships with civilian, government and military blood center leadership, trauma surgeons, emergency medical physicians, military medics and first responders worldwide.
For more information visit veli.co

About South Texas Blood and Tissue Center:
South Texas Blood & Tissue supplies blood components to more than 100 hospitals in South Texas and supports tissue, research/new therapies, and umbilical cord blood/birth tissue donations.
The BioBridge Global family of nonprofits includes South Texas Blood & Tissue, QualTex Laboratories, GenCure and The Blood & Tissue Center Foundation. For 50 years, we have worked with the healthcare community to provide lifesaving therapies to patients and to support advances in advanced therapies. 
For more information visit ImpactLife.org

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