Northfield Laboratories

Northfield Laboratories was a biotech company based in Evanston, Illinois, United States. The company was primarily known for its development of PolyHeme, an oxygen-carrying blood substitute.

History

Northfield Laboratories was founded in 1985 with the aim of developing a safe and effective alternative to blood transfusion. The company's primary product, PolyHeme, was an oxygen-carrying solution designed to replicate the oxygen-carrying function of red blood cells.

PolyHeme

PolyHeme was a hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC) developed by Northfield Laboratories. It was designed to be used as a blood substitute in emergency situations when blood transfusions were not immediately available. PolyHeme was made from human hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The hemoglobin was extracted from donated blood, then chemically modified and encapsulated in a polymer shell to create a solution that could carry oxygen in the bloodstream.

Clinical Trials

Northfield Laboratories conducted several clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of PolyHeme. The most notable of these was a Phase III trial conducted between 2003 and 2006. The trial involved 720 patients at 32 trauma centers across the United States. The results of the trial were mixed, with PolyHeme showing a statistically significant increase in survival for patients with severe blood loss, but also a higher rate of adverse events compared to standard blood transfusions.

Closure

Northfield Laboratories filed for bankruptcy in 2009, following the FDA's decision not to approve PolyHeme for use. The company's assets were sold off and the company was officially dissolved in 2011.

See Also

• Blood substitute
• Hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers
• Clinical trial