The production process
We collect plasma and manufacture it into lifesaving plasma-derived therapies.
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Each plasma-derived therapy we create is controlled, fractionated, purified, virus inactivated and inspected before being used to change and help save lives.
Plasma-based therapies treat rare, genetic and chronic diseases such as haemophilia and immune deficiency disorders. They are also used for trauma and burn victims and for critical care procedures including major surgeries, cancer treatments and organ transplants
Identification
The donor’s identity is verified; details are managed in our donor registry system.
Donors must be: +18 years old, +50kg in weight and healthy.
Screening
Each donor completes a health questionnaire and physical screening.
Donation
The donation process takes 45 to 90 minutes. From 300 to 880ml of plasma is taken each time.
Organising
Donations are labelled with a barcode so at any point in the process the donor can be traced.
Testing
The plasma is tested for pathogens.
Visual inspection
As a first step, individual plasma donations are visually inspected.
Scanning
After the visual inspection each donation is barcode scanned and all plasma codes are entered into the Octapharma production data system.
Storage
Donations are stored in a freezer at -25°C.
Controlling the plasma that enters production
Single donation control (SDC) is the foundation of traceability of all of our individual plasma donations.
Processing plasma
Biochemical processes to separate plasma into its various components to gain proteins for Octapharma products.
Separating plasma proteins
Fractionation is the separation of plasma proteins by influencing their solubility, by changing the ethanol concentration, pH-value and temperature. Different proteins are separated in different conditons.
Purification processes
Different processes are used to filter out contaminants and pathogens:
Precipitation
Ultra/diafiltration
Chromatography
Virus removal
To remove or inactivate viruses the following processes are used:
Solvent detergent
Nanofiltration
Purifying products
In fine fractionation, we take the intermediates we receive from basic fractionations and purify them into final products.
The filling process
Octapharma is investing in new state-of-the-art filling lines for our production sites. The aim is that fully automated lines will increase filling capacity, which ultimately means we can produce more products for patients.
Visual inspection
The finished product is inspected for contamination and damage, and approved based on authority requirements.
Packaging
Products are packed into boxes and stored in cold rooms or freezers at required temperatures.
Testing
Every batch of final product is tested to meet regulatory requirements.
Providing help
Patients all around the world benefit from our products to live a normal life.
1,000,000+Â people worldwide are living with bleeding disorders such as haemophilia.
300+Â immune diseases are treated with our products.
1,200Â plasma donations are needed to treat a severe haemophilia A adult patient with prophylaxis for one year.