NEW YORK (360Dx) – Abbott and Sanquin said today that they have signed a multiyear contract for the supply of primary serological equipment and consumables, including Abbott's Alinity s system, for blood and plasma screening.
The agreement extends Abbott's long-standing relationship of more than 10 years with Sanquin, which is responsible on a non-profit basis for safe and efficient blood supply in the Netherlands.
Financial and additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Sanquin noted that it conducted an evaluation of multiple potential solutions to quantify the total value of ownership among screening platforms. When it tested the Alinity s solution, it "observed clear differentiation in assay performance, footprint efficiency, and ease of use that will help us further optimize our laboratory operations," said Ed Bakker, head of infectious diseases of Sanquin's national screening laboratory.
"Importantly, the high specificity of the assays for donor screening further minimizes the unnecessary disposal of blood and plasma units given voluntarily by our donors," Anton van Weert, manager of Sanquin donor screening and infectious disease diagnostics, added in a statement.
Sanquin provided "significant but independent" input into the design of the Alinity s system and served as a clinical testing site during the development process, the firms said.
The Alinity s system for blood and plasma screening is CE marked and available in select markets that accept that designation, but it has not been cleared for marketing by the US Food and Drug Administration.