ImmunoTek Bio Centers Opens 50th Location
NEW ORLEANS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#50thplasmacenter–The largest independent plasma donation center operator in the country is marking a major milestone this week, as ImmunoTek Bio Centers opens its 50th plasma donation center in the U.S.
Since its creation in 2013, Louisiana-based ImmunoTek Bio Centers has completed more than six million donations, providing much-needed plasma manufactured into plasma protein therapies and vaccines to treat immune disorders, rare diseases, burn victims, cancer patients, and many other illnesses. The company’s 50th center is in Pueblo, Colorado and comes at a time when plasma donations are in great demand.
Donations have dropped significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the need for it continues to skyrocket. To treat just one patient annually requires between 130 – 1,200 donations from healthy donors. The U.S. provides two-thirds of the world’s plasma, so the new center helps fill that need. Plasma is the protein-rich golden liquid portion of blood remaining after red and white blood cells are removed.
Following a screening by in-house medical professionals, donors roll up their sleeves and donate, much like a blood donation. Plasma is removed from the blood through a safe, sterile, self-contained automated process called plasmapheresis. The remaining red blood cells are returned to the donor. Plasma can be donated up to twice a week.
“Donating plasma is truly a life-saving gift. Not only is it used to create valuable therapies and vaccines, but recent research also shows promise with plasma-derived therapies reducing or limiting the effects from Alzheimer’s and dementia,” said Jerome Parnell III, CEO of ImmunoTek. “We are proud to open our 50th center and have more centers already under construction to increase our ability to provide plasma to help those who need it.”
ImmunoTek has centers operating in 12 states, with 30 centers in progress and plans for more than 60 additional sites over the next three years. Having a donation center in a community provides a major economic boost.
“We expect the economic impact of an operating ImmunoTek center to be around $5 million annually,” said Blair McKinney, ImmunoTek’s COO. “The community benefits from the construction of this new center, plus ongoing donor compensation, salaries, and operational costs, and our donors know they are helping save lives.”
For more information, visit www.immunotek.com.
Contacts
Media Contact:
Melissa Lee, APR
DEVENEY, for ImmunoTek
504-949-3999 ext. 212
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