Table 1

Characteristics of three hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers being tested in advanced clinical trials


Product name


Details
PolyHeme®
Hemopure® (HBOC-201)
HemoLink™ (Hb-raffimer)

Company
Northfield Laboratories (Evanston, IL, USA)
Biopure Corporation (Cambridge, MA, USA)
Hemosol Inc. (Toronto, Canada)
Modification method
Pyridoxylation and glutaraldehyde polymerization (polymer)
Glutaraldehyde polymerization (polymer)
Crosslinking with o-raffinose (oligomer)
Hemoglobin source
Human hemoglobin
Bovine hemoglobin
Human hemoglobin
Hemoglobin concentration (g/dl)
10
13
10
Molecular weight
Not reported (< 64 kDa; 1.0%)
Average molecular weight: 250 kDa
<64 kDa: <5%



64–500 kDa: >90%



>500 kDa: <3%
pH
Not reported
7.6–7.9
7.5
P50 (torr)
26–32
38
52
Viscosity (cP)
Not reported
1.3
1.14
Shelf life
>1 year
>1 year
>1 year

HBOC, hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier; P50, partial pressure of oxygen at which hemoglobin is 50% saturated.

Greenburg and Kim Critical Care 2004 8(Suppl 2):S61   doi:10.1186/cc2455