Japanese scientists develop artificial blood for all types
A group of Japanese scientists led by Hiromi Sakai at Nara Medical University have developed a new type of artificial blood that can be used for any patient, regardless of blood type, offering a potential solution to the global shortage of donor blood, reports a Kazinform News Agency correspondent.
The constant demand for O-negative blood, combined with the short shelf life of donated blood, presents ongoing challenges for healthcare systems worldwide.
The artificial blood is made by extracting hemoglobin—the protein that carries oxygen—from expired donor blood. This hemoglobin is then encapsulated in a protective shell, creating hemoglobin vesicles that mimic real red blood cells. Since they lack blood type markers, these artificial cells are universally compatible and virus-free. Another advantage is their long shelf life: up to two years at room temperature and five years when refrigerated, compared to only 42 days for regular donor blood.
Early clinical trials began in 2022. Three groups of healthy male volunteers, aged 20 to 50, received increasing doses of artificial blood, up to 100 milliliters. Some experienced mild side effects, such as fever or rash, but no serious problems were reported. Encouraged by these results, Sakai’s team expanded the trials in March, administering 100 to 400 milliliters to 16 volunteers.
If these trials continue to show no serious side effects, researchers will move on to test the treatment’s effectiveness and long-term safety. Sakai’s lab aims to make artificial red blood cells available by 2030, potentially solving key problems of traditional transfusions: infection risk, immune reactions, and limited storage time.
Earlier, it was reported that a groundbreaking blood test using artificial intelligence to detect cancer from just a few drops of blood is entering clinical trials across the UK’s National Health Service (NHS).
