What is Plasma Fractionation?

Plasma Fraction is the processs of separating the various therapeutic proteins within plasma donations into individual purified components. Plasma donated by healthy individuals contains over 100 biologically active components including albumin, immunoglobulins, clotting factors, and inhibitors. Through a multi-step procedure, fractionation splits plasma into its constituent parts to produce medicines that treat a wide variety of medical conditions.

The Plasma Fractionation Process

The first step in Plasma Fractionation is the collection of plasma through a process called plasmapheresis. During this procedure, whole blood is drawn from a donor and spun in a centrifuge to separate out the plasma. The remaining red blood cells are returned to the donor along with some of their plasma volume. This reversible blood donation process leaves donors able to donate more frequently than traditional whole blood donations.

Once collected, the donated plasma undergoes a series of separation, purification, and viral inactivation steps. Cohn cold ethanol fractionation utilizes varying concentrations of ethanol and temperatures to differentially precipitate plasma proteins into separated fractions based on their solubility characteristics. Further chromatography and filtration refine these fractions into purified therapeutic products. Heating or chemical treatments eliminate potential viral contaminants to ensure the safety of these medicines for patient use.

Purified Plasma Derivatives

Through advanced fractionation technologies, manufacturers produce purified plasma protein therapies targeting specific medical indications:

Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG): IVIG contains antibodies (immunoglobulins) from thousands of donors. It is used to treat primary immunodeficiencies, COVID-19, neurological disorders, and autoimmune diseases by replacing missing antibodies or modulating the immune system.

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