A press release reports that Terumo BCT’s new $100,000 Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) Innovation Award will help clinical investigators expand the field of data for certain types of autoimmune conditions, known as IgG4-mediated diseases. It adds that TPE is as an established therapy for many diseases, but the understanding of how it works is still emerging.

Terumo BCT will judge applications for the TPE Innovation Award based on several factors, including how the applicant plans to address the unmet medical need of understanding and treating IgG4-mediated diseases. The award committee also considers patient impact, feasibility and the likelihood of success. The company will accept applications until 31 October 2019. Terumo BCT’s Medical and Clinical Affairs specialists, along with an external committee of experts in the field, will select the winner.

Regis Leonard, Vice President, Therapeutic Systems, Terumo BCT, states: “The first step in providing innovative therapies is generating data that helps healthcare providers demonstrate how procedures can help improve health outcomes for their patients. This new grant will support the important work of investigators who are working to improve the lives of patients.”

According to the press release, TPE can be performed on Terumo BCT’s Spectra Optia Apheresis system. The device enables healthcare providers to remove plasma from a patient’s blood and replace it with either donated fresh frozen plasma or a mixture containing albumin (a protein found in human blood) to manage a variety of conditions.