RESTORE Clinical Trial

Summary

Approximately 2 million red blood cell (RBC) donations are collected by NHS Blood and Transplant and transfused each year. However, there are a small number of patients with rare blood group types for whom NHS Blood and Transplant cannot meet their transfusion requirements. New RBC’s can be grown from human blood stem cells in the laboratory and we hope that this will provide us with a new transfusion product for these patients in the future, as well as for those for whom regular transfusions are required throughout life (e.g. patients with thalassemia or sickle cell disease).

Part of this research is to undertake a small initial study which aims to establish a panel of people who are blood group matches to previously identified blood donors. This type of study is called a feasibility study, which means it is a short study that will help us decide whether or not a larger study is worthwhile and whether it will work