Platelet Biogenesis Eyes Entering the Clinic, Doubling Employment This Year

The polar vortex that brought bone-chilling temperatures to much of the United States earlier this winter highlighted a near constant concern – an inadequate supply of platelets at blood centers across the country. Platelets are essential for helping the body stop bleeds and are also excellent vehicles for drug delivery. However, outside of the body, platelets have a very short life. Platelets that circulate in the body are regenerated every few days. In the body, they have a life of about 10 days. However, once removed, they only have about five days of shelf life because the harvested platelets are a mix of old and new platelets. But, before blood centers can use those harvested platelets, they must be screened for viruses, which further reduces the time they can be used by about half. Because of those issues, Jonathon Thon, chief executive officer of Boston-based Platelet Biogenesis, sees a future in the development of an on-demand platelet product made from stem cells. While working at Harvard, Thon received a grant to move forward with his idea and he began to attract leaders in platelet research and Platelet Biogenesis was born.