Skip to content

Mirasol Evaluation of Reduction in Infections Trial

Randomized Trial to Evaluate Mirasol Whole Blood Pathogen Reduction Technology System to Reduce Malaria and Emerging Transfusion Transmitted Infections

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03737669
Acronym
MERIT
Enrollment
2000
Registered
2018-11-09
Start date
2019-11-13
Completion date
2025-09-29
Last updated
2025-10-06

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Transfusion-Transmitted Infectious Disease

Keywords

transfusion, pathogen reduction technology, Uganda, tranfusion transmitted infections, Mirasol, blood

Brief summary

This is a prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled study to determine the effectiveness of Mirasol-treated fresh whole blood (FWB) versus Standard-issue FWB for preventing transmission of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). The incidence of pre-defined viral, bacterial, or parasitic TTIs in previously negative participants will be assessed by changes in laboratory findings at multiple time points over the course of the clinical trial.

Detailed description

Anemic patients from Mulago Hospital Complex who require fresh whole blood transfusion and with any of the following conditions will be considered for recruitment: cancer, general medical or surgical, obstetric hemorrhage, and/or sickle cell. Eligible patients will be randomized 1:1 to receive transfusions of Mirasol-treated FWB (n = 1,000) or standard issue FWB (n = 1,000) during the 10 week follow-up interval. The Ugandan Blood Transfusion Service collects and screens donor blood and will provide both Standard and Mirasol-treated blood for transfusion. Currently, all standard FWB is non-leukoreduced and tested by serology for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) and by rapid plasma regain (RPR) for syphilis in Uganda; any units that test positive are discarded. The intervention will treat standard FWB that has been screened for HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis with Mirasol PRT. The start of study treatment (Day 0) will be defined as the initiation of the first FWB transfusion. Recipient blood collected at pre-transfusion, Day 2, Day 7, Week 4, and Week 10 will be compared with donor blood to evaluate for incidence of pre-defined TTIs: bacteria, HBV, HCV, hepatitis E virus (HEV), human herpesvirus-8 (HHV8), HIV, and malaria. Recipients will be evaluated for possible transfusion reactions at those timepoints, as well as 2 to 6 hours after the first transfusion. The primary objective of the Uganda Mirasol Trial is to evaluate the efficacy of Mirasol-treated FWB to prevent transfusion transmission of emerging infectious diseases. The secondary objectives are to evaluate the impact of TTIs in Uganda and potential for Mirasol PRT, as well as to assess the feasibility and sustainability of implementing whole blood Mirasol pathogen reduction technology (PRT) in austere settings.

Interventions

BIOLOGICALMirasol-treated Fresh Whole Blood

Standard issue FWB, which gave negative serological assay results for HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis will subsequently be treated with Mirasol PRT, then stored at 1 - 6 degrees Celsius and transfused within 21 days of collection.

BIOLOGICALStandard Fresh Whole Blood

Fresh whole blood that gave negative serological assay results for HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis will be stored at 1 - 6 degrees Celsius and transfused within 21 days of collection.

Sponsors

Terumo BCT
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
MU-JHU CARE
CollaboratorOTHER
United States Department of Defense
CollaboratorFED
Johns Hopkins University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Willing to participate in study and patient or legally authorized representative has given written informed consent (IC) * Hemoglobin \< 7 g/dL or decision to transfusion by clinical team * Transfusion necessary based on clinical judgment of attending physician * Agree to return to the hospital for the follow-up visits

Exclusion criteria

* Presence of red cell alloantibodies * Incompatible red cell crossmatch * Not expected to survive for 10 weeks * Expected to require plasma or platelets within next 10 weeks outside of the FWB provided in the trial * Blood type AB (due to concern of limited supply) * Weight \< 30 kg (due to concern for sufficient blood draws to detect bacteria and other TTIs) * HIV-infected * Clinical suspicion of sepsis * Anti-malarial treatment within 7 days prior to randomization * Fever (central body temperature greater than 38.5°C) * Transfusion(s) of a blood product within 1 month prior to randomization * Acute or chronic medical disorder that, in the opinion of the investigator, would impair the ability of the patient to receive protocol treatment

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Cumulative incidence of at least one (1) pre-defined TTIUp to 10 weeksNew case of any pre-defined TTIs (HIV, HBV, HCV, HEV, HHV-8, malaria, and/or bacterial infection) in a previously negative patient and matched from the blood donor, indicated by changes in laboratory findings at Day 2, Day 7, Week 4, or Week 10 after the first transfusion.

Countries

Uganda

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 12, 2026