Photodynamic treatment of red blood cells with phthalocyanines and red light at higher light fluence rates is protective of red blood cells

摘要

An improved process for inactivating an extracellular lipid enveloped virus or an intracellular lipid enveloped virus which may be present in an extracorporeal composition containing red blood cells by subjecting the composition to a virucidally effective amount of a phthalocyanine compound and red light of a fluence rate of at least above about 5 mW/cm2. Quite contrary to what would have been expected, it has been found that higher light fluence rates are, in fact, more protective of red blood cells than are lower light fluence rates.