Perfluorocarbon (PFC)-based substitute products have been under development for a number of years. The first products developed are termed 'first-generation' PFC emulsions by specialists.

'Second-generation' PFC emulsions include the more recently developed products. Building on knowledge obtained from the production of 'first-generation' products, scientists have been able to develop these, more advanced, emulsions with increased oxygen carriage capacity.

The table below describes some of the key 'first' and 'second-generation' PFC-based blood substitutes.

Please use the links provided, which will take you to the respective homepage of the company:

Product Company Company Link Clinical trial level Application

1.First-generation emulsions         PerftoranTM OJSC SPC Perftoran Approved in Russia, 1996 Intravenous oxygen carrier. Treatment of radiation injuries FluosolTM Green Cross, Japan and Alpha Therapeutic, USA Discontinued Approved in Britain and Europe, 1990 Preserving organs prior to transplantation. In cancer therapy. Oxygenating the heart during angioplasty 2.Second-generation emulsions         Pher-O2TM Sanguine Corporation, USA Development stages Intravenous oxygen carrier OxygentTM Alliance Pharmaceutical Corporation, USA Phase III trials in Europe Alternative to donor blood in surgery

Fluosol was a very successful 'first-generation' PFC emulsion that had many useful biomedical applications, but its production ceased due to several problems, such as poor persistence in the blood. However, Fluosol did pave the way for the production of improved products, such as Oxygent.

Oxygent is an exciting prospect in the field of blood substitute technology, it is stable and sterile for over a year if kept refrigerated. Its clinical European phase III trials are currently under reconstruction to focus on a use for the product as an alternative to donor blood in patients undergoing surgery after setbacks in recent clinical trials. More recently, Alliance corporation have announced collaboration agreements with two leading pharmaceutical companies for the future development and commercialisation of Oxygent in Europe and South Korea.

For further particulars on the latest developments of PFC products please use the relevant company links provided