CONCORD, Calif. & BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 26, 2009-- Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ:CERS) and Grifols S.A. (MCE:GRF) today announced that the two companies have entered into an agreement extending Grifols’ INTERCEPT platelet and plasma distribution territory to include Italy. The INTERCEPT Blood System inactivates a broad range of viruses, bacteria and parasites that may contaminate donated blood components, including emerging pathogens such as West Nile virus, Chikungunya and influenza virus.

Under terms of this new agreement, Grifols will sell, deploy and support the INTERCEPT Blood System in Italy. In 2007, the companies entered a similar distribution agreement for Spain and Portugal, and in 2008 the territory was expanded to include Chile.

“We are pleased to broaden and further strengthen our relationship with Grifols, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Spain and the largest European plasma fractionator,” said Claes Glassell, president and CEO of Cerus Corporation. “Building on our success to date, we look forward to working with Grifols in Italy to increase adoption of INTERCEPT platelets and plasma.”

“The INTERCEPT technology perfectly complements Grifols’ transfusion line of products in Italy and is a good fit in terms our marketing and sales organization,” added Riccardo Vanni, managing director of Grifols Italia.

Italian blood centers produce more than 180,000 platelet units and 120,000 liters of plasma annually for transfusion. The INTERCEPT Blood System will add state-of-the-art pathogen inactivation to the range of products Grifols already supplies to their Italian customers, and has already been sold to thirteen centers throughout the country.

ABOUT THE INTERCEPT BLOOD SYSTEM

The INTERCEPT Blood System is designed to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted diseases by inactivating a broad range of known and emerging pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and parasites, as well as harmful white blood cells that may be present in donated blood intended for transfusion. The system inactivates pathogens in platelets and plasma using a proprietary illumination device, process and active compound. The INTERCEPT Blood System is designed for easy integration with routine blood center operations, and treated platelets are approved for storage up to seven days according to local guidelines. The INTERCEPT Blood System has received CE mark approvals for both the platelet and plasma systems, and may replace gamma irradiation for protection against transfusion-associated graft-vs-host disease. The INTERCEPT Blood System has customers in 18 countries.

ABOUT CERUS

Cerus Corporation is a biomedical products company focused on commercializing the INTERCEPT Blood System to enhance blood safety. Cerus currently markets the INTERCEPT Blood System for both platelets and plasma in Europe and the Middle East. The INTERCEPT red blood cell system is currently in clinical development.

INTERCEPT and the INTERCEPT Blood System are trademarks of Cerus Corporation.

ABOUT GRIFOLS

Grifols is a Spanish holding company specialized in the pharmaceutical-hospital sector and is present in more than 90 countries. Since 2006, the company has been listed on the Spanish Continuous Market and forms part of the Ibex-35. Currently it is the first company in the European sector in plasma derivatives and the fourth in production worldwide. In upcoming years, the company will strengthen its leadership in the industry as a vertically integrated company, thanks to recent investments and those which will be carried out in 2008-2012, representing 400 million euros. In terms of raw materials, Grifols has ensured its plasma supply with 80 plasmapheresis centers in the United States and in terms of fractionation, its plants in Barcelona (Spain) and Los Angeles (United States) will allow the company to respond to the growing market demand. Nevertheless, the company is preparing for sustained growth in the following 8-10 years and has launched an ambitious investment plan.

Grifols Italia S.p.A. is the subsidiary of Grifols S.A. and is a leading company in Italy in plasma derivatives and diagnostics. Grifols Italia is active in the blood bank market with a wide range of products (blood bags, instruments for blood components separation, traceability in transfusion systems, technologies for plasma virus inactivation). Grifols Italia is now also ready to start fractionating national plasma for the Italian Regions.

The statements in "About Cerus" are made solely by Cerus, and the statements in "About Grifols" are made solely by Grifols.

Source: Cerus Corporation

Cerus Corporation
Lainie Corten, 925-288-6319
Director, Global Communications & Marketing
or
Grifols S.A.
Raquel Lumbreras or Tristan Moreno-Torroba, +34 91 311 92 90
Corporate Communications