Processes for photoreactive inactivation of a virus in blood cell or coagulation factor containing compositions and use thereof for preparing compositions useful for transfusion

The present invention concerns a process for inactivating an extracellular lipid enveloped human pathogenic virus and/or an intracellular human pathogenic virus which may be present in a blood cell composition containing >=1x109 cells/ml by contacting that composition with a virucidally effective amount of at least one photoreactive compound having an absorption maximum of >=630 nm, light and oxygen and/or a quencher. In one embodiment of the invention, the process is conducted under conditions whereby a structural integrity of greater than 80% of at least one type of blood cell contained within said composition is retained. Another embodiment of the invention relates to a process for inactivating an extracellular lipid enveloped human pathogenic virus and/or an intracellular human pathogenic virus which may be present in a composition containing at least one coagulation factor while retaining at least 77% of said coagulation factor by contacting said composition with a virucidally effective amount of at least one photoreactive compound, light and a quencher. The processes of the invention can be used to prepare blood products, which, in turn, are suitable for transfusion into a recipient in need of such transfusion.