Blood transfusions are a critical part of healthcare, essential for saving lives worldwide every day. However, ensuring a steady blood supply is particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries. The demand for O-negative blood—the universal donor type—often outstrips availability, and donated blood has a limited shelf life. Aiming to tackle this issue, a team of Japanese researchers, led by Hiromi Sakai at Nara Medical University, has developed a new kind of artificial blood that can potentially be given to any patient, regardless of their blood type.
This artificial blood is made by extracting hemoglobin—a protein crucial for transporting oxygen in red blood cells—from expired donor blood. The hemoglobin is then wrapped in a protective casing, creating stable, virus-free artificial red blood cells. Since these artificial cells do not have a blood type, compatibility testing becomes unnecessary. Remarkably, this synthetic blood can be stored for up to two years at room temperature and up to five years if refrigerated, which is a substantial improvement compared to donated red blood cells that can only be kept for 42 days under refrigeration.
Artificial Blood Trials
Small-scale trials began last year, involving three groups of four healthy male volunteers aged between 20 and 50, who received varying amounts of hemoglobin vesicles—artificial oxygen carriers resembling red blood cells—up to 100 milliliters. While mild side effects were reported by some participants, vital signs, including blood pressure, remained stable. Following this initial phase, Sakai announced last July that they would be speeding up the process. By March, they started administering between 100 and 400 milliliters of the artificial blood solution to volunteers.
If no adverse effects are noted, the trial will progress to examining the treatment for its effectiveness and safety. The goal is to have these artificial red blood cells ready for practical use around 2030. Meanwhile, Professor Teruyuki Komatsu from Chuo University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering is also engaged in creating artificial oxygen carriers. He’s focusing on albumin-encased hemoglobin to help stabilize blood pressure, especially in cases of hemorrhage and stroke. So far, animal studies have shown promising outcomes, leading researchers to look forward to human trials.
