BPL is committed to giving regular updates on its key priorities guiding its response to COVID-19.

PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE

Our first priority in this crisis remains to ensure the health and safety of our employees around the world. With guidance from medical professionals, we are constantly evaluating and updating the robust measures already in place to help our people stay safe at work, regardless of whether they are working at home or making and packing BPL products on site to distribute to patients worldwide.

All of BPL’s 51 US plasma centres continue to operate, taking appropriate actions including reduced opening hours or temporary closures as needed to ensure safety, and closely following instructions from local authorities at all times.

We will continue to make every effort to support the physical and mental wellbeing of our workforce, to enable staff to stay healthy and protect themselves, colleagues, patients and families as we continue to deliver our life-enhancing medicines through this challenging period.

RELIABLE SUPPLY OF CRITICAL MEDICINES

BPL continues to meet the considerable challenges the pandemic presents without major disruptions. We are working hard to ensure that our products, which are essential for patients and healthcare providers around the world, continue to be manufactured on a 24x7 basis at our Elstree site in the UK. The company does not foresee any disruptions to our supply chain during this period, both in terms of plasma supply as well as other critical materials and consumables needed within our production process.

Furthermore, BPL has recently announced the launch of its new Albuminex 5% and 20% strength products in the United States, thus strengthening the company’s portfolio in this key market and significantly growing our patient reach in acute care.

DEVELOPMENT OF A COVID-19 HYPERIMMUNE IG SOLUTION

BPL firmly believes that the successful development of a hyperimmune treatment from convalescent plasma (of which there are several underway worldwide), should continue to be an important priority. Such a therapy, if approved, could be a valuable option, especially until an effective COVID-19 vaccine is developed and made available in meaningful quantities across our communities.

We are actively engaged in this effort, both through our participation in the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance as well as through BPL’s own internal planning and preparations for the potential development of a hyperimmune immunoglobulin intramuscular product.

Our clinical design and preparation work for the potential development of a BPL hyperimmune immunoglobulin product that can be administered via intramuscular injection continues to advance. We have recently received samples of convalescent plasma material at our Elstree site to complete the necessary assays at this initial stage of development.

PLASMA DONATIONS

BPL is part of the coalition that recently announced the launch of the “Fight Is In Us” campaign in the US. With members of world-leading medical and research institutions, blood centres, life science companies, technology companies, philanthropic organizations and COVID-19 survivor groups, the campaign seeks to mobilize people who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate their blood plasma, which contains vital antibodies that have fought off the disease and could now help others do the same.

All of BPL’s 51 plasma collection centres in the US are now collecting plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients. US-based prospective donors can get started by going to BPLP’s donor registration site or through the plasma bot on the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance website.

In the UK, the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) service is calling for potential plasma donors, information for which can be found at its registration site.

Enquiries:

BPLanswers.Coronavirus@bpl.co.uk

About Bio Products Laboratory USA (BPL USA)

BPL USA, headquartered in Durham, NC, focuses on providing access to BPL’s plasma-derived therapies to the US market. BPL USA is dedicated to delivering transformative therapies to patients in the areas of Immunology, rare bleeding disorders, and critical care. In addition to five currently available specialty medicines in the US market, BPL is also investing in the development of a robust pipeline of future product candidates for patients with rare and orphan diseases. Since receiving its first US FDA approval in 2009, BPL has proudly built a strong culture and reputation as an industry leader with specialty pharmacies, healthcare professionals, and patient advocacy organizations. BPL USA is part of a global company, Bio Products Laboratory, which boasts a vibrant 60-year heritage in plasma research, technology, and manufacturing. For more information about BPL in the United States, please visit www.bpl-us.com.

About Bio Products Laboratory (BPL)

Recognising the power of plasma and with over 60 years heritage in the industry, BPL supplies high-quality plasma derived medicines to meet the needs of clinicians, patients and customers globally. Headquartered in the United Kingdom and with plasma collection centres across the United States, we are dedicated to producing medicines for the treatment of immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders and infectious diseases as well for critical care. BPL invests in the latest R&D, technology and manufacturing methods, and continuously adapts to ensure that we continue to serve all our stakeholders effectively. For more information visit http://www.bplgroup.com

BPL consists of two operating divisions - BPL Plasma and BPL Therapeutics. BPL Plasma, headquartered in Austin, Texas and operating in the USA, collects plasma from donors, in around 51 centres across the US. BPL Plasma employs over 2000 staff, to support the needs of donors and to ensure high-quality plasma collection in all their centres. Plasma collection is regulated by both FDA and MHRA, and BPL Plasma follow industry guidelines. BPL Plasma operates clean and safe plasma facilities, staffed with trained personnel, dedicated to supporting donors through the process that leads to the donation of plasma. Plasma is shipped to the headquarters of BPL Therapeutics in Elstree, United Kingdom. The plasma is fractionated, purified, and filled through the efforts of our over 1000 employees involved in production, quality, R&D, commercial, customer services and administrative activities. BPL’s plasma derived medicines are commercially available in the UK, USA and 30 plus other countries around the world through our network of local distribution partners.