1. Tim Sandle Head of Microbiology BPL, Elstree
BPL at 50 A Short History
Tim Sandle
Head of Microbiology
BPL, Elstree

2. What is BPL?
BPL’s origins and the Lister Institute
Development of plasma products
BPL today

3. What is BPL? Not for profit organisation Part of the NBS (and NHS)
Based at Elstree, Hertfordshire
Manufacturers plasma derived therapeutic products for NHS hospitals in England and Wales, and for export
In April 2004, BPL is 50 years old!

4. What is BPL? 500 staff ~250 in manufacturing / engineering
~90 in Quality Control / Quality Assurance / Validation
~70 staff in R&D
Large manufacturing facility (215 clean rooms)

5. Products Manufactured from plasma
Plasma undergoes fractionation – separates proteins – crushing / thawing or addition of ethanol
All sterile and aseptically filled

6. Products Coagulation Factors – for Haemophilia A and B
Specific and non-specific immunoglobulins (antibodies)
Albumin (restoration of blood volume)
Other minor products

7. The Lister Institute of Preventative Medicine

8. Lister Institute - Chelsea

9. The British Institute of Preventive Medicine
Established 1891
Merged with College of State Medicine
Charitable
Not for profit

10. Four Main Aims
Undertake fundamental scientific research into causes, prevention and treatment of disease
Teach preventive medicine
Prepare and supply special protective and curative materials, e.g. vaccines and antitoxins
Treat persons with infective diseases

11. Queensbury Lodge - Elstree

12. 1902 Lister Institute moves to Elstree Dagger Farm, 35 acres
Eminent scientists e.g. Harding; MacConkey

13. The Decade of Change
1942
Blood Products Research Unit formed at Chelsea
Influence of WWII
Freeze-dried plasma produced with cooperation of Medical Research Council at Cambridge

14. Cooperative Research into Blood Products
Blood Products Research Unit of:
Medical Research Council (MRC)
Biophysics Dept of:
Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine

15. The Last 50 Years
1954
Blood Products Laboratory established at Elstree by HM Government (cost £175,000) to be run by MRC
On behalf of MoH to supply human blood products for the NHS

16. The Last 50 Years 1957: Factor VIII first used Thrombin Fibrinogen
Gamma-globulin PPF
Anti-haemophilic
1978: Lister Institute closes
BPL occupies whole site at Elstree

17. Elstree Estate

18. The Last 50 Years
1982: BPL run by North Thames Regional Health Authority as ‘Central Blood Laboratories Authority’
Includes Plasma Fractionation Laboratory (PFL), Oxford – 1992
IBGRL, Bristol
Blood Products Diagnostics,

19. 1980s: exapansion 1982: purchases an orchard
Many new buildings (production; QC; R&D)
New factory £60 million
Staff numbers increase (200 500)
1985: Terminal heat treatment of FVIII / IX (800C for 72 hours)

20. BPL Production - Elstree

21. 1990s 1990: Renamed - Bio Products Laboratory (BPL) Internal market
1993 CBLA dissolved and NBA formed
BPL part of the NBS

22. The Beginning of a Change
1996: nvCJD identified by CJD Surveillance Unit (Edinburgh)
Oct/Nov ‘97: 3 known donors = product recalls
Oct/Nov ‘97: DoH set up risk assessment
1998: BPL to identify non-UK plasma
sources – move to US plasma 11

23. Secretary of State for Health
“We have no evidence to show that nvCJD can be transmitted via blood or blood products - the risk remains hypothetical.
But we must proceed on the principle that it is better to be safe than sorry.”
Frank Dobson
26 Feb 1998 16

24. The End of the Millennium
Current Products
FVIII + vWP Vigam-S Zenalb 20
FVIII Vigam Liquid Zenalb 4.5
FIX Anti-D
(FXI) IM IgGs:
(FXIII) VZV
(FVII) HepB (IVHepB)
(ATIII) Tetanus
Rabies

25. The End of the Millennium
New Projects
FVIII / vWP
Fibrin Sealant
Alpha1 Acid Glycoprotein (AAG)
Subcutaneous IgG
Monoclonal anti-D

26. BPL Summary Basis as ‘not for profit’ since 19th C
Research tradition (Lister, MRC, WHO)
Wide range of products
Continuing product improvements
Part of the NBS
Government supported
See:

27. Thank You
Any questions?