Cerus Corporation, together with its subsidiary, Cerus Europe B.V., operates as a biomedical products company that focuses on developing and commercializing the INTERCEPT Blood System to enhance blood safety. The company's INTERCEPT Blood System is based on its proprietary technology for controlling biological replication and is designed to target and inactivate blood-borne pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites, as well as potentially harmful white blood cells, while preserving the therapeutic properties of platelet, plasma, and red blood cell transfusion products. Its INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets is designed to inactivate blood-borne pathogens in platelets donated for transfusion; and INTERCEPT Blood System for plasma is designed to inactivate blood-borne pathogens in plasma donated for transfusion. The company is also developing INTERCEPT Blood System for red blood cells, which is designed to inactivate blood-borne pathogens in red blood cells donated for transfusion. It markets its platelet and plasma systems through its direct sales force and distributors primarily in Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Middle East. The company has collaboration agreements with Baxter International, Inc. for the development and commercialization of the INTERCEPT Blood System. Cerus Corporation was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Concord, California.