Mechanism of Action - Amustaline

Mechanism of Action

Cerus has developed a technology to crosslink nucleic acids and inactivate infectious pathogens and leukocytes in red blood cell components using a proprietary chemical, S-303, and a quencher glutathione (GSH), in a pH dependent reaction. When S-303 is added to red blood cells, the compound rapidly passes through membranes, including those of cells and viral envelopes, due to its amphipathic character, and intercalates into helical regions of the nucleic acids of pathogens and white blood cells.