CHICAGO, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Northfield Laboratories (Nasdaq: NFLD)
today presented the successful findings to date in its clinical trials of the
Company's blood substitute product, PolyHeme(R) to The American College of
Surgeons at the College's annual symposium.  Northfields' findings indicate
that PolyHeme may serve as a substitute for blood in acute blood loss
situations.
    Northfield's clinical trials are the first of its kind involving large
volume transfusions, typically found in trauma and emergency surgery settings,
which compare the therapeutic benefit of PolyHeme to allogeneic blood.  The
findings demonstrate that PolyHeme is able to maintain acceptable hemoglobin
levels in lieu of lost red blood cells despite the marked fall in red blood
cell hemoglobin, which ultimately reduces the need for donated blood.
Hemoglobin molecules which are contained in red blood cells are responsible
for delivering oxygen to the body's organs.  In a situation with acute blood
loss, the red blood cell count is reduced and the body's ability to deliver
life carrying oxygen is diminished.
    PolyHeme is a universally compatible, disease-free, oxygen carrying
resuscitative fluid which is being used in lieu of donated blood in controlled
randomized trials.  The findings also cited the lack of adverse side effects
or difference in mortality between the two groups which consisted of 44 trauma
patients.  Northfield is currently conducting final Phase III trials of
PolyHeme in elective surgery patients at hospitals across the country prior to
requesting approval of PolyHeme from the FDA.
    "We are excited about the ramifications of our findings." said Dr. Steven
Gould, Northfield's president.  "Northfield's product is intended to eliminate
the need for donated blood and the associated delays and risks that a
transfusion entails."  PolyHeme has three key advantages over transfused
blood:  it is free of disease including HIV and hepatitis virus, has a shelf
life of over a year and is universally compatible, eliminating the time-
consuming need to type a person's blood in the case of acute blood loss due to
trauma.
    Northfield Laboratories was founded in 1985.  The Company is headquartered
in Evanston, Illinois, and its stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market
System under the symbol NFLD.
    For more information on Northfield Laboratories Inc. via facsimile at no
cost, simply dial 1-800-PRO-INFO and enter the company code NFLD.

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