April 7, 2014

By: dpinkston@listlabs.com

 

List Biological Laboratories, Inc. (List) actively supports and participates in the BabyBIG^® project.

What is BabyBIG^® ?

BabyBIG^® (Human Botulism Immune Globulin; BIG-IV) is a public service, not-for-profit orphan drug manufactured and distributed by the California Department of Public Health.It is the only therapy available for infants who are infected with the organism that causes botulism, a life-threatening disease.

List Labs Volunteers Donate Plasma to Support Orphan Drug BabyBIG^® 

Because List produces the botulinum toxin for research use, employees are vaccinated against the toxin, thereby producing antibodies which circulate in their plasma.  This puts List Laboratories in a rare position to help with this project.  These antibodies are donated by volunteer employees via plasmapheresis, a procedure similar to a blood donation, for a period of up to 12 weeks.  Life-saving plasma is blended and processed into the final BabyBIG^® product.  We are proud of being able to be a big part of this amazing product and effort.  There are only a handful of organizations and entities who would be able to participate at any level and over 1/3 of our employees are active donors.  We salute them and support them in their time commitment to a worthy cause.

Infant Botulism Patients Helped in a Big Way by BabyBIG^® 

Since licensure of BabyBIG^® in 2003, approximately 1100 infant botulism patients nationwide have been treated with it, thereby shortening each hospital stay by almost one month and reducing the negative impact of this disease on these young patients.  In the aggregate since licensure, treatment with BabyBIG^® has resulted in more than 65 years of avoided hospital stay and more than $100 million in avoided hospital costs.

More information about BabyBIG^® may be found on their web site www.infantbotulism.org