BioLife Plasma Services opened its fifth Florida donation center in Jacksonville Aug. 1 in Arlington.
BioLife is a plasma collection company. It is owned by Takeda, a “R&D driven biopharmaceutical leader,” according to its website.
It operates 120 plasma collection facilities in the U.S.
“Now, more than ever, donors in the Jacksonville area have a unique opportunity to make a difference in the community through plasma donation, and we are deeply committed to making treatment options available for patients who rely on plasma-derived medications,” said Matthew Stueben, manager of the BioLife Plasma Services Jacksonville center, in a news release.
“Plasma is a lifeline for thousands of people with rare, chronic and complex diseases,” he said.
The 9,500-square-foot center opened at 9312 Arlington Expressway in Regency Court. It expects to hire 60 people to staff the facility.
Donors can make appointments online to visit the center.
The plasma collected at the center will be used for patients with immunodeficiency disorders, hemophilia and hereditary angioedema, a news release said.
It is collected through a process called plasmapheresis, where plasma is separated from the blood and the blood is returned to the donor’s body.