METHODS FOR PREPARING PLATELET PRODUCTS

1 - 163 . (canceled)

164 . A method of preparing a pooled platelet product, comprising:

a) selecting a subset of whole blood units from a plurality of donated whole blood units;

b) centrifuging the selected subset of units under the same centrifugation conditions to provide each unit having a separated layer of platelet rich plasma;

c) isolating the separated layer of platelet rich plasma to provide a platelet rich plasma unit;

d) centrifuging the isolated platelet rich plasma unit to provide a platelet rich plasma unit having separated layers of platelet poor plasma and platelet concentrate;

e) isolating the separated layer of platelet concentrate to provide a platelet concentrate unit from the subset of whole blood units;

f) pooling at least seven isolated platelet concentrate units into one container to provide a pooled platelet product;

g) treating the pooled platelet product with a pathogen inactivation compound to inactivate pathogens, if present; and

h) transferring the pooled platelet product into two storage containers to provide a double dose pooled platelet product.

165 . The method of claim 164 , comprising pooling 7-12 isolated platelet concentrate units.

166 . The method of claim 165 , comprising pooling 7-10 isolated platelet concentrate units.

167 . The method of claim 164 , wherein the pooled platelet product comprises at least about 6.0×10 11 platelets.

168 . The method of claim 164 , where the double dose pooled platelet product comprises at least about 2×10 11 platelets per storage container.

169 . The method of claim 168 , where the double dose pooled platelet product comprises at least about 3×10 11 platelets per storage container.

170 . The method of claim 164 , wherein the isolated platelet concentrate further comprises donor plasma.

171 . The method of claim 170 , wherein the donor plasma is plasma from the same donor as the isolated platelet concentrate.

172 . The method of claim 170 , wherein the donor plasma is plasma from a different donor than the donor of the isolated platelet concentrate.

173 . The method of claim 164 , further comprising adding an additive solution to the isolated platelet concentrate or the pooled platelet product.

174 . The method of claim 164 , wherein the isolated platelet concentrate or the pooled platelet product comprises about 5 to 50% plasma and about 95 to 50% additive solution.

175 . The method of claim 174 , wherein the isolated platelet concentrate or the pooled platelet product comprises about 30-50% plasma.

176 . The method of claim 164 , wherein the isolated platelet concentrate has a volume of about 45-80 mL.

177 . The method of claim 164 , wherein the isolated platelet concentrate has a volume of about 15-45 mL.

178 . The method of claim 164 , wherein the isolated platelet concentrate has a volume of less than about 5 mL.

179 . The method of claim 164 , wherein the pathogen inactivation compound is a photoactive pathogen inactivation compound selected from the group consisting of a psoralen, an isoalloxazine, an alloxazine, a phthalocyanine, a phenothiazine, a porphyrin, and merocyanine 540.

180 . The method of claim 179 , wherein the pathogen inactivation compound is a psoralen.

181 . The method of claim 180 , wherein the pathogen inactivation compound is amotosalen.

182 . The method of claim 164 , further comprising a leukoreduction step.

183 . The method of claim 182 , wherein the leukoreduction step is a filtration step.

184 . The method of claim 164 , wherein the method is performed at least 2 hours after collection of the donated whole blood units.

185 . The method of claim 164 , wherein the method is performed less than 24 hours after collection of the donated whole blood units.

186 . The method of claim 164 , wherein the method is performed more than 8 hours and less than 24 hours after collection of the donated whole blood units.

187 . The method of claim 164 , wherein the method is performed after an overnight storage of the donated whole blood units.