2009-05-14 14:46:02 -

Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ:CERS) announced today that it has received CE Mark approval to extend the platelet treatment range of its INTERCEPT Blood System, resulting in enhanced compatibility with all commonly used platelet collection methods, and in particular with practices prevalent in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Many blood centers in these regions have not yet introduced the use

of platelet storage solutions, which previously was necessary for use of the INTERCEPT treatment system.

“The ability to now treat platelets collected and stored only in plasma, without use of storage solutions, provides blood centers with new options for immediately incorporating INTERCEPT into their operations,” said Obi Greenman, Cerus’ senior vice president of business development and marketing. “We want to offer our customers the most flexible and robust pathogen inactivation system on the market, supporting their desire to protect transfusion recipients from transfusion-transmitted infections, from established risks such as bacteria to emerging threats including H1N1 influenza.”

The INTERCEPT Blood System was initially approved for treatment of platelets collected in a commercially available platelet storage solution, InterSol. Use of InterSol and other storage solutions is widespread in Western Europe due to benefits such as reduced transfusion reactions in recipients, and increased yield of collected plasma for blood centers. However, some blood centers have not yet adopted this practice. The expanded processing range enabled by this latest CE Mark approval is expected to be especially important for blood centers producing whole blood platelets using the platelet-rich-plasma method, since these platelets are not typically produced in storage solutions.


ABOUT CERUS

Cerus Corporation is a biomedical products company focused on commercializing the INTERCEPT Blood System to enhance blood safety. The INTERCEPT Blood System is designed to inactivate blood-borne pathogens in donated blood components intended for transfusion. Cerus currently markets the INTERCEPT Blood System for both platelets and plasma in Europe and the Middle East. The INTERCEPT red blood cell system is currently in clinical development.

INTERCEPT and the INTERCEPT Blood System are trademarks of Cerus Corporation. InterSol is a trademark of Fenwal, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the commercial use of the Intercept Blood System for platelets. Because these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties involving commercial adoption and market acceptance of the INTERCEPT Blood System, as well as other risks and uncertainties disclosed from time to time in reports filed by Cerus with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Cerus’ quarterly report on Form 10-Q the quarter ended March 31, 2009. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Cerus disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Cerus CorporationLainie Corten, 925-288-6319Director, Global
Communications and Marketing