• Sepsis is one of the most frequent causes of death worldwide, claiming nearly 11 million lives, accounting for 20% of all global deaths  and taking more lives than cancer. This is more than 20 deaths every minute 
• Terumo BCT will support the clinical development of novel therapeutic apheresis technology for sepsis. Death from sepsis is potentially preventable.  

Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies (Terumo BCT) and Santersus AG  announced an exclusive partnership to advance a novel technology to improve clinical outcomes for patients who become critically ill due to sepsis. The collaboration combines Santersus’ first-in-class NucleoCapture blood purification technology with Terumo BCT’s industry-leading Spectra Optia^™ Apheresis System. Santersus’ therapeutic device has been designated a Breakthrough Device by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on its preclinical and early clinical data. Together these technologies aim to selectively remove neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are linked to the progression of severe sepsis.  

Sepsis occurs when the body’s immune system has an extreme response to an infection, causing widespread inflammation and life-threatening organ dysfunction. Each year, sepsis affects over 48 million people globally, claiming nearly 11 million lives — making it one of the most frequent causes of death worldwide [1]. Of every 1,000 hospitalized patients, an estimated 15 patients will develop sepsis as a complication of receiving healthcare, according to the World Health Organization [1]. Current sepsis treatments are primarily supportive care, including the use of antimicrobials and intravenous fluids, leaving a significant unmet need for targeted therapies.  

Emerging evidence indicates that a key factor contributing to sepsis severity is the overproduction of NETs, which are networks of extracellular DNA released by immune cells during inflammation. When NETs accumulate excessively in the bloodstream, they can trigger a chain reaction that rapidly leads to organ failure. 

Santersus’ NucleoCapture device is designed to selectively remove NETs from the blood plasma. By leveraging the therapeutic plasma exchange with a secondary plasma device (SPD) procedure, the Spectra Optia system draws blood from the patient and separates plasma from the other blood components. The plasma is then passed through the NucleoCapture device to reduce the level of NETs. The treated plasma is recombined with the rest of the blood and then returned to the patient — all in one session. This procedure has the potential to improve sepsis outcomes by reducing mortality, minimizing organ support requirements and shortening intensive care unit stays when administered early in the diagnosis. 

Under this collaboration, Santersus will lead the pivotal NUC-CAP clinical study in the U.S., UK, and EU. Terumo BCT will support the clinical development of the research. Additionally, Terumo Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Terumo Corporation, is investing in Santersus’ Series A financing round to accelerate the development of this technology. 

“Therapeutic apheresis has untapped potential to address unmet medical needs by selectively removing disease-related elements from a patient’s blood and returning the rest,” said Veerle d’Haenens, General Manager of Global Therapy Innovations at Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies. “As a leader in this field, we are committed to advancing innovative treatment options using therapeutic apheresis through various collaboration opportunities. In the U.S. alone, sepsis is the leading cause of death in hospitals, and the risk of mortality from sepsis rises by 4% to 9% for every hour treatment is delayed [3]. Our partnership with Santersus reflects our mission to transform care for critically ill patients and offer hope where current treatments fall short.” 

“This partnership is a key milestone for NucleoCapture as we strive to bring this technology to patients globally,” said Scott Maguire, Chairman of Santersus. “NETs are a major driver of inflammation in acute and chronic conditions, and NucleoCapture has the potential to be used in other conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, systemic lupus erythematosus and organ transplantation. The partnership with Terumo BCT will help accelerate the development of NucleoCapture as a unique technology to treat various life-threatening and debilitating conditions.”

[1] World Health Organization. Fact sheets: sepsis. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sepsis#:~:text=Sepsis%20is%20one%20of%20the,all%20global%20deaths%20(2).Published May 3, 2024. Accessed November 3, 2025.  

[2] Rudd KE, Johnson SC, Agesa KM, et al. Global, regional, and national sepsis incidence and mortality, 1990-2017: analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study. Lancet. 2020;395(10219):200-211. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(19)32989-7  

[3] Sepsis Alliance. Sepsis fact sheet. https://www.sepsis.org/education/resources/fact-sheets/. Revised November 2024. Accessed November 3, 2025. 

Spectra Optia Apheresis System 

The Spectra Optia Apheresis System is a versatile therapeutic apheresis and cell collection platform that enables multiple protocols. When paired with the NucleoCapture device, the system selectively removes NETs from plasma and returns treated blood to the patient. The secondary plasma device (SPD) procedure is applicable to a variety of conditions, including neurological, autoimmune and other diseases affecting vital organs. 

Product and protocol availability varies by country. Therapeutic plasma exchange with a secondary plasma device is not cleared for use in the United States.