
Edwin Joseph Cohn (12/17/1892–10/01/1953) was an American biochemist. He is known primarily for the development of plasma fractionation.

Blood plasma is the starting material for manufacturing plasma-derived medicinal products
HISTORY OF THE PLASMA DONATION CENTERS
Plasmapheresis in Austria
1940 |
Edwin J. Cohn develops a method to separate plasma into individual components that can be used to make medicines. |
1953 |
The chemists Dr. Hans Eibl and Dr. Otto Schwarz, together with the physiologist Prof. Wilhelm Auerswald, found the first Austrian Institute for Hemoderivatives (= substances made from blood) in Vienna. The goal is to develop a plasma-based vaccine against the feared poliomyelitis. The foundations are laid for the later creation of Immuno AG |
1964 |
Europe’s first Plasma Donation Center is opened in Vienna. |
1979 |
The first automated plasma donation is performed in Austria. |
1995 |
The Plasma Donation Center Graz Europaplatz is opened. |
1995 |
The Plasma Donation Center run by the Red Cross in Salzburg is taken over by Baxter AG. |
1997 |
Immuno AG is taken over in its entirety by the US pharmaceutical company Baxter. |
1999 |
The Plasma Donation Center Wels is opened. |
2002 |
The Plasma Donation Center Innsbruck is opened. |
2006 |
The Plasma Donation Center Linz is opened. |
2014 |
We celebrate 50 years of plasmapheresis in Europe. |
2015 |
Baxter is split into two companies – Baxter and Baxalta. All seven plasma donation centers change their external appearance and they become BioLife plasma donation centers from July 2015. |
2016 |
The Irish pharmaceutical company Shire takes over Baxalta, together with its BioLife Plasma Centers. |
Viewed globally, Austria ranks second to the USA as the country with the highest per capita plasma stock. As of 2016, the seven BioLife plasma donation centers in Austria service approximately 18,700 donors, who have donated a total of 238,220 liters. |