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Hemorrhage is a leading cause of death from severe trauma. Hemoglobin blood substitutes (HBOC) have a number of advantages in treating hemorrhage including improved availabilty with decreased storage demands. Prolong Pharmaceuticals has developed a PEGylated bovine hemoglobin (PEG-Hb) that is designed to enhance the delivery of oxygen to tissues. In the Phase l component of this Fast-Track SBIR contract we will begin to optimize the production of this material as a starting point for large scale production of PEG-Hb in the Phase II SBIR contract. In this phase II component of the Fast-Track SBIR contract, we will develop and implement the scale-up production of PEG-Hb developed in the phase I SBIR. This wil involve three parallel tasks including the large scale purification of bovine hemoglobin and synthesis of PEG-Hb in its appropriate formulation