Annual Report - · PDF filewhich will be completed in the course of next year. ... but also...

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Annual Report

Transcript of Annual Report - · PDF filewhich will be completed in the course of next year. ... but also...

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Annual Report

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Is anyone ill or on holiday?He can be found at the head office every day..

Tim is always prepared to stand in.

Tim van Velsen (volunteer)

Table of Contents

Foreword 4

Donating Blood 10

Personnel & Organization 18

Products & Services 26

Research 32

Report from the Executive Board 42

Report from the Supervisory Board 48

Financial Results and 53Financial Position

Auditor’s Report 58

Annex 60(Other positions held by Members of the

Supervisory Board and the Executive Board)

All employees in the photographs in this annual report achieved something extraordinary in 2010 and were recommended by colleagues.

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How would you characterize the year 2010?‘As a year in which the Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation

has taken some major steps with respect to a number

of new developments. You could even call it a wave of

innovation. In this context, I have in mind the new

building for the Plasma Products and Research Divisions,

which will be completed in the course of next year. But

also the preparations for a stem cell laboratory, where the

innovative stem cell therapies will be developed this year.

In addition, at the end of 2010 the decision was taken to

introduce a software package to support quality assurance

with system reports for the entire Sanquin organization.’

What kind of year was it for the donors?` ‘In 2010, a new donor participation structure was

introduced. We value a structure that enables donors to

express their views effectively. Together with consultancy

firm Twijnstra Gudde, we carefully looked at how we can

optimally implement this structure. The new National

Donor Council now has four seats for new, independent

parties, such as donor associations. This makes donor

contribution more transparent. We expect donors to feel

better represented as a result.

Another new development for donors is that we are going

to introduce an additional test in the screening of donors

in 2011, the so called Anti-Hepatitis B core test. This test

detects antibodies against the nucleus of the hepatitis B

virus. In this way we want to eliminate risks as much

as possible and give more certainty to the recipients of

blood products.’

Moving forward

Innovation, investments, responding to unexpected situations in a flexible manner: Theo Buunen, chairman of the Executive Board, looks back on the highlights of the past year.

Foreword

‘We have proved again that we are able to respond to unexpected situations in a flexible manner’

Foreword

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the RhD determination as early as the 27th weekTogether with her colleagues, she managed to offer

of pregnancy in a fully automated manner.

Aicha ait Soussan (senior analyst)

What else are you proud of, looking at the past year?‘An important issue in the past year was the Q fever

outbreak. An epidemic seemed a realistic scenario. We

introduced a new test for donors to rule out that they were

infected with the Q fever bacterium. Not only did we spend

a lot of energy in developing and tuning this test, but the

logistics of introducing the test for the areas at risk was

quite a job. But things went smoothly and I’m very proud

of that. It turns out once again that we are able to respond

to unexpected situations in a flexible manner. When it

comes to flexibility: the unexpected growth in the produc-

tion of the medicine Cinryze™ also made heavy demands

on the flexibility of our staff in the production line over the

past year. All honour to them as well.’

What issues deserve extra attention next year?‘Next year, we will see how some changes we have

initiated will turn out in practice. Such as the Quartslag

Operation, by which the four blood banks from the four

regions are incorporated into a single Blood Bank division.

This change has had drastic consequences for the original

division management. Management is now vested in

four unit directors at national level, based on the various

processes: Production, Quality, Donor Affairs and Medical

Affairs. I am confident that this other structure will have a

beneficial effect on the uniformity, efficiency and improve-

ment of quality and, hence, on the services to donors and

our customers.’

Last but not least?‘At this point, I would like to say a few words about the

retirement of our board member Prof. Ernest Briët. Ernest

has been very important to Sanquin, because of his signifi-

cant contribution to the translation of research results into

the practice of blood transfusion for example. Fortunately,

we have found a worthy successor in the person of Prof.

René A. W. van Lier. Before he started at the AMC to

become Professor of Experimental Immunology in 2000,

he had worked as a doctor at Sanquin for more than 16

years. In recent years, René has been establishing quite

a few bridges between the hospital and Sanquin. We are

therefore very happy that he is back with us.’

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they drive it from east to west, to the than a Mobile Blood Collection Unit of 68m2 −

As sovereigns − as if it concerns a Fiat 500 rather

great delight of all donors in the province of Zeeland.

Gerald Eikholt (l), Farouk Habib (m) (drivers, Mobile Blood Collection Unit), Erik Oostveen (r) transport team leader

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In June of last year, the project leader at Sanquin

proudly presented the International Donor Management

Handbook, a practical guide that compiles knowledge,

experience and good practices.

In the middle of last year, the time had come: at the

congress of the International Society for Blood Transfusion

(ISBT), the Donor Management Handbook was presented.

Sanquin was project leader of the large-scale European

project called DOMAINE (DOnorMAnagement IN Europe),

which was co-financed by the European Union. ‘The

immediate cause was the need for a practical hand-

book which combines knowledge, experiences and

good practices in the field of donor management’,

says manager Donor Studies Wim de Kort. ‘We, and

our Belgian colleagues, were frequently asked all

kinds of questions: how do you actually organize the

blood supply, why does it run so smoothly in your

country? The large-scale exchange of knowledge could

be improved.’ In 2007 Sanquin started talks with

some members of the interest group called the European

Blood Alliance for the first time. This past year the

Handbook was finished. Wim: ‘And we are really very

proud of that.’

SafetyThe DOMAINE project consisted of three stages. In the

first stage, a large-scale investigation was conducted into

the good elements of all European blood banks. Some

of the topics were the following: what are better ways of

attracting and keeping donors? How do you organize

the collection of blood? How do you guarantee safety for

donors? These results formed the basis for the handbook.

Writing it constituted the second stage. In 2010 the hand-

book was finished and it was made available to the public

on the Internet. Blood banks may use it in setting up and

developing their own organization. Wim: ‘All aspects of

donor management are addressed in clearly arranged

chapters from a very practical angle. It includes tips

and tools, but also descriptions of logistic processes and

the consideration of ethical issues.’

In addition to an English version, Dutch, French, Portu-

guese and Spanish translations are now being prepared.

Recently, the third stage of the DOMAINE project was

launched: setting up a two-day interactive training

programme for the purpose of using the handbook in

the best possible manner. Wim: ‘From file management

to marketing techniques, from medical issues to the

organization of a blood collection: all aspects of donor

management are addressed.’ The first training session

will be held in June 2011, during the annual ISBT congress

in Portugal. See also www.domaine-europe.eu

All in the HandbookDonating Blood

‘From file management to marketing techniques, from medical affairs to the organization of blood collection: all aspects of donor management are addressed.’

Donating Blood

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Every day they take care of fresh coffee,crunchy croquettes and spotlessly clean meeting rooms.

An Kooistra (l), Despina Tsaklidou (m) and Alice Fennema (r) (catering team in Rotterdam)

Key figures of the Dutch blood supply (situation in the year 2010)

2010 2009

Donor base

Number of registered donors 406,127 404,184

Number of recorded donors* 395,226 393,811

Donation frequency of whole blood donors per year 1.63 1.70

Donation frequency of plasmapheresis donors per year 5.53 5.34

Number of donors per 1,000 inhabitants 24.40 23.70

Number of donations

Total number of donations 883,346 906,767

Number of whole blood donations 542,160 575,050

Number of apheresis donations 341,186 331,717

Use

Use of red blood cell concentrates 548,105 564,290

Number of platelets (from whole blood in donor units) 281,476 246,768

Number of units of fresh frozen plasma 81,742 90,390

Kilo of plasma in total (incl. of apheresis) supplied to Plasma Products division 348,369 342,995

*Excluding donors who are registered, but have not yet donated blood

Proportion of donors and supply of red blood cells

Whole blood donors 333,439 331,738

Erythrocytes supplied 548,105 564,290

In recent years, the use of erythrocytes in hospitals has dropped sharply. Together with the hospitals we managed to improve the

level of care and realize a smaller number of transfusions. More than ever before, transfusions are life-saving. Sanquin has adjusted

the number of donations in line with this trend and calls donors only if necessary. During processing, whole blood donations are

separated into various components. Therefore the figures concerning use may be higher than the number of donations.

Donating Blood

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Further, in 2010 a selected proportion of the blood donations were screened as a precautionary measure for the presence of

Coxiella burnetii DNA (Q fever). This screening was carried out in the period from 15 March to 1 November 2010 on donors living

in areas with the highest infection rates for Q fever. In total, 6,830 donations were individually tested. Coxiella burnetii DNA was

not found in any of these donations.

Whole-blood donors per blood group 2010

Blood group North East South East South West North West Sanquin In % Compared to 2009 (=100)

0+ 29,589 30,003 31,217 32,232 123,041 36.90% 122,898 100

0- 9,838 8,828 9,632 10,023 38,321 11.49% 38,758 99

A+ 25,762 26,263 26,309 27,637 105,971 31.78% 104,516 101

A- 6,134 6,152 6,389 6,886 25,561 7.67% 25,401 101

B+ 5,379 5,693 6,495 6,018 23,585 7.07% 23,353 101

B- 1,332 1,337 1,607 1,464 5,740 1.72% 5,754 100

AB+ 1,892 2,158 2,555 2,316 8,921 2.68% 8,746 102

AB- 573 535 577 614 2,299 0.69% 2,312 99

Total 80,499 80,969 84,781 87,190 333,439 100.00% 331,738 101

Percentage 0 negative in population, donors and red blood cells supplied

In population 7.65%

Among Donors 11.49%

Red blood cells supplied 13.50%

Whole blood logistics(in donor units)

Whole blood donations 542,160

Red blood cells to hospital 548,105

Hepatitis B Virus

HIV-1/2

HTLV-I/II

Lues

Hepatitis C virus

Overview of the number of donors with a positive result on screening for infectious diseases Every donation is tested. In general, infections are more frequently found in donors who donate blood for the first time.

Of course, blood products containing infectious pathogens are destroyed.

Donating Blood

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

20062005 2007 2008 2009 2010

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

20062005 2007 2008 2009 2010

0

1

2

3

4

20062005 2007 2008 2009 2010

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

20062005 2007 2008 2009 2010

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

20062005 2007 2008 2009 2010

Number of first time donors

First time donors per 100,000

Number of repeat donors

Repeat donors per 100,000

Marian Nordbeck-Vos en Rasida Joelfan

(distribution assistant and export assistant)

When their colleague at the export department suddenly left,

the two of them immediately put their backs into the task at hand.

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At a distance of 200 km from each other, they organize everything,down to the smallest detail, for their joint donor manager;

one of them in Nijmegen, the other in Groningen.

Barbara Hatzopoulos (l) and Antje Stoepker (r) (management assistants)

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‘Of course, we would have liked to achieve this 7.1

of the benchmark,’ says Rob Lijten, personnel and organi-

zation manager of the Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation.

The average score of the 2009 employee satisfaction survey

was 7.0 and this was only slightly below the national

index. Rob: Naturally, you start searching for solutions

enabling you to achieve most improvement.’

A number of project groups addressed the topics which

showed the most divergent results: cooperation, working

conditions (particularly the proper balance between work

and private life) and trust in the management. The search

for improvements resulted in a number of surprising

proposals. ‘We are in fact rather a conservative

organization’, Rob confirms. ‘This is why it was all the

more surprising that all suggestions were received so

enthusiastically. We have also tried all approaches on

the Executive Board and they were very pleased with

the solutions.’

This is how the World Café was introduced. The idea is to

invite interdisciplinary groups in an informal setting and

to ask them to respond to a number of thought-provoking

statements in a relaxed atmosphere. In the process of

discussion, you may be able to draw up a list of solutions.

‘We were allowed to serve as guinea pigs ourselves and

even though I was very sceptical, I must admit:

it is much more fun to talk when you’re sitting at a

table like that, making notes on the table cloth!

When the Executive Board reacted in the same way, we

decided to add this method to our management tools.’

Participation Another issue addressed by a working group concerned

working conditions. Particularly those who work in paid

employment considered the balance between work and

private life to be unsatisfactory. According to Rob, they

lack the possibility of determining their working hours

themselves. ‘This is why we are now doing a self-

rostering and shiftpicking pilot.’ Self-rostering means

that teams are allowed to determine their own roster by

consultation and may also arrange for any replacement

that may be necessary. Shiftpicking refers to pre-defined

services: a particular service may be chosen well in

advance. The idea is that people are given a greater say

in determining their working hours. The fact that they are

consulted in this is often a first step.

The survey showed that Sanquin had a fairly low score

with respect to the subject ‘Trust in Management’. ‘That

is difficult, of course: why don’t they have trust? It is

not easy to grasp anything as vague as that. But the

worst thing you can do is to stop talking about it at all’,

says Rob. We chose an instrument of FranklinCovey, the

training agency that is associated with the success author

Stephen Covey.

The idea is that the two of you play a card game with trust

cards. In this way the manager and the employee enter

into a discussion about a subject that is otherwise difficult

to grasp. ‘Of course, we know that there is no miracle

drug. We are not going to get a perfect ‘10’ score next

time. That would not be realistic. But we have taken

all results seriously and we have provided the directors

and managers with a set of tools they can use during

an evaluation. And in a few years’ time, we are going

to assess where we stand at that time.’

There is no miracle drug for a perfect ‘10 out of 10’ score

Personnel & Organization

‘We were allowed to serve as guinea pigs and I must admit: it’s much more fun talking in a café, taking notes on the table cloth!’

Personnel & Organization

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Workforce as at 31 Dec. 2010 (number of employees and number of fte)*

* excluding hiring and extra deployment of Sanquin’s own employees

In 2010 Sanquin had 7 employees (f) with a WAO benefit.

Permanent employment Temporary employment Total full-time / total part-time

Total workforce

Fulltime Parttime Fulltime Parttime Fulltime Parttime

Number FTE Number FTE Number FTE Number FTE Number FTE Number FTE Number FTE

2010 Male 626 630.95 177 106.60 115 115.90 43 10.00 741 746.85 220 116.60 961 863.45

2009 Male 592 595.80 169 99.11 117 117.77 58 25.64 709 713.57 227 124.75 936 838.32

2010 Female 349 349.94 1,346 754.22 88 88.28 193 89.45 437 438.22 1,539 843.67 1,976 1,281.89

2009 Female 332 332.80 1,351 725.66 93 93.00 180 105.07 425 425.80 1,531 830.73 1,956 1,256.53

2010 Total 975 980.89 1,523 860.82 203 204.18 236 99.45 1,178 1,185.07 1,759 960.27 2,937 2,145.34

2009 Total 924 928.60 1,520 824.77 210 210.77 238 130.71 1,134 1,139.37 1,758 955.48 2,892 2,094.85

Years of service structure (number of employees)

Number of

employees

New Loyal/known

m v total total

2010 2009

< 1 180 278 458 527

2-3 126 216 342 308

4-5 51 102 153 192

6-9 171 401 572 583

10-14 136 298 434 399

15-19 93 246 339 305

20-24 92 187 279 278

25-29 46 106 152 146

30-34 52 105 157 118

35 and over 14 37 51 36

Total 961 1,976 2,937 2,892

The average duration of Sanquin’s employees amounted to

11.65 years of service (10.87 in 2009).

the European Blood Bank Inspection Training (EUBIS).Together with Jan-Peter Jansen van Galen, he developed

A special training that was very popular with our bloodbank colleagues from the Eastern bloc countries.

Boudewijn Hinloopen (head of processing)

Personnel & Organization

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Sickness absenceThe sickness absence rate (excluding maternity leave) fell

slightly from 4.49% in 2009 to 4.39% in 2010. This meant

that for the second consecutive year, the rate was lower

than that of the entire healthcare sector (5.69%) and in

the hospital sector (4.55%).

(Sickness absence percentages inclusive and exclusive of

maternity leave)

Male Female Total

Incl. Excl. Incl. Excl.

2010 3,60 5,57 4,71 4,94 4,39

2009 3,96 5,70 4,73 5,14 4,49

The average duration of Sanquin’s employees was 11.65 years

of service (10.87 in 2009)

Comparison (2010)

Male Female Total

Incl. Excl. Incl. Excl.

Healthcare sector 4.58 7.68 5.98 7.04 5.69

Hospital sector 3.75 6.58 4.79 5.93 4.55

Duration of absence, inclusive & exclusive of maternity leave(in days)

Male Female Total

Incl. Excl. Incl. Excl.

2010 14,88 15,62 13,80 15,53 14,14

2009 11,41 15,00 13,00 13,89 12,50

Frequency of absence, inclusive & exclusive of maternity leave(number of reports)

Male Female Total

Incl. Excl. Incl. Excl.

2010 1,32 1,50 1,49 1,50 1,49

2009 1,47 1,61 1,57 1,56 1,54

Staff turnover; those leaving service in 2010 (number of employees)

2010 2009

career elsewhere 81 79

personal circumstances 24 11

working conditions 2 1

unfitness 0 4

unauthorized absence 0 0

urgent reason 2 0

reorganization 6 6

obu / flex / TOP / pension 40 29

termination of temporary employment 67 122

occupational disability 3 5

death 4 3

other* 34 68

Total 263 328

Age structure 2010

(number of employees)

Male Female Total

2010

Total

2009

0-24 32 54 86 112

25-34 205 336 541 522

35-44 255 505 760 762

45-54 291 669 960 956

55-59 110 278 388 368

60 and over 68 134 202 172

Total 961 1,976 2,937 2,892

Average age 43.77 45.06 44.63 44.23

* This concerns, for example, transfers within Sanquin and

dismissals during the trial period.

In 2010 the staff turnover rate dropped from 11.3% to 9.0%.

The most important reason for leaving Sanquin was a career

elsewhere. In addition, termination of temporary employment,

personal circumstances and (early) pension were important

reasons for leaving the organization in 2010. As in 2009, it was

generally easy to fill vacancies in 2010. At the end of 2010,

there were 26 vacancies that had not yet been filled,

the same number as in 2009.

Salary scale breakdown 2010

(number of employees)

Young workers pay scale Preliminary pay scale Graded pay scale Total

Male Female Male Female Male Female

5

10

15

20 4 16 20

25 1 1 1 79 61 143

30 4 6 13 51 254 328

35 1 1 122 689 813

40 1 115 159 275

45 7 7 119 253 386

50 81 131 212

55 2 87 66 155

60 1 91 121 213

65 38 26 64

70 19 10 29

75 17 15 32

80 9 1 10

other* 115 142 257

Total 4 7 10 25 947 1,944 2,937

* Concerns employees who receive a nominal salary; employees who are subject to a different salary scale system under the

‘transitional regulations for the Collective Agreement of Sanquin 2001’; and trainee research assistants who are subject to

the salary system of the UMCs.

Personnel & Organization

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association in Groningen for 26 years. Together with his Hans has been the driving force behind the staff

enthusiastic team, he forms a stable factor within Sanquin.

Hans Hoekstra (chairman of the staff association)

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In 2010, the Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation came

to the aid of hospitals and suppliers by providing them

with Vitamine D test results. ‘This is an operation

to be proud of’, says Ruben Baumgarten, director of

Diagnostic Services. Over the past year, hospitals and

other suppliers have faced serious problems when the

largest supplier of Vitamine D tests unexpectedly proved

unable to meet demands. The latter made an urgent

appeal to Sanquin to help out for the Dutch market.

Ruben immediately felt that this was a great challenge.

‘We have considerable know-how and experience and

in addition, we are an independent party. We are also

well-known for the quality of our services, excellent

logistical facilities and the pleasant manner in which

we communicate with customers.’

It did not take long for Sanquin to decide to come to the

aid of the customers within hospital labs. Almost immedi-

ately, Sanquin went all out to make this possible.

ComplimentNext, the Diagnostic Services people managed to have

the requested Vitamine D tests operational within a very

short period − approximately four to five weeks. ‘First and

foremost, thanks to a tour de force of our people, who

took great pains to ensure that the correct results were

supplied to the hospitals and suppliers without loss

of time. The determinations had to be at least as good

as those the customers were used to. It is great that

we managed to pull this off,’ says Ruben. The success of

this operation was also conditional upon the flexible

attitude adopted by the Executive Board, which allowed

investments in both equipment and human resources to

be made at very short notice. Ruben: ‘A compliment is

really deserved here.’

It is expected that this extra service will be continued until

the original supplier itself is able to supply the Vitamine D

test again.

Fast and adequate reactionProducts & Services

‘We have considerable know-how and experience. In addition, we are well-known for the quality of our services and the pleasant manner in which we communicate with customers.’ Tudor Schleurholts (donor physician based in Zwolle)

When there were a number of sick people and the situation was

critical, he was the ministering angel: thanks to his assistance,

we were back on schedule again.

Products & Services

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Since 2010, the Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation has

also been present at schools with two different teaching

packages, one for primary schools and one for secondary

schools.

In 2008, Sanquin was asked by Nefarma, the industry

organization for pharmaceutical companies, whether

Sanquin wanted to participate in the project called Ik van

binnen (‘Me Inside’) for group 8 of the primary school.

Sanquin agreed to do so. Next, cooperation started at the

beginning of 2010. Bloed en zo (‘Blood et cetera’) supple-

ments the existing teaching packages for the skeleton, the

nervous system and organs. Teachers received a film, sup-

ported by a website and materials, to be used in the class-

room. By now, more than 3,700 schools across the country

have started using the ‘Me Inside’ method. According to a

first survey, the method was appreciated very much: 77%

of the persons interviewed say that they use the teaching

package at least twice a week and 96% indicated that they

will use it in the future too.

Practical trainingBloed en afweer (‘Blood and immunity’) is another project

with which Sanquin builds knowledge within the educa-

tional system. Project leader Jan Willem Smeenk: ‘We’ve

had the idea of doing something at secondary schools

as well for some time now. Sanquin is well represented

at universities and polytechnics, but we were absent at

secondary schools.’ Because Sanquin considers informa-

tion provision to be a social responsibility, it developed a

biology pilot − the package called Bloed en afweer (‘Blood

and immunity’) − for the upper years of senior general

secondary education and pre-university education as early

as 2009. Even though both subjects were addressed in the

context of regular biology classes, the connection between

the two did not receive any attention.

Apart from blood, the topics addressed include transfusion,

immunity and rejection.

Pupils may participate in practical training in which

they determine blood groups, carry out coagulation

experiments and look at blood components under the

microscope, among other things. Jan Willem: ‘In the end,

we also intend to show how cool blood is; we want to

make people enthusiastic about science subjects and

show how interesting research can be.’ Apart from the

teaching package with the practical training, there is

a website. In addition, teachers may enrol for refresher

courses. Whether the project will be continued depends on

the interim evaluation.

From March to November of last year, the Sanquin Blood

Supply Foundation carried out extra tests on donors for the

presence of the Q fever bacterium. This was a precautio-

nary measure.

At the end of 2009, it seemed that a large Q fever epidemic

would break out in specific parts of the Netherlands.

Sanquin expected negative consequences for the blood

supply. With a number of hospitals, Sanquin developed a

test to screen donors for the presence of the Q fever bacte-

rium. Director of Diagnostic Services Ruben Baumgarten:

‘We have taken this measure because the bacterium

may be transmittable through the blood. In that case,

donors may infect someone through their blood. The

test we developed shows whether a person is infected,

even if the donors do not show any symptoms yet.’

Donors are always screened for infections in order to make

the blood supply as safe as possible. But because of the

imminent Q fever epidemic, all donors in the risk areas

in the province of Noord-Brabant underwent additional

screening for the presence of the Q fever bacterium from

March to November 2010.

Operation Screening donors for the Q fever bacterium in the risk

areas was a large-scale operation, on which Sanquin

spent a great deal of energy, time and money. ‘Not only

on the necessary equipment and the development and

validation of the test but also on the logistics required

to implement the test in the high infection risk areas.

That was really quite a job’, says Ruben. ‘But things

went very well and we can be very proud of that. In

doing so, Sanquin proves that it is able to respond to

unexpected situations in a flexible manner.’

When, in November 2010, the threat had ceased, we stopped

carrying out this test for the time being. Fortunately, not

a single donor was found to be infected with the Q fever

bacterium. Ruben: ‘The infrastructure for screening donors

for the Q fever bacterium is operational, however. If there

are any indications that an epidemic may break out

after all, we can resume the test procedure immediately.’

Large-scale Q fever operation Blood is cool

Joke Trompetter and Rob de Groot (post room)

For years Joke and Rob have been managing the post

room on the Plesmanlaan with great commitment.

Products & Services

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Their weekly tours for external groupsare regarded as a very valuable PR contribution.

Rachid Essinouh (l) (issue team leader) and Güner Durus (r) (processing assistant)

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In 2010 a new research department was established:

Haematopoiesis Research. Led by Marieke von Lindern,

this department will address a prime focus for scientific

research within the Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation

over the next few years: cellular therapy. The crux of

the research is to unravel and exercise influence on the

formation of the various types of blood and immune cells

(‘haematopoiesis’). Jan Willem Smeenk of the Research

Department puts it briefly: ‘How do you harvest cells;

how do you culture cells, and how does blood cell

formation work? This research group is perfectly in

line with our ambitions in the field of patient care.’ At

this point already, Sanquin is responsible for a substantial

proportion of the bone marrow transplantations carried

out in the Amsterdam region, namely the purification and

storage of bone marrow cells given to cancer patients after

the malignant cells have been removed. To improve this

type of cellular therapy, a great deal of research is needed,

for example, to examine whether cells may be manipulated

in such a way that they are better able to find their way

back into the bone marrow. Sanquin is also involved

in setting up closed culture systems for cellular therapies

of this kind.

Anaemia But the new research group has a broader scope. For

example, Marieke works on the unravelling of the forma-

tion of red blood cells. This is supposed to yield knowledge

about rare congenital types of anaemia. But also − which

is even more exciting − pave the way for the creation of a

blood substitute. ‘This is still in the future’, Jan Willem

emphasizes. ‘With the present state of technology, we

still need a sizable brewery to make one bag of blood.’

Even so, this shows promise. On a small scale, a blood

substitute could be a godsend for patients with so many

antibodies that they cannot tolerate donor blood. In the

end, the department is supposed to grow into a national

expertise centre for red blood cells. Other research lines

address the use of immune cells against cancer: immuno-

therapy, for example by inducing specific immune cells

(T cells) to launch an attack on tumour cells. This can

be done by isolating and culturing T cells aimed against

cancer cells. But also by manipulating other cells of the

immune system in such a way that, once back in the body,

they activate T cells capable of destroying cancer cells.

This latter strategy is being examined for a treatment of

esophageal cancer.

MergerThe Haematopoiesis Research Department is partly a

merger of existing groups within and outside Sanquin.

For example, Marieke, together with Emile van den Akker,

come from the Erasmus MC, and Martijn Nolte and

Monica Wolkers come from the AMC. Sanquin’s existing

stem cell lab, led by Carlijn Voermans, was included in

the department too. Yet, these parts constitute something

new. Jan Willem: ‘For the first time, the research was

deliberately structured for the purpose of supporting

our plans for services to hospitals.’

Towards a blood substituteResearch

‘With the present state of technology, you need a sizable brewery to make one bag of artificial blood.’

Research

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On 10 June 2010, the collaborating research teams of the

Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) and the Sanquin Blood

Supply Foundation won the Amsterdam Inventor Award.

The teams developed technologies that allow the faster

development of vaccines and immunotherapies for

preventing and treating infectious diseases and cancer.

The Award, an initiative taken by the Amsterdam Innova-

tion Motor, Avantium and the Economic Affairs Depart-

ment of the Municipality of Amsterdam, is regarded as

the prize for the most innovative invention of knowledge

institutes and companies in the region. Roel Melsert,

managing director of the business unit Reagents, is proud

of it. ‘The nice part of it is that entries originated not

only from the life sciences. Companies like Shell and

Tom Tom had also submitted innovations. It is a good

thing to compete with other lines of business.’ The jury

considered not only the scientific value of the inventions

but also their societal relevance and economic prospects.

The members were Prof. Pieter Drenth, former rector mag-

nificus of the Free University and former President of

the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences; Adri Baan,

former member of the Executive Board of Philips, and

Pieter ter Kuile, managing director of Kempen and Co

Corporate Finance. Roel: ‘These are people with a huge

track record.’

Protection The research teams led by Prof. Ton Schumacher and

Dr Huib Ovaa (Netherlands Cancer Institute) and

Dr. Wim van Esch (Sanquin) looked at ‘T-killer cells’ as

they are known. These are important immune cells

that protect us against infection and specific types of

cancer. There are many millions of them in the human

body. Nearly every T-killer cell recognizes its own ‘enemy’,

being small protein fragments known as ‘epitopes’. These

epitopes are found on the outside of body cells, which

are infected with viruses, for example or which are the

result of cancer. If a T-killer cell recognizes an epitope,

it binds to the pathogenic cell and kills it.

T-killer cells against cancerFor years, scientists have been trying to influence this reac-

tion in such a way that T-killer cells may be used against

cancer or infections, for example by means of vaccines

or immunotherapy. The first successes have already been

achieved, but there are still quite a few obstacles on the

road. For example, it is by no means always easy to iden-

tify the protein fragment from a cancer cell or a virus that

induces an immune response. To use T-cells more effec-

tively, it is necessary to know epitopes and to describe the

T-cells. This is the very reason why the research groups of

the NKI and Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation developed

two innovative technologies: with an exchange technology

based on UV light, it is relatively easy to produce thou-

sands of different fluorescing complexes that allow inter-

esting T-killer cells to be made visible; the other technology

concerns a smart colour coding system. The combination

of these two technologies allows various groups of

T-killer cells to be identified in a blood sample relatively

fast and easily.

Slovenia had a problem with the screening equipment.Johan and his team screened the Slovenian blood

for their colleagues within 15 hours.

Johan IJlst (team leader of NAT screening SDI)

Sanquin wins prestigious innovation price

Research

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Dutch blood transfusions are safe. As a result of the strict

selection of donors and the application of costly and

advanced tests, the risk of the transmission of infections

is virtually non-existent in the Netherlands. ‘In the

Netherlands, donated blood is extremely safe’, says

Prof. Hans L. Zaaijer in his oration, delivered when he

accepted his professorship in Blood-borne Infections at

the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam.

Despite all efforts, there are limits to safety. On the one

hand, this is because the presence of the known pathogens

cannot be proved sometimes. On the other hand, this is

because time and again we will be facing new threats,

posed by factory farming, for example. And sometimes

there are no tried preventive measures for new infections,

according to Hans, who has been managing the research

department of Blood-borne Infections of the Sanquin Blood

Supply Foundation since 2008.

Rare The transmission of infectious diseases as a result of blood

transfusions in the Netherlands is extremely rare. Dutch

blood donors contract hepatitis B and C less often than the

rest of the population. But it cannot be ruled out com-

pletely. Infections that have existed for a longer time are

discovered with − cheap − tests, which detect antibodies

made by the body’s immune response. These tests do not

detect recent infection, however. There are more expensive

tests for that purpose, which directly prove the presence

of a virus. Every year, a few cases of hepatitis B, hepatitis

C and hiv are discovered as a result of that. These tests are

worth the money. Hans points out that decisions on the

safety of blood are not just based on cost-benefit analy-

ses. ‘Blood safety is not just number work. Emotions

play just as important a role. Emotions of the public

and patients, donors, but also of administrators and

politicians.’

Yet, there are limits to the expenses incurred in connection

with blood safety. A test against the unknown and usually

harmless HTLV virus was introduced, but the costs amount

to millions of euros per life year saved. At what price level

do we decide that a residual risk is acceptable?

New threats The concentration of animals and the administration

of substantial quantities of antibiotics in the Dutch bio-

industry give rise to new threats. On the one hand, these

are due to as recently unknown or insignificant pathogens,

such as prions, the Q fever bacterium and the hepatitis E

virus. On the other hand, these are due to already

well-known pathogens which have become resistant,

such as MRSA, VRE and, recently, the multi-resistant

E.coli bacterium, which causes urinary tract infections.

‘Reforms in intensive cattle breeding may reduce

these risks’, Hans concludes.

ever since communication with externalAs true pioneers they set up a new department;

contract partners has been running smoothly.

Mireille van Roden (l) and Theresa Guhr (r) (account managers of toll manufacturing)

New infections mean new risks

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The plasma products of the Sanquin Blood Supply

Foundation have to meet very strict requirements. Last

year, the business unit Pharmaceutical Services developed

a method for measuring prion particles, misfolded protein

particles with pathogenic features. Such as Creutzfeldt–

Jakob disease (mad-cow disease). In order to make blood

and plasma products as safe as possible, it is important

to know for certain that these do not contain any viruses

or prions. ‘There is not yet any test, however, that is

sensitive enough to demonstrate the presence of minute

quantities of prions’, says Peter van Mourik, who was

managing director of Pharmaceutical Services until the

end of 2010. The risks relating to blood transfusions can

be reduced only by excluding specific groups of donors.

In the production process of plasma products, there are

more possibilities, because in this case there is a larger

number of different process stages. Of one of the product

stages, a virus-removing technique by means of nano-

filtration, it has by now been proved that it can remove

prions as well. Peter: ‘To describe the prion-removing

capability of a product step, one should first have

a reliable test and material with a sufficiently high

concentration of prions. Last year we first managed to

develop this kind of validation method on the basis of

both these components.’

Safe The method for detecting prion removal comprises a num-

ber of steps. In a nutshell: prions are first multiplied until

high concentrations can be harvested. Next, they are put

in the starting material of the product stage to be studied.

This step is executed at the laboratory scale, after which

the Western-Blot test is applied to measure whether any

prions are left. Peter: ‘We have been able to optimize the

test to such an extent that we are able on a systematic

basis to obtain a positive test result even if the material

is diluted by a factor ten thousand. With this kind of

sensitivity we are able to effectively describe the safety

contribution of a product stage and that is important

to the Plasma Products division.’

Reaping the best possible benefitsUntil now, the division depended on a limited number of

European companies that were able to offer the validation

method under the quality system required. According to

Peter, the colleagues of the Plasma Products division are

no longer troubled by long waiting lists and they make

the best possible use of existing facilities at Pharmaceuti-

cal Services. ‘But we, too, reap the benefits of the new

development. Other companies have indicated

that they are interested in this method. In addition,

this may lead to new cooperation in other fields.’

In collaboration with Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics,

the Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation has developed

laboratory tests to improve the detection of a type of bone

marrow cancer.

It concerns a new test that makes it possible to detect the

free light chains kappa and lambda of immunoglobulins

in blood. ‘This is a milestone for Sanquin’, says Roel

Melsert, managing director of the Reagents Business Unit.

‘We worked on the development of this test for five

years.’ Sanquin produces the test-kits for Siemens. Next,

Siemens is responsible for their worldwide distribution

and sale. In December 2010, the kits were introduced in a

number of European countries, including the Netherlands.

During the final development stages, we cooperated with

the Clinical, Chemical and Haematological Laboratory

of the Jeroen Bosch Hospital in Den Bosch.

More reliable The test is designed for the bone marrow cancer called

‘multiple myeloma’, also known as ‘Kahler’s disease’.

The disease is the result of the uncontrolled growth of

plasma cells, immune cells that produce antibodies

(immunoglobulins). As a result of this uncontrolled

growth, loose particles of these immunoglobulins enter the

blood, including the ‘free light chains’ as they are called.

The new test detects these free light chains more easily

and in a more reliable and accurate manner than older

tests. This means that the presence of free light chains

can be proved even in the case of smaller quantities, and

that false alarms are less likely to occur. ‘These tests are

automated’, says Roel. ‘In addition, they are more

sensitive and more specific than the older tests.

Another advantage of the new test is that there are no

longer any differences between the production series

and that samples with extremely high concentrations

are no longer overlooked. The older tests did have these

problems’, says Roel.

For the hospital laboratories, the availability of these

new tests means that there will be a broader range of

diagnostics that can be offered. Doctors may detect and

track the disease faster. Multiple myeloma affects mainly

older people. In view of the ageing of the population,

an increase in the number of patients is to be expected.

The disease is often associated with bone pains caused

by the uncontrolled growth of plasma cells in the bone

marrow. Sometimes spontaneous bone fractures, anaemia

and reduced immunity occur. With the right treatment,

the disease can sometimes be controlled for years.

Test kit for bone marrow cancer Safe blood

Publications

As at 31 Dec. 2010

As at 31 Dec. 2009

Number of theses 11 10

Number of publications (peer reviewed)

131 122

Number of other publications 18 19

Research

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comes to looking for creative solutions. Pasquale is very inventive when it.

More than once he designed a useful program during the weekend.

Pasquale di Scala (head of donor administration of Blood Bank North West)..

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Sanquin’s mission statement reads as follows:

The Foundation works on a not for profit basis to provide blood supplies and to promote transfusion medicine in such a way as to meet the most stringent quality, safety and efficiency requirements. Sanquin provides products and services, carries out research and offers education.

Apart from Sanquin’s annual accounts prepared in

accordance with the relevant statutory regulations, this

report includes the consolidated financial results of CAF-

cvba in Brussels and Sanquin Oy in Helsinki. The CAF is

a Belgian plasma fractioning facility in which Sanquin

posesses a 50,01 percent interest since 2008. The Belgian

Red Cross and the French LFB own the other 49.99%

interest. Sanquin Oy is a small Finish subsidiary that

maintains contacts with Finish customers.

Report from the Executive Board

The Blood Supply Act intends to ensure the quality, safety and availability of blood and blood products in the Netherlands. Sanquin has embraced this objective.

Executive BoardIn 2010 the Executive Board consisted of:

T.J.F. Buunen PhD (chair)

H.J.C. de Wit D Pharm(deputy chair)

Prof. E. Briët MD PhD (until 1 August)

Prof. R.A.W. van Lier MD PhD (from 1 September)

Secretary: Ms H.M.H. de Bruijn-van Beek LLM

Due to his reaching retirement age, Prof. E. Briët resigned.

The vacancy was filled by Prof. R.A.W. van Lier.

Report from the Executive Board

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Ministery of Health, Welfare and SportIn 2010 frequent consultations were held at the Ministry of

Health, Welfare and Sport at both ministerial and civil ser-

vice level. Important subjects that were discussed included

the change in the donor input structure, the umbilical cord

blood bank, Sanquin’s role in the blood supply in Bonaire,

measures by Sanquin to make blood products safer and the

subsequent research started by the Ministry of Health, Wel-

fare and Sport on the efficiency of the organization’s public

section and the costs of plasma product supply by Sanquin.

Ministry of DefenseAs in preceding years, Sanquin maintained contact with the

Ministry of Defence about blood supply for the armed forces.

In the negotiations, the central question was how to intensify

cooperation between Sanquin and the Military Blood Bank.

European CooperationSanquin is represented in the European Blood Alliance

(EBA) and the International Plasma Fractionation Associa-

tion (IPFA). Jeroen de Wit, deputy chair of the Executive

Board, chairs the Executive Board of the EBA. Sanquin’s

employees cooperate with European colleagues in updating

the ‘Guide to the Preparation, Use and Quality Assurance

of Blood Components’of the Council of Europe.

Patient associationsSanquin maintains constructive contacts with a large number

of patient associations. These are the following associations:

National • Stichting AfweerStoornissen

• Nederlandse Vereniging van Hemofilie Patiënten

• Vereniging Spierziekten Nederland

• Patiënten vereniging voor Hereditair Angio Oedeem

en Quincke’s Oedeem

• ITP (Idiotypische Trombocytopenische Purpera)

• Patiëntenvereniging Nederland

• Stichting Zeldzame Bloedziekten

• Stichting StiKa (Ziekte van Kawasaki)

• Nederlandse Patiënten Consumenten Federatie

International• Patiënt Association for Hereditary AngioEdema

International

• European Haemophilia Consortium

• US HAE Association (HAEA)

• Thalassaemia International Federation

Users of blood products At regional level, there are user councils, in which represen-

tatives of hospitals and representatives of Sanquin have

a seat. Representatives of hospitals also have a seat

on the National Users Council (Landelijke Gebruikersraad),

which also rendered advice to the Executive Board on

logistics and services in 2010. Important discussion subjects

included the following: restriction on the use of O negative

red blood cells, transfusions outside hospitals, the availability

of pooled normal plasma, the use of the 18-digit barcode

on blood bags, the use of collection bags for red blood cell

preparations, the further typing of blood groups in donors

and plasticizers in plastic blood bags. Sanquin is represented

in both the Nederlandse Vereniging van Hemofiliebehande-

laars and the Interuniversitaire Werkgroep voor de Behandel-

ing van Immuundeficiënties.

continuity by having the screening laboratoryEd was the driving force behind ensuring

cooperate with the blood bank in Leuven.

Ed Bakker (head of laboratory of pre-analysis and virus serology SDI)

External contacts

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behind Sanquin’s fancy new website.The three of them are the driving force

Bert van den Berg (l) web master, Tjipke Schouten (m) coördinator digital media and Debbie van Rijk (r) (web editor)

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The Board met four times in 2010. During the meetings

the policy plan, the 2011 budget, the medium-term plans

and the 2012-2016 Strategy Paper were discussed, as well

as the financial reports, the annual accounts, and the

auditor’s report. The Supervisory Board established that

the budget submitted to the Ministry of Health, Welfare

and Sport for 2011 had been approved by the Minister

after some adjustments.

On 1 June the Board took note of the follow-up research

into the benchmark for prices of cellular blood products

launched by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport

within Europe, which will specifically aim at the efficiency

of the organization’s public section and the costs of the

supply of plasma products by Sanquin.

The Board itself asked information about Sanquin’s activi-

ties in the field of umbilical cord blood, about the changes

in the donor input organization implemented in 2010, and

the reorganization of the management of the blood banks

(Quartslag). The plans for new premises (building Y) for

the Plasma Products and Research divisions were on the

Board’s agenda, too.

The Board learned of the measures taken by Sanquin to

guarantee the quality of the blood supply.

On 1 June the chair of the Supervisory Board talked to the

Works Council about the general course of affairs in the

organization. They also talked about the procedure relating

to the appointment of a new member of the Executive

Board in relation to the vacancy arisen by the departure of

Prof. E. Briët, who retired. At the request of the Ministry of

Health, Welfare and Sport, a delegation of the Supervisory

Board spoke with the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport

Report from the Supervisory Board

The Board supervises the Executive Board’s policies and the general course of affairs at Sanquin. In this annual report, the Board gives an account of its activities undertaken in 2010. The Sanquin Corporate Governance Code, adopted by the Board, contains rules and codes of conduct for good governance, effective supervision and clear accountability.

Supervisory BoardIn 2010 the Supervisory Board consisted of:

J.H. Schraven (chair) LLM

Prof. L.J. Gunning-Schepers (until 1 September)

Prof. F.C. Breedveld (from 1 September)

Prof. B. Löwenberg

J.C.M. Schönfeld

M. van Rijn

Due to her appointment as chair of the Dutch Health

Council, Prof. L.J. Gunning-Schepers resigned. The vacancy

was filled by Prof. F.C. Breedveld.

Report from the Supervisory Board

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50 |  |  51

about the salary of the member of the Executive Board to

be appointed. Based on a profile drawn up in advance,

Prof. R.A.W. van Lier was appointed. His salary was deter-

mined on the basis of the code of the NVZT for administra-

tors in the healthcare sector.

As the summaries included in this annual report show, the

composition of the Board was such that the requirements of

expertise and experience as defined in the articles of associa-

tion were satisfied more than sufficiently. J. H. Schraven was

reappointed as a member, and as chairman at the same

time, for four years. Prof. L.J. Gunning-Schepers withdrew as

member of the Supervisory Board in view of her appointment

as Chair of the Health Council. Prof. F. C. Breedveld was

appointed as Ms Gunning-Schepers’s successor.

The Supervisory Board evaluated both its own opera-

tions and those of the Executive Board and it has estab-

lished that its members are sufficiently independent. The

decision-making procedure in the Supervisory Board is

designed in such a way as to avoid any conflict of interest.

The quality, safety and availability of blood products were

made possible in 2010 thanks to the tremendous commit-

ment and efforts of donors. The Supervisory Board is most

grateful to them and to all Sanquin’s employees for the

manner in which they have achieved Sanquin’s objectives.

Amsterdam, May 2011

Supervisory Board

Harrie Breuker (interim project manager)

He had the brillant idea to have the old Sanquin

stationery turned into something new at a

workplace for mentally handicapped persons.

Marian Terbeek-Walraven (donor assistant)

In addition to being a passionate employee,

Marian is a passionate artist, as is shown by the

painting she specially made for the new collection

centre in Roermond.

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Operating incomeIn 2010, the total operating revenues rose by € 26.1 million

in 2010 to € 379.3 million (+ 7%). The most important

developments regarding the operating income can be sum-

marised as follows:

– At the Blood Bank turnover decreased by € 1.9 million

(-/- 1%). With a price increase of 1.7% this is mainly

caused by a decrease of the sales of short shelf-life blood

products to the hospitals.

– Supplies of plasma products have resulted in an increase

of the turnover by € 20.4 million (+14%). This increase

can be attributed especially to the manufacture of

Cinryze™ for the American market.

– The turnover of diagnostic services for blood samples of

Dutch institutions for health care increased in 2010 by

€ 0.7 million (+4%) by extending the services combined

with a regular increase of the rates.

– The volume of research and development from

external subsidies and contract research increased

by € 0.5 million (+7%). The financing of a research

programme that is adequate for the organisation still

requires special attention.

– The sales volume of reagents increased in 2010 by

€ 1.0 million (+15%).

– The item ‘Change in stocks of finished products and

work in progress’ has been included under operating

income. In 2010 this item amounts to € 16.3 million

compared to € 12.3 million in 2009. This revenue item

is explained in particular by the increase of the balance

sheet item ‘Stocks’.

Operating expenses The operating expenses for non-recurring items

increased in 2010 by € 19.9 million to € 349.5 million

(+6%). The most important explanatory factors are:

– The costs of ‘Raw materials and consumables’

have risen by € 2.2 million (+2%), especially because

of the increased production of plasma products.

– The costs for wages, salaries, social security charges and

pension contributions increased in 2010 by € 8.1 million

(+6%). The most important cause is the increase of the

workforce (+ € 2.7 million) in line with the increase

in turnover. In conformity with the Sanquin 2009-

2011 Collective Labour Agreement the salaries have

been increased (+ € 3.7 million) and the social security

charges and pension contributions have been raised

(+ € 1.7 million).

– The depreciation of tangible fixed assets has increased

by € 2.0 million (+11%) in line with the higher

investment level and the associated higher depreciation

charges.

– The other operating costs increased by € 7.7 million

(+8%). Most important cause of this is the increase of

the costs of maintenance of buildings and equipment,

partly in line with the increased contract production.

Result The increase of the operating income, combined with

a relative decrease of the costs, results in a strong

improvement of the operating result for non-recurring

items to € 29.8 million (+26%). The most important

cause of this was the increase of the contract production,

e.g. for Cinryze™.

Financial results and financial position

As a complete newcomershe set up a new fixed location

for the mobile blood bank.

Mariëlle Booi (teamleader Donor Affairs)

Financial Results and Financial Position

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In 2009 a non-recurring item of € 19.8 million was

accounted for in the result as a consequence of the release

of the Busquin tax liabilities in Belgium. In 2010 this still

led to a subsequent payment of € 0.4 million.

Interest charges of € 0.1 million were realised in 2010

(2009: interest income of € 0.7 million). Non-recurrent

income of € 0.1 million was also realised in the sale of

CAF-DCF shares (2009: € 1.9 million) based on an update

of the sales price received in 2008 as a consequence of the

release of the Busquin tax liabilities.

Moreover, in 2010 a non-recurring book profit of € 1.4 million

was realised in respect of the sale of a property in Leiden.

In 2010 the item Taxes has a negative influence of

€ 1.0 million on the result. In 2009 the tax burden

of € 7.0 million was almost completely caused by the

release of the Busquin tax liabilities in Belgium.

The Share of third parties of -/- € 1.4 million has been

included to correct the consolidated result of Sanquin, in

which CAF has been included for 100%, for the minority

interest in CAF which is not in the hands of Sanquin.

The operating result, combined with the above-mentioned

financial income and expenditure, non-recurring items

and taxes, leads to a net result of € 29.3 million, compared

with € 32.4 million in 2009.

Financial Results and Financial Position

The specification of the increase of the result before non-recurring items and tax is as follows:

(* € 1,000)

Increase of total operating income 26,098

Increase of raw materials and consumables -/- 2,151

Increase in salaries and social security charges -/- 8,063

Increase of depreciation -/- 1,993

Increase of other regular operating costs -/- 7,655

Increase in total operating expenses -/- 19,862

Increase of operating result before non-recurring items 6,236

Financial positionAs a consequence of the positive results in 2010 the financial position and the liquidity of the Foundation have improved.

Sanquin’s operating capital can be specified as follows:

(* € 1,000) 31 Dec. 2010 31 Dec. 2009

Liquid assets 88,256 70,537

Short-term receivables:

Trade accounts receivable 55,719 50,103

Other receivables 9,513 8,668

Stocks 104,859 92,770

Short-term debt:

Trade accounts payable and personnel liabilities -/- 47,866 -/- 42,525

Other short-term debts -/- 22,129 -/- 20,261

Operating capital 188,352 159,292

In particular because of the increase of the activities in the Plasma Products division, the operating capital of the

Foundation has increased by € 29.1 million to € 188.4 million.

Investments in tangible fixed assets are preferably financed with resources that are available to the Foundation in

the long term. The specification below shows that this has been realised:

(* € 1,000) 31 Dec. 2010 31 Dec. 2009

Tangible fixed assets 133,749 130,970

Financing with long-term resources 322,101 290,262

The financing with long-term resources can be specified as follows:

(* € 1,000) 31 Dec. 2010 31 Dec. 2009

Group capital 281,594 250,914

Provisions 9,953 10,537

Long-term debt 30,554 28,811

Financing with long-term resources 322,101 290,262

From the balance sheet it can be deduced that the solvability of Sanquin (Group capital / Total capital) has increased from

71% in 2009 to 72% in 2010.

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56 |  |  57Financial Results and Financial Position

Consolidated balance sheet as at 31 December 2010 (before profit appropriation)

31 Dec. 2010 31 Dec. 2009 (* € 1,000)

€ € € €

Assets

Fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets 133,749 130,970

Financial fixed assets 0 0

133,749 130,970

Current assets

Stocks 104,859 92,770

Receivables 65,232 58,771

Liquid assets 88,256 70,537

258,347 222,078

392,096 353,048

Liabilities

Group capital

Equity 262,834 233,518

Share of third parties 18,760 17,396

281,594 250,914

Provisions 9,953 10,537

Long-term debt 30,554 28,811

Short-term debt 69,995 62,786

392,096 353,048

Consolidated income statement for 2010

2010 2009

(* € 1,000)

€ € € €

Net turnover 356,971 336,247

Change in stocks of finished products and work in progress 16,300 12,303

Other operating income 6,032 4,655

Total operating income 379,303 353,205

Costs of raw materials and consumables 92,726 90,575

Wages and salaries 111,654 105,746

Social security charges including pensions 23,440 21,285

Depreciation of tangible fixed assets 20,003 18,010

Other operating costs 101,633 93,978

Total operating expenses before non-recurring items 349,456 329,594

Operating result before non-recurring items 29,847 23,611

Release of Busquin tax liabilities 424 19,794

Operating result 30,271 43,405

Proceeds from tangible fixed assets 1,373 0

Proceeds from financial fixed assets 133 1,893

Interest income 3,161 3,594

Interest charges - 3,291 - 2,917

Result from ordinary business operations before tax 31,647 45,975

Taxes on result from ordinary business operations - 966 - 6,979

Share of third parties - 1,365 - 6,561

Profit (loss) after tax 29,316 32,435

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58 |  |  59

Media expert with infinite patience; he is alwaysready to provide information and advice for a good interview

or a successful radio conversation.

Edward Przespolewski (doctor at Clinical Consultancy unit)

To: the Executive Board of Sanquin Blood

Supply Foundation

The accompanying abbreviated financial statements,

as included on page 53 up and to 57 of this report, which

comprise the consolidated balance sheet as at 31 December

2010, the consolidated income statement for the year then

ended, and related notes, are derived from the audited

financial statements of Stichting Sanquin Bloedvoorziening

(Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation) for the year ended

31 December 2010. We expressed an unqualified audit

opinion on those financial statements in our report

dated May 12, 2011. Those financial statements, and

the abbreviated financial statements, do not reflect the

effects of events that occurred subsequent to the date of

our report on those financial statements.

The abbreviated financial statements do not contain all

the disclosures required by Part 9 of Book 2 of the Dutch

Civil Code. Reading the abbreviated financial statements,

therefore, is not a substitute for reading the audited

financial statements of Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation.

Executive Board’s responsibilityThe Executive Board is responsible for the preparation

of the abbreviated financial statements in accordance

with the accounting policies as applied in the 2010

financial statements of Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation.

Auditor’s responsibilityOur responsibility is to express an opinion on the abbrevi-

ated financial statements based on our procedures, which

were conducted in accordance with Dutch Law, including

the Dutch Standard on Auditing 810 “Engagements to

report on summary financial statements”.

OpinionIn our opinion, the abbreviated financial statements

derived from the audited financial statements of

Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation for the year ended

31 December 2010 are consistent, in all material respects,

with those financial statements.

PricewaterhouseCoopers Accountants N.V.

Amsterdam, May 12, 2011

drs. N.J. van der Wal RA

Independent auditor’s report

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62 | 

Credits

PublicationSanquin Blood Supply FoundationAmsterdam, june 2011

Communication & Public Relations DepartmentPlesmanlaan 1251066 CX Amsterdam+31 202 512 30 00

Concept & realisationZB Communicatie & Media bv (www.zbcom.nl)

DesignZB/Janita Sassen, studio DIN

TextSanquin, ZB

PhotographyHarmen de Jong (www.harmendejong.nl)

PrintModderkolk Grafische Projecten

The information contained in this annual report has been collected with great care. No rights can be derived from this publication.

The Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation respects the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross.

Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation P.O. Box 98921006 AN AmsterdamThe NederlandsPhone: +31 20 512 30 00Fax: +31 202 512 33 03www.sanquin.nl

Executive Board Dr. T.J.F. Buunen (1949)

Main position:

– Chair of the Executive Board of Sanquin.

Other positions:

– Chair of the Supervisory Board of

Sanquin Oy in Helsinki

– (consolidated in Sanquin’s annual accounts)

– Chair of the Executive Board of CAF in Brussels

– (consolidated in Sanquin’s annual accounts)

– Board member of the International Plasma

Fractionation Association

– Delegated supervisory director of Euroclone b.v.

in Amsterdam

– (consolidated in Sanquin’s annual accounts)

– Director of Landsteiner Foundation for

Blood Transfusion Research

– Treasurer of the Board of Stichting Medisch

Centrum Slotervaart

– Treasurer of Stichting Joghem van Loghem

– Chair of the Supervisory Board of

Bevolkingsonderzoek Midden-West

H.J.C, de Wit (1953)

Main position:

– Deputy Chair of the Executive Board of Sanquin.

Other positions:

– Chair of the Executive Board of the

European Blood Alliance;

– Member of the executive board of the Committee

of Experts on Blood Transfusion of the EDQM

(European Directorate on the Quality of Medicines)

of the Council of Europe;

– Board member of Stichting IDTM;

– Board member of Stichting Tekke Huizinga Fonds;

– Member of the Medcial Ethics Committee of the LUMC

(until November 2010)

Prof. E. Briët (1945)

Main position:

– Member of the Executive Board of Sanquin

until 1 August 2010

Other positions:

– Professor of internal medicine at AMC-UvA;

– Professor of epidemiology of the blood transfusion

LUMC-UL;

– Member of the Netherlands Health Council;

– Chair of the Supervisory Board of Stichting IKA

– Vice-chair of the committee for evaluation of legislation

and vice-chair of the committee for innovative

prevention research, ZonMw;

– Board member of Stichting Haemophilia

Prof. R. A. W. van Lier (1956)

Main position:

– Member of Executive Board of Sanquin

from 1 September 2010

Other positions:

– Professor of experimental immunology at AMC-UvA;

– Board member of Stichting Immunovalley

– Chair of the Netherlands Society for Immunology

– Member of the Council of the ‘International Union of

Immunological Societies’

– Secretary of the scientific advisory council of

MS Research

– Member of scientific advisory council of the

Dutch Astma Fonds

– Member of scientific advisory council of the Landsteiner

Foundation for Blood Transfusion Research

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60  | | 61

Supervisory Board J.H. van Schraven, LLM (1942)

Chair from May 2006 appointed in May 2006,

due to resign in May 2014, not eligible for reappointment

Main position:

–– Supervisory–Board–Chair–of–Tata–Steel–Nederland–B.V.–

and–non-executive–director–of–Tata–Steel–Limited–(India).

Other positions:

–– Chair–of–the–Board–of––

the–Netherlands–Standardization–Institute;

–– Member–of–the–Board–of–the–Carnegie–Foundation;

–– Chair–of–the–Board–of–the––

International–Longevity–Centre/Zorg–voor–Later;

–– Chair–of–the–Board–of–SEO–Economisch–Onderzoek

–– Member–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of–Stork–B.V.,––

NUON–Energy–B.V,–and–BNP–Paribas–OBAM–N.V.

Prof. L.J. Gunning-Schepers (Ms) (1951)

appointed in March 2005, due to resign in September 2010.

Main position:

–– Chair–of–the–Executive–Board–of–the–AMC––

until–September–2010.

Other positions:

–– Member–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of–DSM

–– Member–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of–Arbo–Unie

–– Member–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of–the–Rijksakademie–

voor–Beeldende–Kunsten–(Royal–Academy–of–Visual–Arts)

–– Chair–of–the–NFU

–– Conference–Concertgebouw

–– Member–of–the–Advisory–Council–of–the–Nieuwe–Kerk

M.J. van Rijn (1956)

Appointed in May 2008, due to resign in May 2012,

eligible for re-appointment.

Main position:

–– Chair–of–the–Executive–Board–of–PGGM;

Other positions:

–– Member–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of–Rijnland–Zorggroep

–– Member–of–advisory–council–of–the––

Dutch–Healthcare–Authority–

–– Chair–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of–Cardea

–– Chair–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of–Espria

–– Member–of–the–Board–of–Stichting–Steun–Alzheimercentrum

J.C.M. Schönfeld (1949)

Appointed in October 2003, due to resign in October 2011,

not eligible for reappointment.

Other positions:

–– Member–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of–Arcadis–N.V.

–– Member–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of–Draka–Holding–N.V.

–– Member–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of–S&B–Industrial–

Minerals–S.A.–Athens,–Greece

–– Member–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of––

Delft–University–of–Technology–

–– Member–of–Supervisory–Board–of–the––

Royal–Academy–of–Art–(Hogeschool–van––

Beeldende–Kunsten,–Muziek–en–Dans),–The–Hague–

–– Board–member–of–the–Dutch–Association–of–Listed–

Companies–(Vereniging–Effectenuitgevende–

Ondernemingen–-–VEUO)

–– Member–of–AFM–committee–on–Financial–Reporting

Other positions held by Members of the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board The–list–below–includes–the–most–important–other–positions–held–by–Supervisory–and–Executive–Board–members.

Annex

Prof. B. Löwenberg (1946)

Appointed in May 2005, due to resign in May 2013,

not eligible for reappointment

Main position:

–– Professor–of–Hematology–and–department–head––

at–Erasmus–MC–Rotterdam.

Other positions:

–– Member–of–the–Royal–Netherlands–Academy–of–Arts–

and–Sciences–(Koninklijke–Nederlandse–Akademie–van–

Wetenschappen–or–KNAW);

–– Board–member–of–Vereniging–Nederlands––

Tijdschrift–voor–Geneeskunde;

–– Scientific–director–of–Skyline–Diagnostics–B.V.

–– Member–of–the–Netherlands–Health–Council–

–– Member–of–the–International–Scientific–Advisory–Council,–

Lund–Strategie–Center–for–Stem–Cell–Biology–and––

Cell–Therapy–Lund–University,–Sweden

–– Member–of–External–Scientific–Advisory–Board–

Tumorzentrum–Ludwig–Heilmeyer-Comprehensive–

Cancer–Center,–Freiburg

–– Member–of–International–Scientific–Advisory–Board,

–– Department–of–Biomedicine,–Basel–University–

–– Chair–of–International–Science–Committee,

–– European–School–of–Hematology,–Paris

Prof. F. C. Breedveld (1950)

Appointed in September 2010, due to resign in

September 2014, eligible for reappointment

Main position:

–– Chair–of–the–Executive–Board–of–Leids–Universitair–

Medisch–Centrum–

Other positions:

–– Chair–of–Stichting–Curium

–– Chair–of–Stichting–Trombosedienst–Leiden–and–environs

–– Chair–of–Stichting–Houdster–van–Aandelen–Medipark–B.V.

–– Member–of–the–Board–of–Stichting–Leiden–Life–meets–Science

–– Member–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of–Leiden-Amsterdam–

Centre–for–Drug–Research–(LACDR)

–– Member–of–General–Board–of–Leids–Universiteits–Fonds

–– Member–of–the–Board–of–the–Bontius–Stichting

–– Chair–of–the–Supervisory–Board–of––

Stichting–Ipse–de–Bruggen

Annex

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62 | 

Credits

PublicationSanquin Blood Supply FoundationAmsterdam, june 2011

Communication & Public Relations DepartmentPlesmanlaan 1251066 CX Amsterdam+31 202 512 30 00

Concept & realisationZB Communicatie & Media bv (www.zbcom.nl)

DesignZB/Janita Sassen, studio DIN

TextSanquin, ZB

PhotographyHarmen de Jong (www.harmendejong.nl)

PrintModderkolk Grafische Projecten

The information contained in this annual report has been collected with great care. No rights can be derived from this publication.

The Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation respects the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross.

Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation P.O. Box 98921006 AN AmsterdamThe NederlandsPhone: +31 20 512 30 00Fax: +31 202 512 33 03www.sanquin.nl

Executive Board Dr. T.J.F. Buunen (1949)

Main position:

– Chair of the Executive Board of Sanquin.

Other positions:

– Chair of the Supervisory Board of

Sanquin Oy in Helsinki

– (consolidated in Sanquin’s annual accounts)

– Chair of the Executive Board of CAF in Brussels

– (consolidated in Sanquin’s annual accounts)

– Board member of the International Plasma

Fractionation Association

– Delegated supervisory director of Euroclone b.v.

in Amsterdam

– (consolidated in Sanquin’s annual accounts)

– Director of Landsteiner Foundation for

Blood Transfusion Research

– Treasurer of the Board of Stichting Medisch

Centrum Slotervaart

– Treasurer of Stichting Joghem van Loghem

– Chair of the Supervisory Board of

Bevolkingsonderzoek Midden-West

H.J.C. de Wit (1953)

Main position:

– Deputy Chair of the Executive Board of Sanquin.

Other positions:

– Chair of the Executive Board of the

European Blood Alliance;

– Member of the executive board of the Committee

of Experts on Blood Transfusion of the EDQM

(European Directorate on the Quality of Medicines)

of the Council of Europe;

– Board member of Stichting IDTM;

– Board member of Stichting Tekke Huizinga Fonds;

– Member of the Medcial Ethics Committee of the LUMC

(until November 2010)

Prof. E. Briët (1945)

Main position:

– Member of the Executive Board of Sanquin

until 1 August 2010

Other positions:

– Professor of internal medicine at AMC-UvA;

– Professor of epidemiology of the blood transfusion

LUMC-UL;

– Member of the Netherlands Health Council;

– Chair of the Supervisory Board of Stichting IKA

– Vice-chair of the committee for evaluation of legislation

and vice-chair of the committee for innovative

prevention research, ZonMw;

– Board member of Stichting Haemophilia

Prof. R.A.W. van Lier (1956)

Main position:

– Member of Executive Board of Sanquin

from 1 September 2010

Other positions:

– Professor of experimental immunology at AMC-UvA;

– Board member of Stichting Immunovalley

– Chair of the Netherlands Society for Immunology

– Member of the Council of the ‘International Union of

Immunological Societies’

– Secretary of the scientific advisory council of

MS Research

– Member of scientific advisory council of the

Dutch Astma Fonds

– Member of scientific advisory council of the Landsteiner

Foundation for Blood Transfusion Research

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Sanquin Blood SupplyP.O. Box 98921006 AN AmsterdamThe NetherlandsPhone: (+31) 20 512 3000Fax: (+31) 20 512 3303

www.sanquin.nl