Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies

What Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies does

The Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB), founded in 1947 and headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is an international not-for-profit professional association serving individuals and institutions in transfusion medicine and biotherapies. The organization rebranded from the American Association of Blood Banks in 2022 to reflect an expanded mandate covering cell and gene therapies alongside traditional blood banking. AABB operates a membership community of more than 20,000 professionals across 1,300+ accredited institutions in 80+ countries, anchored by the AABB Foundation (its wholly-owned nonprofit subsidiary) which administers research grants and scholarships.

AABB's core products and underlying intellectual property revolve around industry-defining standards and a peer-reviewed accreditation program for blood banks, transfusion services, cellular therapy facilities, and (as of 2026) prehospital transfusion providers. The Technical Manual (first published 1953, now in its 22nd edition with 31 chapters and over 100 methods) and the Transfusion journal constitute the field's definitive reference content. The Certified Advanced Biotherapies Professional (CABP) credential, first awarded in December 2022, is positioned as the first and only certification for biotherapies professionals and covers seven competency domains. AABB also delivers FDA 510(k) Third-Party Review services for medical devices in the blood and biotherapies field, extending its role into formal regulatory pathways.

AABB monetizes through seven distinct streams: recurring membership dues, the annual October conference (AABB2026 scheduled for Atlanta), publications and education sales (with up to 40% member discounts), recurring accreditation subscriptions, consulting services, transaction-fee-based National Blood Exchange distribution, and a tiered Corporate Partner Program whose Premium tier includes Roche, Abbott, Johnson & Johnson, Grifols, QuidelOrtho, BIO-RAD, Hemosonics, NMDP, and Macopharma. Distribution is handled through an e-commerce storefront (marketplace.aabb.org), direct phone/email sales, mail-in orders, and direct enterprise engagement for accreditation and consulting engagements.

Name

Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies

Legal name

Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies

Website

https://aabb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

AABB is a not-for-profit professional association founded in 1947 that sets industry standards, operates accreditation programs, and delivers certification and education for transfusion medicine and biotherapies professionals across 1,300+ accredited institutions and 20,000+ members in 80+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services — Transfusion Medicine and Biotherapies Standards & Accreditation

NAICS

Blood and Organ Banks (621991)

SIC

In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)

akta.pro primary industry

Blood Bank, Transfusion Medicine & Immunohematology (HLAHAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Blood Bank/Transfusion Medicine LIS (HLACAMAE), Cell & Tissue Banking (biobanking, cord blood/tissue) (HLAAAGAE), Specialty & Biomarker Laboratory Services (Immunoassays/Flow/Cytometry) (HLAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Blood banking standards
• Transfusion medicine accreditation
• Biotherapies certification
• Cellular therapy training
• Clinical laboratory standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Bethesda

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to resources, education, member discounts, and professional networking.
2. Annual Meeting: Annual conference held every October bringing together blood and biotherapies professionals from worldwide. AABB2026 scheduled for October 17-19 in Atlanta.
3. Publications and Education Sales: Sale of technical manuals, standards documents, books, eCasts, certificate programs, and courses. Member discounts up to 40% on publications.
4. Accreditation Services: Accreditation programs for blood banks, transfusion services, cellular therapies, and related facilities.
5. Consulting Services: AABB Consulting Services provides expertise to organizations in the blood and biotherapies field, with discounts for corporate partners.
6. National Blood Exchange: Service facilitating blood product distribution and supply chain management.
7. Corporate Partner Program: Corporate partnership program connecting industry partners with blood and biotherapies professionals, with tiered benefits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AABB is a professional association that develops and publishes industry standards for blood banking, transfusion medicine, and cellular therapies, operates accreditation programs for blood banks, transfusion services, and cellular therapy facilities, and delivers the Certified Advanced Biotherapies Professional (CABP) credential — the first and only certification for biotherapies professionals. Complementary offerings include the Technical Manual reference book, the Transfusion journal, continuing education (eCasts, certificate programs, courses), the National Blood Exchange service, and consulting services.

Product overview

The Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB) operates as a professional association offering a portfolio of interconnected products and services centered on advancing transfusion medicine and biotherapies. The core offerings include the CABP Credentialing Program (the first and only certification for biotherapies professionals), Standards and Accreditation Programs for blood banks and cellular therapy facilities, and the Technical Manual (a definitive reference first published in 1953). Supporting products include education programs (eCasts, certificate programs, courses), publications including Transfusion Journal, the Annual Meeting, Corporate Partner Program, National Blood Exchange, Consulting Services, and FDA 510(k) Third-Party Review. The AABB Foundation supports the ecosystem through research grants and Future Leader Scholarship Awards. Together, these offerings serve healthcare professionals dedicated to making transfusion medicine and biotherapies safe, available, and effective worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certified Advanced Biotherapies Professional (CABP) Credentialing Program Professional certification program establishing competency standards for biotherapies professionals across seven domains; the first and only credential of its kind in the field. Aimed at individual practitioners working in cellular therapies and biotherapies.
• Standards and Accreditation Program Industry-leading standards and accreditation program ensuring quality and safety for blood banks, transfusion services, cellular therapy facilities, and related organizations. Recognized globally as the benchmark accreditation in the field.
• Technical Manual The definitive reference for transfusion medicine, blood banking, and cellular therapies, first published in 1953; 22nd edition available in print and digital formats. Sold through the AABB Store with member discounts up to 40% and bulk pricing for 10+ copies.
• Transfusion Journal Peer-reviewed scientific journal publishing original research in transfusion medicine, blood banking, and biotherapies. Recognized venue for field-defining research and the source of the RISE Award for best original research article.
• AABB Annual Meeting Annual conference held every October bringing together blood and biotherapies professionals worldwide for networking, education, exhibits, and field advancement. Includes a Biotherapies Pavilion showcasing cell and gene therapy vendors.
• AABB Education Programs (eCasts, Certificate Programs, Courses) Continuing education offerings including live and on-demand eCasts, certificate programs, courses, and hot-topic discussions covering transfusion medicine and biotherapies. Delivered through an online learning platform.
• CABP Exam Prep Materials Exam preparation materials supporting the Certified Advanced Biotherapies Professional credential, sold as Complete and Core bundles via the AABB Store.
• National Blood Exchange Member-only service facilitating blood inventory management, distribution, and supply-chain exchange among member blood centers and transfusion services.
• Consulting Services Professional consulting services for blood and biotherapies organizations covering quality improvement, accreditation preparation, and operational excellence. Discounts available to corporate partners.
• FDA 510(k) Third-Party Review Program Regulatory service providing FDA 510(k) third-party review for medical devices in the blood and biotherapies field, supporting product compliance and time-to-market.
• Corporate Partner Program Tiered corporate sponsorship program connecting industry vendors with AABB's membership and accredited-institution community. Includes access to membership, advertising credits, consulting discounts, Annual Meeting benefits, and participation in the Standards Compliant Products Program.
• AABB Foundation Research Grants Early-career scientific research grants and process development grants administered by the AABB Foundation, supporting innovative research in blood and related biotherapies for the benefit of patients and donors.
• Future Leader Scholarship Awards Program Scholarship awards recognizing specialists in blood banking (SBB) and Transfusion Medicine and Biotherapies Fellows (TMBF), providing $1,500 honorariums and recognition at the Annual Meeting.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, premium corporate partner and corporate partner.

• bioMerieuxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Participant in Biotherapies Pavilion at 2026 AABB Annual Meeting in Atlanta.
• Eurofins CellTxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Participant in Biotherapies Pavilion at 2026 AABB Annual Meeting in Atlanta.
• VersiticoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Corporate partner and participant in Biotherapies Pavilion at 2026 AABB Annual Meeting in Atlanta.
• VitalantcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Corporate partner and participant in Biotherapies Pavilion at 2026 AABB Annual Meeting in Atlanta.
• Save the Cord FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Participant in Biotherapies Pavilion at 2026 AABB Annual Meeting in Atlanta.
• Macopharmapremium corporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium corporate partner. CEO Caroline HERNU stated: 'Being AABB's corporate partner is just obvious for us...we want to listen to donors, patients and practitioners in order to develop the right solutions and satisfy their needs.'
• Cryoport Systemscorporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner. President and CEO Mark Sawicki stated: 'AABB shares Cryoport Systems' commitment to advancing quality and safety practices within the cell and gene therapy industry.'
• QuidelOrthopremium corporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium corporate partner. Sr. Global Clinical Marketing Manager Carolina Triplett noted leveraging AABB benefits including working with dedicated account executive, educational e-casts, consulting services, and Standards Compliant Products Program.
• GenomaLabcorporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner. CEO Dr A. Shavki stated: 'Our partnership with AABB reinforces our unwavering commitment to quality, compliance, and patient safety, while accelerating the adoption of internationally recognized standards.'
• America's Blood CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCAR (Blood and Cell Advocacy Roster) member working to address patient access challenges in cell and gene therapy space.
• Blood Centers of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCAR member collaborating with AABB and other organizations on industry initiatives for cell and gene therapy patient access.
• BIO-RADpremium corporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium corporate partner in the blood and biotherapies field.
• Grifolspremium corporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium corporate partner in the blood and biotherapies field.
• Hemosonicspremium corporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium corporate partner in the blood and biotherapies field.
• NMDPpremium corporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium corporate partner in the blood and biotherapies field.
• Abbottcorporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in the blood and biotherapies field.
• Haemoneticscorporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in the blood and biotherapies field.
• Johnson & Johnsoncorporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in the blood and biotherapies field, participating in Biotherapies Pavilion at AABB2026.
• Kitecorporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in the blood and biotherapies field.
• Rochecorporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in the blood and biotherapies field.
• Terumo Blood and Cell Technologiescorporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in the blood and biotherapies field.
• LabcorpcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipant in Biotherapies Pavilion at 2026 AABB Annual Meeting in Atlanta.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT): FACT directly competes with AABB in cellular therapy and cord blood banking accreditation, serving overlapping transplant centers, cell therapy manufacturers, and academic medical centers with similar standards-based accreditation programs.
• International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT): ISBT is the international scientific society for blood transfusion professionals, paralleling AABB's mission globally with overlapping membership, scientific congresses (regional and international), and transfusion medicine education.
• International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT): ISCT is the leading global scientific society for cellular and gene therapy professionals, overlapping AABB's biotherapies member base and offering competing professional development, certification, and annual meeting content for the CGT workforce.
• America's Blood Centers: America's Blood Centers is a U.S. trade association for independent community blood centers, overlapping with AABB on blood banking standards, advocacy, and BCAR (Blood and Cell Advocacy Roster) policy initiatives on cell and gene therapy patient access.
• NMDP (National Marrow Donor Program / Be The Match): NMDP is both a Premium Corporate Partner of AABB and a peer organization in cellular therapy infrastructure, operating the U.S. bone marrow donor registry and partnering on cell therapy standards and advocacy.
• American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI): ASHI accredits histocompatibility laboratories supporting transplantation, a closely adjacent field to AABB's transfusion medicine and cellular therapy scope with overlapping HLA/immunogenetics laboratory standards.

Broad incumbents

• College of American Pathologists (CAP): CAP operates the dominant laboratory accreditation program (CAP-accredited labs) that overlaps with AABB's transfusion medicine and immunohematology lab accreditation, but serves a broader pathology and clinical laboratory market.
• The Joint Commission: The Joint Commission is the largest U.S. healthcare facility accreditor, overlapping with AABB's hospital-based blood bank and transfusion service accreditation as one of multiple competing/simultaneous accreditations held by hospitals.

Emerging players

• World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA): WMDA sets international standards for unrelated donor registries and cord blood banks, overlapping with AABB's cellular therapy accreditation and BCAR advocacy in the global hematopoietic progenitor cell space.

Regional players

• Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA): PPTA represents the world's major manufacturers of plasma-derived and recombinant analog therapies, overlapping with AABB on source plasma collection standards and partnering with Premium Corporate Partners such as Grifols.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AABBupdates
• Xx.com/aabb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies