<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001193125-06-063449
<TYPE>8-K
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20060324
<ITEMS>8.01
<FILING-DATE>20060327
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20060327
<FILER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CERUS CORP
<CIK>0001020214
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2836
<IRS-NUMBER>680262011
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>8-K
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-21937
<FILM-NUMBER>06710740
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2411 STANWELL DR
<CITY>CONCORD
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94520
<PHONE>9252886000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2525 STANWELL DRIVE
<STREET2>STE 300
<CITY>CONCORD
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94520
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>CERUS TECHNOLOGIES INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19960731
</FORMER-COMPANY>
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<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
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<FILENAME>d8k.htm
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 8-K
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<TITLE>Form 8-K</TITLE>
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<HR SIZE="3" NOSHADE COLOR="#000000" ALIGN="left"> <P STYLE="margin-top:24px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="4"><B>UNITED STATES </B></FONT></P> <P
STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="4"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"
SIZE="3"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="5"><B>FORM 8-K </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>CURRENT REPORT </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>Pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 OR 15(d) of the </B></FONT></P> <P
STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>Securities Exchange Act of 1934 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Date
of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March&nbsp;24, 2006 </FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="6"><B>CERUS CORPORATION </B></FONT></P> <P
STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Delaware</B></FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>0-21937</B></FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>68-0262011</B></FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(State or other jurisdiction</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>of incorporation)</B></FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Commission</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"
SIZE="1"><B>File Number)</B></FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(IRS Employer</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"
SIZE="1"><B>Identification No.)</B></FONT></P></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>2411 Stanwell Drive </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"
ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Concord, California 94520 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code: (925)&nbsp;288-6000 </FONT></P> <P
STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below): </FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"></FONT><FONT FACE="WINGDINGS" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">&#168;</FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Written communications pursuant to Rule&nbsp;425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P
STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"></FONT><FONT FACE="WINGDINGS" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">&#168;</FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Soliciting material pursuant to Rule&nbsp;14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P
STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"></FONT><FONT FACE="WINGDINGS" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">&#168;</FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule&nbsp;14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P
STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"></FONT><FONT FACE="WINGDINGS" SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000">&#168;</FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule&nbsp;13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P
STYLE="font-size:24px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><HR SIZE="3" NOSHADE COLOR="#000000" ALIGN="left">

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<TD WIDTH="9%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Item&nbsp;8.01.</B></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Other Events. </B></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">On March&nbsp;24, 2006, Cerus
Corporation (the &#147;Company&#148;) met with the FDA to discuss the Company&#146;s Phase III development plan for the INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets. As a result of this meeting, the Company continues to expect that the FDA will require an
additional Phase III clinical trial to evaluate the hemostatic efficacy and safety of the platelet system, using the Company&#146;s final commercial product design, as compared to conventional platelets. Based on the meeting with the agency, the
Company understands that its reassessment of its previously completed Phase III clinical trial data will not be sufficient to address the apparent differences observed in that trial between the treatment groups in the category of pulmonary adverse
events, and that data on such events would need to be gathered in the additional Phase III trial. The additional clinical trial would need to be completed and data from the trial submitted to the FDA before the Company could complete a pre-market
approval application to the FDA. Before the Company can begin an additional clinical trial, the Company will need to gain concurrence with the FDA on the Company&#146;s trial design. </FONT></P> <P
STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><I>This Current Report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements. For this purpose, any statements contained in this report that are not statements
of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company&#146;s potential additional Phase III clinical trial of the INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets. Words such as
&#147;expect,&#148; &#147;would,&#148; &#147;will&#148; and similar words or expressions or the negative of these words or expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from these
forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including, without limitation, risks related to (i)&nbsp;the Company&#146;s ability to reach concurrence with the FDA on the size, scope or design of the potential additional Phase III
clinical trial in a timely manner, or at all, and the fact that failure to do so would delay or prevent clinical development and potential commercialization of the INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets in the U.S.; (ii)&nbsp;whether the FDA would
find the results of any additional clinical trials to be acceptable for approval and (iii)&nbsp;other risks detailed in the Company&#146;s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company&#146;s Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended December&nbsp;31, 2005. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The company does not undertake any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, changed assumptions or otherwise. </I></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P>
 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">2 </FONT></P>


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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>SIGNATURES </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT
FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. </FONT></P> <P
STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>CERUS CORPORATION</B></FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Dated: March&nbsp;27, 2006</FONT></TD>
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<TD VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">By:</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-BOTTOM:1px solid #000000"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" STYLE="BORDER-BOTTOM:1px solid #000000"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">/s/ Howard G. Ervin</FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Howard G. Ervin</FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Vice President, Legal Affairs</FONT></TD></TR>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">3 </FONT></P>

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