WORCESTER, Mass. — To help meet the demand for therapies developed by plasma, a new donation center is open in Worcester.

BioLife Plasma Services has more than 160 location across the country.

Worcester is its first location in Massachusetts.

Plasma donations are used to make therapies to treat a range of rare and chronic complex diseases, like immunodeficiency disorders.

Plasma cannot be synthesized in a lab, so people rely on the donations.

Center Manager Tyson Brimberry says your first time will take about three hours, but then it's usually a one-hour process.

“We want to make sure it’s safe for you to donate and for the plasma recipient to receive the plasma on the back side,” said Brimberry. “We go through the screening process. Nurses will do questionnaire and physical, and as long as you're qualified to donate, you can come in and donate. With plasma donation, you can donate up to twice a week very safely.”

Takeda is BioLife Plasma Services parent company.

Its hub is in Massachusetts and they plan to open two more locations in the state next year.