We report here the results of our evaluation of two procedures to eliminate viruses in factor VIII and factor IX coagulation factor concentrates. Both procedures were equally effective in the in vitro destruction of marker viruses. However, in a controlled infectivity test in chimpanzees, treatment at 60 degrees C for 20 hours inactivated greater than 500 and less than 10,000 chimpanzee infectious doses (CID) of hepatitis B virus, while treatment at 98 degrees C for 30 minutes inactivated less than 500 CID. Both methods were successful in preventing infection with an undetermined amount of an indeterminate non-A, non-B hepatitis agent. The 60 degrees C, 20-hour treatment method rendered 5.25 logs of the putative acquired immune deficiency syndrome virus, human T-cell lymphotrophic virus III/lymphadenopathy virus, added to factor VIII or factor IX concentrates, undetectable. Heat-treated factor VIII and factor IX complex concentrates prepared by these methods were tested against corresponding untreated control lots. There was no significant difference in the plasma recovery or plasma half-life of the factor (p greater than 0.05). The treated concentrates were equivalent to the control concentrates with respect to vital signs, clinical laboratory studies, and adverse reactions. The heat-treated concentrates appeared bioequivalent to the untreated concentrates with the additional benefit of inactivation of potentially present infectious viruses.