<PAGE>

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D. C. 20549


                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             V.I. Technologies, Inc.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

<TABLE>
<S>                                                    <C>
Delaware                                               11-3238476
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)         (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
</TABLE>

               134 Coolidge Avenue, Watertown, Massachusetts 02472
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                         1998 DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                  John R. Barr
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                             V.I. Technologies, Inc.
                               134 Coolidge Avenue
                                  Watertown, MA
                                 (617) 926-1551
            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Agent for Service)

                                 with copies to:

                             Steven N. Farber, Esq.
                               Palmer & Dodge LLP
                              111 Huntington Avenue
                           Boston, Massachusetts 02199
                                 (617) 239-0100

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===================================================================================================================
                                                         Proposed maximum     Proposed maximum

    Title of securities to be          Amount to be     offering price per   aggregate offering      Amount of
            registered               registered(1)(2)        share(3)             price(3)       registration fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                <C>                  <C>                  <C>                 <C>
Common Stock, $0.01 par value      100,000 shares              $6.86              $686,000            $163.83
===================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)  Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, to the extent
     additional shares of our common stock may be issued or issuable as a result
     of a stock split or other distribution which may be declared at any time by
     the Board of Directors while this registration statement is in effect, this
     registration statement is hereby deemed to cover all such additional shares
     of common stock
(2)  This registration statement registers an additional 100,000 shares issuable
     under our 1998 Director Stock Option Plan. We have previously registered
     150,000 shares under this Plan (File Nos. 333-87625 and 333-62925).
(3)  Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee and
     computed pursuant to Rules 457(c) and 457(h) based upon the average of the
     high and low prices on December 18, 2001 as reported by the Nasdaq National
     Market.

<PAGE>

          Statement Regarding Incorporation By Reference From Effective
                            Registration Statement.

     Pursuant to Instruction E to Form S-8, the contents of the Registrant's
Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") on September 4, 1998 (File No. 333-62925) relating
to the registration of 89,445 shares of the Registrant's common stock, $0.01 par
value per share (the "Common Stock") and the Registrant's Registration Statement
on Form S-8 filed with the Commission on September 23, 1999 (File No. 333-87625)
relating to the registration of 60,555 shares of the Registrant's Common Stock,
authorized for issuance pursuant to the Registrant's 1998 Director Stock Option
Plan (the "Plan"), are incorporated by reference in their entirety in this
Registration Statement. This Registration Statement provides for the
registration of an additional 100,000 shares of the Registrant's Common Stock to
be issued pursuant to the Plan.

<PAGE>

                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 8.  Exhibits.

         See Exhibit Index on page 6.





<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the town of Watertown, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on December
19, 2001.

                                       V. I. TECHNOLOGIES, INC.


                                       By: /s/ John R. Barr
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           John R. Barr
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         We, the undersigned officers and directors of the Company, hereby
severally constitute and appoint John R. Barr and Thomas T. Higgins, and each of
them singly, our true and lawful attorneys, with full power to them in any and
all capacitates, to sign any amendments to this Registration Statement on Form
S-8 (including pre-and post-effective amendments and registration statements
filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act), and to file the same,
with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that
each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                Signature                                      Title                                    Date
<S>                                         <C>                                                  <C>
                                            President, Chief Executive Officer and               December 19, 2001
/s/ John R. Barr                            Director (Principal Executive Officer)
------------------------------------
John R. Barr

/s/ Samuel K. Ackerman, M.D.                Chairman of the Board of Directors                   December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Samuel K. Ackerman, M.D.

/s/ Thomas T. Higgins                       Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial         December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Thomas T. Higgins                           and Accounting Officer)

/s/ David Tendler                           Director                                             December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
David Tendler

/s/ Doros Platika, M.D.                     Director                                             December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Doros Platika, M.D.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
             Signature                                          Title                                  Date
<S>                                                           <C>                                <C>
/s/ Joseph M. Limber                                          Director                           December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Joseph M. Limber

/s/ Richard A. Charpie, Ph.D.                                 Director                           December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Richard A. Charpie, Ph.D.

/s/ Irwin Lerner                                              Director                           December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Irwin Lerner

/s/ Jeremy Hayward-Surry                                      Director                           December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Jeremy Hayward-Surry

/s/ Peter D. Parker                                           Director                           December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Peter D. Parker

/s/ Damion E. Wicker, M.D.                                    Director                           December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Damion E. Wicker, M.D.
</TABLE>



<PAGE>

                                  Exhibit Index

 Exhibit Number          Description of Exhibit
 --------------          ----------------------

       4.2               Certificate of Amendment of Restated Certificate of
                         Incorporation, dated November 12, 1999, filed as
                         Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form
                         10-K for the year ended December 30, 2000, and
                         incorporated herein by reference.

       4.3               Certificate of Amendment of Restated Certificate of
                         Incorporation, dated May 30, 2001, filed as Exhibit 3.3
                         to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-3
                         dated March 22, 2001, as amended on June 4, 2001
                         (Registration Statement No. 333-57418) and incorporated
                         herein by reference.

       4.4               Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company, filed as
                         Exhibit 3.3 to the Registrant's Registration Statement
                         on Form S-3 dated March 22, 2001, as amended on June 4,
                         2001 (Registration Statement No. 333-57418) and
                         incorporated herein by reference.

       5.1               Opinion of Palmer & Dodge LLP.

      23.1               Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Auditors.

      23.2               Consent of Palmer & Dodge LLP. Included in Exhibit 5.1.

       24                Power of Attorney.  Contained on the signature page
                         hereto.

      99.1               1998 Director Stock Option Plan, as amended.  Filed
                         herewith.
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "ds8.txt", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 10637}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "V I TECHNOLOGIES INC", "cik": "0001040017", "assigned-sic": "2836", "irs-number": "113238476", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-75484", "film-number": "1817937"}, "business-address": {"street1": "134 COOLIDGE AVE", "city": "WATERTOWN", "state": "MA", "zip": "02472", "phone": "5167527314"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "134 COOLIDGE AVE", "city": "WATERTOWN", "state": "MA", "zip": "02472"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D. C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             V.I. Technologies, Inc.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware                                               11-3238476
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)         (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
134 Coolidge Avenue, Watertown, Massachusetts 02472
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                         1998 DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                  John R. Barr
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                             V.I. Technologies, Inc.
                               134 Coolidge Avenue
                                  Watertown, MA
                                 (617) 926-1551
            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Agent for Service)

                                 with copies to:

                             Steven N. Farber, Esq.
                               Palmer & Dodge LLP
                              111 Huntington Avenue
                           Boston, Massachusetts 02199
                                 (617) 239-0100

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===================================================================================================================
                                                         Proposed maximum     Proposed maximum

    Title of securities to be          Amount to be     offering price per   aggregate offering      Amount of
            registered               registered(1)(2)        share(3)             price(3)       registration fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, $0.01 par value      100,000 shares              $6.86              $686,000            $163.83
===================================================================================================================
(1)  Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, to the extent
     additional shares of our common stock may be issued or issuable as a result
     of a stock split or other distribution which may be declared at any time by
     the Board of Directors while this registration statement is in effect, this
     registration statement is hereby deemed to cover all such additional shares
     of common stock
(2)  This registration statement registers an additional 100,000 shares issuable
     under our 1998 Director Stock Option Plan. We have previously registered
     150,000 shares under this Plan (File Nos. 333-87625 and 333-62925).
(3)  Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee and
     computed pursuant to Rules 457(c) and 457(h) based upon the average of the
     high and low prices on December 18, 2001 as reported by the Nasdaq National
     Market.
Statement Regarding Incorporation By Reference From Effective
                            Registration Statement.

     Pursuant to Instruction E to Form S-8, the contents of the Registrant's
Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") on September 4, 1998 (File No. 333-62925) relating
to the registration of 89,445 shares of the Registrant's common stock, $0.01 par
value per share (the "Common Stock") and the Registrant's Registration Statement
on Form S-8 filed with the Commission on September 23, 1999 (File No. 333-87625)
relating to the registration of 60,555 shares of the Registrant's Common Stock,
authorized for issuance pursuant to the Registrant's 1998 Director Stock Option
Plan (the "Plan"), are incorporated by reference in their entirety in this
Registration Statement. This Registration Statement provides for the
registration of an additional 100,000 shares of the Registrant's Common Stock to
be issued pursuant to the Plan.
PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 8.  Exhibits.

         See Exhibit Index on page 6.
SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the town of Watertown, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on December
19, 2001.

                                       V. I. TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

                                       By: /s/ John R. Barr
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           John R. Barr
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         We, the undersigned officers and directors of the Company, hereby
severally constitute and appoint John R. Barr and Thomas T. Higgins, and each of
them singly, our true and lawful attorneys, with full power to them in any and
all capacitates, to sign any amendments to this Registration Statement on Form
S-8 (including pre-and post-effective amendments and registration statements
filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act), and to file the same,
with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that
each of said attorneys-in-fact may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature                                      Title                                    Date
President, Chief Executive Officer and               December 19, 2001
/s/ John R. Barr                            Director (Principal Executive Officer)
------------------------------------
John R. Barr

/s/ Samuel K. Ackerman, M.D.                Chairman of the Board of Directors                   December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Samuel K. Ackerman, M.D.

/s/ Thomas T. Higgins                       Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial         December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Thomas T. Higgins                           and Accounting Officer)

/s/ David Tendler                           Director                                             December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
David Tendler

/s/ Doros Platika, M.D.                     Director                                             December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Doros Platika, M.D.
Signature                                          Title                                  Date
/s/ Joseph M. Limber                                          Director                           December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Joseph M. Limber

/s/ Richard A. Charpie, Ph.D.                                 Director                           December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Richard A. Charpie, Ph.D.

/s/ Irwin Lerner                                              Director                           December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Irwin Lerner

/s/ Jeremy Hayward-Surry                                      Director                           December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Jeremy Hayward-Surry

/s/ Peter D. Parker                                           Director                           December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Peter D. Parker

/s/ Damion E. Wicker, M.D.                                    Director                           December 19, 2001
------------------------------------
Damion E. Wicker, M.D.
Exhibit Index

 Exhibit Number          Description of Exhibit
 --------------          ----------------------

       4.2               Certificate of Amendment of Restated Certificate of
                         Incorporation, dated November 12, 1999, filed as
                         Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form
                         10-K for the year ended December 30, 2000, and
                         incorporated herein by reference.

       4.3               Certificate of Amendment of Restated Certificate of
                         Incorporation, dated May 30, 2001, filed as Exhibit 3.3
                         to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-3
                         dated March 22, 2001, as amended on June 4, 2001
                         (Registration Statement No. 333-57418) and incorporated
                         herein by reference.

       4.4               Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company, filed as
                         Exhibit 3.3 to the Registrant's Registration Statement
                         on Form S-3 dated March 22, 2001, as amended on June 4,
                         2001 (Registration Statement No. 333-57418) and
                         incorporated herein by reference.

       5.1               Opinion of Palmer & Dodge LLP.

      23.1               Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Auditors.

      23.2               Consent of Palmer & Dodge LLP. Included in Exhibit 5.1.

       24                Power of Attorney.  Contained on the signature page
                         hereto.

      99.1               1998 Director Stock Option Plan, as amended.  Filed
                         herewith.