Methods of tangential flow filtration and an apparatus therefore
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Processes and apparati are provided for separating molecules of interest from a mixture containing them which comprises subjecting the mixture to an improved method of tangential flow filtration (TFF). The improved TFF was used to clarify, and process various feedstreams for the removal of a molecule of interest. According to a preferred embodiment, a transgenic milk feedstream is stabilized and particulate matter such as fat, casein miscelles and bacteria are removed. The method of TFF used in the current invention utilizes optimized process parameters that include temperature, transmembrane pressure, cross-flow velocity, and milk concentration. Cleaning and storage procedures were also developed to ensure long membrane life. An aseptic filtration step was also developed to remove any bacteria remaining in a clarified transgenic milk feedstream.
23 Citations
106 Claims
-
1-7. -7. (canceled)
-
10-72. -72. (canceled)
-
73. A method for separating a molecular species of interest from a feedstream, comprising:
-
(a) filtering said feedstream by a tangential-flow filtration process through a filtration membrane having a pore size that separates said molecular species of interest from said feedstream, while maintaining flux at a level greater than 100% of transition point flux outside of the pressure-dependent region of the flux versus Transmembrane Pressure (“
TMP”
) curve, wherein transmembrane pressure is not held substantially constant along said filtration membrane pathway at a level both greater than and less than a transmembrane pressure at the flux transition point of the filtration, whereby said molecular species of interest is selectively separated from said feedstream such that said molecular species of interest retains its biological activity;
(b) filtering said feedstream by an ultrafiltration process; and
wherein said molecular species of interest are biological entities selected from the group consisting of proteins, immunoglobulins, polypeptides, peptides, glycoproteins, RNA and DNA. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106)
-
Specification