Systems and methods using a solvent for the removal of lipids from fluids

• US 20060060520A1
• Filed: 11/01/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
• Original Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
• Inventors: Garcia, Pablo E., Chavez, Bryan, Hegwer, Eric, Malhotra, Ripudaman, Low, Thomas P., Shimon, Jeffrey J., Bomberger, David C.
• Application Number:
  US11/263,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20060060520A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/321.870
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/34 Filtering material out of the blood by passing it through a membrane, i.e. hemofiltration or diafiltration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3403 Regulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3472 with treatment of the filtrate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3482 by filtrating the filtrate using another cross-flow filter, e.g. a membrane filter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3486 Biological, chemical treatment, e.g. chemical precipitation; treatment by absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3496 Plasmapheresis; Leucopheresis; Lymphopheresis A61M1/3472 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0456 Lipoprotein
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/08 Lipoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/203 Bacteria
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/206 Viruses
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0415 in combination with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0457 comprising rotating mechanisms, e.g. mixers, mixing pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0488 Flow sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0492 Applications, solvents used
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2317/02 Elements in series
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/246 Membrane extraction
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/2461 comprising multiple membrane extraction steps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/36 Pervaporation; Membrane distillation; Liquid permeation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/02 : Hollow fibre modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/031 : Two or more types of hollow fibres within one bundle or within one potting or tube-sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/034 : Lumen open in more than two directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/433 : Mixing tubes wherein the shape of the tube influences the mixing, e.g. mixing tubes with varying cross-section or provided with inwardly extending profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4331 : Mixers with bended, curved, coiled, wounded mixing tubes or comprising elements for bending the flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/50 : Circulation mixers, e.g. wherein at least part of the mixture is discharged from and reintroduced into a receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/8111 : the stirrers co-operating with stationary guiding elements, e.g. surrounding stators or intermeshing stators B01F27/812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 29/4033 : inclined
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 29/60 : rotating about a horizontal or inclined axis, e.g. drum mixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/22 : with supporting means moving in a horizontal plane, e.g. describing an orbital path for moving the containers about an axis which intersects the receptacle axis at an angle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/87 : transmitting the vibratory energy by means of a fluid, e.g. by means of air shock waves

Abstract

Systems and methods for removing lipids from a fluid, such as plasma, or from lipid-containing organisms. A fluid is combined with at least one extraction solvent, which causes the lipids to separate from the fluid or from lipid-containing organisms. The separated lipids are removed from the fluid. The extraction solvent is removed from the fluid or at least reduced to an acceptable concentration enabling the delipidated fluid to be administered to a patient without the patient experiencing undesirable consequences. Once the fluid has been processed, the fluid may be administered to a patient who donated the fluid, to a different patient, or stored for later use.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A system for removing at least one lipid from a fluid containing lipids or lipid-containing organisms, comprising:

a fluid source containing the fluid;

an extraction solvent source containing an extraction solvent;

a delipidation device comprising at least one homogenizer and that receives a mixture of the fluid and the extraction solvent and dissolves at least a portion of the lipids; and

a solvent removal subsystem coupled to the delipidation device, wherein the solvent removal subsystem receives a portion of the mixture from the delipidation device and removes at least a portion of the extraction solvent therefrom.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the fluid source comprises a device for removing plasma from blood.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the delipidation device further comprises a centrifuge coupled to the at least one homogenizer.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the solvent removal subsystem comprises at least one hollow fiber contactor.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one hollow fiber contactor comprises at least two hollow fiber contactors coupled together in parallel.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one hollow fiber contactor comprises at least two hollow fiber contactors coupled together in series.

30. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a first pump disposed between the fluid source and the delipidation device that transfers the fluid to a location to mix with the extraction solvent; and

a second pump disposed between the extraction solvent source and the delipidation device that transfers the first extraction solvent to a location to mix with the fluid.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the location is upstream from an input of the delipidation device.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the location is the delipidation device.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein the solvent removal subsystem further comprises a pervaporation buffer coupled to a conduit that receives the portion of the mixture from the delipidation device.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the solvent removal subsystem further comprises a sensor that detects a level of the extraction solvent within the portion of the mixture received from the delipidation device.

35. The system of claim 24, wherein the solvent removal subsystem further comprises a sensor that detects a level of the extraction solvent, the sensor coupled to a conduit disposed adjacent an output of the solvent removal subsystem.

36. The system of claim 24, wherein solvent removal subsystem comprises a recirculating subsystem that recirculates the portion of the mixture until the extraction solvent level therein is below a predetermined threshold.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the recirculating subsystem further comprises a recirculating vessel with at least two input ports and an output port and at least one hollow fiber contactor.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the recirculating subsystem further comprises a sensor that detects a level of the extraction solvent in the portion of the mixture circulating therethrough, the sensor coupled to a conduit disposed adjacent the outlet port of the recirculating vessel.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the recirculating subsystem further comprises at least one valve that directs the portion of the mixture circulating therethrough from the conduit adjacent the outlet port of the recirculating vessel (i) to an output buffer when the extraction solvent level is below the predetermined threshold or (ii) to the at least one hollow fiber contactor when the extraction solvent level is above the predetermined threshold.

40. A method for removing at least one lipid from a fluid containing lipids or from lipid-containing organisms, comprising:

supplying the fluid from a fluid source;

supplying an extraction solvent from an extraction solvent source;

mixing the fluid and the extraction solvent to form a mixture;

dissolving at least a portion of the lipids from the mixture; and

removing at least a portion of the extraction solvent from the mixture.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein mixing the fluid and the extraction solvent to form a mixture comprises mixing the fluid and the extraction solvent at a location upstream an input of a delipidation device.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising separating the mixture into three layers comprising a first layer of the fluid with a first portion of the extraction solvent and at least some lipids therein, a second layer of free lipids, and a third layer of a second portion of the extraction solvent with dissolved lipids.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein removing at least a portion of the extraction solvent from the mixture comprises recirculating the first layer through a solvent removal subsystem until a level of the extraction solvent in the fluid is below a predetermined threshold.