Hollow fiber contactor systems for removal of lipids from fluids

• US 20070039887A1
• Filed: 10/30/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
• Original Assignee: David Bomberger, Eric Hegwer, Pablo Garcia, Ripudaman Malhotra, Thomas Low
• Inventors: Garcia, Pablo, Low, Thomas, Hegwer, Eric, Malhotra, Ripudaman, Bomberger, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,297,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/644
• 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 1/341 by measuring the filtrate rate or volume
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/342 Adding solutions to the blood, e.g. substitution solutions for preventing coagulation A61M1/3672
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3468 using treated filtrate as substitution fluid
• 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 1/3603 in the same direction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3616 Batch-type treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3693 using separation based on different densities of components, e.g. centrifuging
• 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 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/043 with stationary contacting elements, sieve plates or loose contacting elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0492 Applications, solvents used
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/50 Specific extra tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/246 : Membrane extraction
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/362 : Pervaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/02 : Hollow fibre modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/046 : in separate housings

Abstract

This invention is directed to systems and methods for removing lipids from a fluid, such as plasma, or from lipid-containing organisms. These systems contact a fluid with an extraction solvent, which causes the lipids in the fluid to separate from the fluid or causes lipids in the lipid-containing organisms to separate from the lipid-containing organism, using at least one hollow fiber contactor. The separated lipids are removed from the fluid. The extraction solvent is removed from the fluid or at least reduced to a level below a particular threshold enabling the 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 be stored.

Claims

1. A device for removing at least one lipid from a fluid containing lipids or from a lipid-containing organism, comprising:

at least one hollow fiber contactor for;

contacting the fluid containing lipids with a first extraction solvent in the at least one hollow fiber contactor and forming a first mixture comprising the fluid and the first extraction solvent, wherein at least a portion of the lipids dissolve in the first extraction solvent;

removing at least a portion of the first extraction solvent from the first mixture by contacting the first mixture with a second extraction solvent in the at least one hollow fiber contactor, which forms a second mixture comprising the first extraction solvent, the second extraction solvent and the fluid; and

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

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one hollow fiber contactor comprises;

at least one hollow fiber contactor forming at least one first subsystem for contacting the fluid containing lipid with a first extraction solvent and forming a first mixture comprising the fluid and the first extraction solvent, wherein at least a portion of the lipids dissolve in the first extraction solvent;

at least one hollow fiber contactor forming at least one second subsystem for removing at least a portion of the first extraction solvent from the first mixture by contacting the first mixture with a second extraction solvent, which forms a second mixture comprising the first extraction solvent, the second extraction solvent and the fluid; and

at least one hollow fiber contactor forming at least one third subsystem for removing at least a portion of the second extraction solvent from the second mixture.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one first subsystem comprises at least two hollow fiber contactors coupled together in parallel.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one first subsystem comprises at least two hollow fiber contactors coupled together in series.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one second subsystem comprises at least two hollow fiber contactors coupled together in parallel.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one second subsystem comprises at least two hollow fiber contactors coupled together in series.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one third subsystem comprises at least two hollow fiber contactors coupled together in parallel.

8. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one third subsystem comprises at least two hollow fiber contactors coupled together in series.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one third subsystem further comprises a solvent removal subsystem for removing solvents from a material that is passed through the at least one hollow fiber contactor of the third subsystem for removing at least a portion of the second extraction solvent.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the material is air or an inert gas.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the material is mineral oil.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the at least one third subsystem comprises at least one carbon bed.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a first extraction solvent source for supplying the first extraction solvent to the at least one hollow fiber contactor.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second extraction solvent source for supplying the second extraction solvent to the at least one hollow fiber contactor.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising a saline fluid source for supplying saline to the at least one hollow fiber contactor to prime the device.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a fluid source for supplying the fluid to the at least one hollow fiber contactor for delipidation of the fluid.

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

contacting the fluid with a first extraction solvent in at least one hollow fiber contactor and forming a first mixture comprising the fluid and the first extraction solvent, wherein at least a portion of the lipids dissolve in the first extraction solvent;

removing at least a portion of the first extraction solvent from the first mixture by contacting the first mixture with a second extraction solvent in the at least one hollow fiber contactor, which forms a second mixture comprising the first extraction solvent, the second extraction solvent and the fluid; and

removing at least a portion of the second extraction solvent from the second mixture using the at least one hollow fiber contactor.