Systems and Methods Using Multiple Solvents for the Removal of Lipids from Fluids

• US 20080203022A1
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
• Original Assignee: Lipid Sciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Chavez, Bryan, Hegwer, Eric, Malhotra, Ripudaman, Low, Thomas P., Shimon, Jeffrey J., Bomberger, David C., Garcia, Pablo E.
• Application Number:
  US12/114,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20080203022A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/645
• 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 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 or from lipid-containing organisms from a fluid, such as plasma. These systems combine a fluid with at least one extraction solvent, which causes the lipids to separate from the fluid or from the lipid-containing organisms. The separated lipids are removed from the fluid. The at least one extraction solvent is removed from the fluid or at least reduced to a concentration enabling the fluid to be administered to a patient without undesirable consequences. Once the fluid has been processed, the fluid may be administered to a patient who donated the fluid or to a different patient for therapy.

Claims

1-70. -70. (canceled)

71. A method for removing lipids from a fluid containing lipids or from lipid-containing organisms, the method comprising:

supplying a first extraction solvent from a first extraction solvent source;

mixing the fluid and the first extraction solvent in at least one hollow fiber contactor to form a first mixture;

passing at least a portion of the first mixture to a first solvent removal device;

supplying a second extraction solvent from a second extraction solvent source;

mixing the second extraction solvent and the portion of the first mixture in the first solvent removal device to form a second mixture; and

passing the second mixture to a second solvent removal device.

72. The method of claim 71, further comprising separating the first mixture into three layers comprising a first layer of a portion of the first mixture with at least some lipids therein, a second layer of free lipids, and a third layer of a portion of the first extraction solvent with dissolved lipids.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein the first layer is the portion of the first mixture passed to the first solvent removal device.

74. The method of claim 71, wherein passing the second mixture to a second solvent removal device comprises contacting the second mixture with a gas or mineral oil using at least one hollow fiber contactor to remove any remaining solvents.

75. The method of claim 71, wherein mixing the fluid and the first extraction solvent in at least one hollow fiber contactor to form a first mixture further comprises dissolving at least a portion of the lipids.

76. The method of claim 71, wherein mixing the second extraction solvent and the portion of the first mixture to form a second mixture further comprises dissolving at least a portion of the first extraction solvent and additional lipids.

77. A method for removing lipids from a fluid containing lipids or from lipid-containing organisms, the method comprising:

supplying a first extraction solvent from a first extraction solvent source;

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

passing at least a portion of the first mixture to at least one hollow fiber contactor;

supplying a second extraction solvent from a second extraction solvent source;

mixing the second extraction solvent and a portion of the first mixture in the at least one hollow fiber contactor to form a second mixture; and

passing the second mixture to a solvent removal device.

78. The method of claim 77, further comprising separating the first mixture into three layers comprising a first layer of a portion of the first mixture with at least some lipids therein, a second layer of free lipids, and a third layer of a portion of the first extraction solvent with dissolved lipids.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein the first layer is the portion of the first mixture passed to the at least one hollow fiber contactor.

80. The method of claim 77, wherein passing the second mixture to a solvent removal device comprises contacting the second mixture with a gas or mineral oil using at least one hollow fiber contactor to remove any remaining solvents.

81. The method of claim 77, wherein mixing the fluid and the first extraction solvent to form a first mixture further comprises dissolving at least a portion of the lipids.

82. The method of claim 77, wherein mixing the second extraction solvent and the portion of the first mixture in the at least one hollow fiber contactor to form a second mixture further comprises dissolving at least a portion of the first extraction solvent and additional lipids.

83. A method for removing lipids from a fluid containing lipids or from lipid-containing organisms, the method comprising:

(a) supplying a first extraction solvent from a first extraction solvent source;

(b) supplying a second extraction solvent from a second extraction solvent source;

(c) passing the fluid and the first extraction solvent through a first in-line static mixer coupled to an inlet of a vortexer, the vortexer, and a second in-line static mixer coupled to an outlet of the vortexer;

(d) passing the first extraction solvent and fluid through a centrifuge;

(e) mixing the second extraction solvent and the fluid, which includes a residual amount of the first extraction solvent remaining in the fluid after passage through the centrifuge;

(f) passing the fluid with the residual amount of the first extraction solvent and the second extraction solvent through the first in-line static mixer, vortexer, second in-line static mixer, and the centrifuge; and

(g) passing the fluid to a final phase subsystem for removal of any remaining amounts of the first and second extraction solvents.

84. The method of claim 83, wherein passing the second mixture to a final phase subsystem comprises contacting the second mixture with a gas or mineral oil using at least one hollow fiber contactor to remove any remaining amounts of the first and second extraction solvents.

85. The method of claim 83, wherein (c) and (d) further comprise dissolving at least a portion of the lipids.

86. The method of claim 83, wherein (f) further comprises dissolving at least a portion of the residual amount of the first extraction solvent and additional lipids.

87. The method of claim 83, wherein the final phase subsystem further comprises a recirculating system configured to recirculate the fluid through the subsystem until solvent levels are below a predetermined threshold.