Artificial pancreas

• US 6,023,009 A
• Filed: 10/24/1997
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arbios Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CB Biomedical, Inc. (Arbios Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mullon, Claudy Jean Paul, Stegemann, Jan Philip, O'Neil, John Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tram A.
• Application Number:
  US08/957,146
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 623/11, 623/12, 623/66, 424/500, 424/501, 424/422, 424/423, 424/424, 424/425, 435/178, 435/180
• US Class Current: 623/23.64
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/022 Artificial gland structures using bioreactors hemodialysis A61M1/16; hemofiltration A61M1/34; other extracorporeal blood treatment A61M1/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2035/126 Immunoprotecting barriers, e.g. jackets, diffusion chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2035/128 capsules, e.g. microcapsules
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 35/12 Materials from mammals; Compositions comprising non-specified tissues or cells; Compositions comprising non-embryonic stem cells; Genetically modified cells vaccines or medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies A61K39/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0024 Solid, semi-solid or solidifying implants, which are implanted or injected in body tissue compositions for intravenous administration, normal injectable solutions or dispersions for, e.g. subcutaneous administration A61K9/0019; brain implants A61K9/0085; (coated) prostheses, catheters or stents A61L
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/1652 Polysaccharides, e.g. alginate, cellulose derivatives; Cyclodextrin homeopathic globules A61K9/1623
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/5036 Polysaccharides, e.g. gums, alginate; Cyclodextrin
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 13/02 Making microcapsules or microballoons for medical preparations A61K9/50
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0677 Three-dimensional culture, tissue culture or organ culture; Encapsulated cells

Abstract

An artificial pancreas is described herein which comprises one or more viable and physiologically active pancreatic islet cells capable of producing insulin, encapsulated within a semipermeable spheroidal membrane comprising agar gel. Further disclosed are a method for producing agar microbeads, a tissue implantation method and a reseeding method for the artificial pancreas.

Claims

1. An artificial pancreas comprising one or more viable and physiologically active pancreatic islet cells capable of producing insulin, encapsulated within a semipermeable spheroidal membrane a polysaccharide mixture of a agarose &

agaropectin consisting essentially of gel.

2. The artificial pancreas of claim 1, wherein the encapsulated pancreatic islet cells range from about 50 to about 1000 microns in diameter.

3. The artificial pancreas of claim 1, wherein the polysaccharide mixture of agarose and agaropectin gel has a molecular weight cut-off below 100,000 daltons.

4. An artificial pancreas comprising one or more viable and physiologically active pancreatic islet cells capable of producing insulin, encapsulated within a first semipermeable spheroidal membrane consisting essentially of a polysaccharide mixture of agarose and agaropectin gel;

said first spheroidal agar membrane being encapsulated within a second immunoisolating membrane.

5. The artificial pancreas of claim 4, wherein the second immunoisolating membrane is a mechanical or synthetic one.

6. The artificial pancreas of claim 5, wherein the mechanical membrane is part of a diffusion chamber.

7. An artifical pancreatic perfusion device, comprising:

a. a hollow fiber having a porosity ranging from about 25 Kd to about 200 Kd;

said hollow fiber having one end connected to a blood vessel for receiving blood and a second end connected to a blood vessel for returning said blood;

b. one or more viable and physiologically active pancreatic islet cells capable of producing insulin, encapsulated within a semipermeable spheroidal membrane consisting essentially of a polysaccharide mixture of agarose and agaropectin gel surrounding said hollow fiber; and

c. a housing for said hollow fiber and islets, comprising a semipermeable membrane having a pore size small enough to offer protection to the islets and host from immune reactive substances.