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

• US 7,297,261 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
• Original Assignee: Lipid Sciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Garcia, Pablo E., Chavez, Bryan, Hegwer, Eric, Malhotra, Ripudaman, Low, Thomas P., Shimon, Jeffrey J., Bomberger, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Menon; Krishnan S.
• Application Number:
  US11/700,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20070138094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 293 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 210/252
• 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. A system for removing at least one lipid from a fluid containing lipids or lipid-containing organisms, comprising:

an extraction solvent source containing an extraction solvent;

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

a solvent removal subsystem coupled to the delipidation device such that the solvent removal subsystem receives at least a portion of the mixture from the delipidation device, the solvent removal subsystem comprising;

a recirculating vessel with at least two inlet ports and an outlet port;

an output buffer container;

at least one hollow fiber contactor;

a sensor coupled to a conduit disposed adjacent the outlet port of the recirculating vessel and configured to detect a level of the extraction solvent within the portion of the mixture; and

at least one valve positioned adjacent the sensor that directs the portion of the mixture exiting the outlet port of the recirculating vessel (i) to the output buffer container when the extraction solvent level detected by the sensor is below the predetermined threshold and (ii) to the at least one hollow fiber contactor when the extraction solvent level detected by the sensor is above the predetermined threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the delipidation device comprises at least one homogenizer.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the delipidation device further comprises a centrifuge coupled to the at least one homogenizer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one hollow fiber contactor comprises at least two hollow fiber contactors coupled together in parallel.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one hollow fiber contactor comprises at least two hollow fiber contactors coupled together in series.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a solvent vapor detector.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one valve comprises two two-way valves.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fluid source containing the fluid.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the fluid source comprises a device for removing plasma from blood.

10. The system of claim 8, 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 extraction solvent to the location.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the location is upstream from an input of the delipidation device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the location is the delipidation device.

13. 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;

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; and

passing the first layer to a solvent removal subsystem, the solvent removal subsystem comprising a sensor, at least one valve, an output buffer container, and at least one hollow fiber contactor;

the sensor determining a level of the extraction solvent in the first layer;

the at least one valve directing the first layer to the at least one hollow fiber contactor when a level of the extraction solvent detected by the sensor is above a predetermined threshold; and

the at least one valve directing the first layer to the output buffer container when a level of extraction solvent detected by the sensor is below a predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, 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.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein mixing the fluid and the extraction solvent to form a mixture comprises mixing the fluid and the extraction solvent within the delipidation device.