Method for performing crystallization trials

• US 7,431,769 B1
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takeda San Diego, Inc. (Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Takeda San Diego, Inc. (Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited)
• Inventors: Martin, Laurent, Palan, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hiteshew; Felisa C
• Application Number:
  US11/015,385
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 427/402, 422/252, 422/245.1, 117/13, 117/204, 117/206
• US Class Current: 117/204
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 9/0063 Control or regulation control per se G05
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 9/0077 Screening for crystallisation conditions or for crystal forms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/10 Apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/1004 with means for measuring, testing, or sensing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/1008 with responsive control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/1016 with means for treating single-crystal [e.g., heat treating]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/1024 for crystallization from liquid or supercritical state

Abstract

A method is provided that comprises generating a screen storage plate that contains screen solutions at a screen generation station; employing a transport mechanism to transport the screen storage plate from the screen generation station to a screen storage station; storing the screen storage plate in the screen storage station among a plurality of screen storage plates; having the screen storage station retrieve screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates stored within the screen storage station; and having a crystallization trial generation station generate crystallization trials in a crystallization plate incorporating the screen in the retrieved screen storage plate; wherein the method is performed in a single automated system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a screen storage plate that contains screen solutions at a screen generation station;

employing a transport mechanism to transport the screen storage plate from the screen generation station to a screen storage station;

storing the screen storage plate in the screen storage station among a plurality of screen storage plates;

having the screen storage station retrieve a selected screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates stored within the screen storage station; and

having a crystallization trial generation station generate crystallization trials in a crystallization plate incorporating the screen in the retrieved screen storage plate;

wherein the method is performed in a single automated system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

employing the transport mechanism to transport the selected screen storage plate from the screen storage station to another station.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising employing the transport mechanism to transport the screen storage plate from the screen generation station to a mixing station before employing the transport mechanism to transport the screen storage plate containing the screen solutions to the screen storage station.

4. The method of claim 3, the method further comprising transporting the screen storage plate from the screen storage station to the screen generation station before employing the transport mechanism to transport the screen storage plate from the screen generation station to a screen storage station.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

having the screen storage station retrieve the screen storage plate from among a plurality of screen storage plates stored within the screen storage station before transporting the screen storage plate from the screen storage station to the screen generation station.

6. The method of claim 5, the method further comprising identifying that the screen storage plate includes wells that do not contain screen solution before having the screen storage station retrieve the screen storage plate.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying that the screen storage plate includes wells that do not contain screen solution includes comparing a screen identifier associated with a screen storage plate having empty wells against screen identifiers listed in a tracking database, the tracking database including the screen identifiers associated with screen storage plates stored in the screen storage station.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating screen solutions at a screen storage station includes generating the screen solutions in the wells of the screen storage plate.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the screen solutions is generated by mixing together a plurality of component solutions.

10. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising identifying that the selected screen storage contains a particular screen before having the screen storage station retrieve the selected screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein identifying that the selected screen storage contains a particular screen includes comparing a screen identifier associated with the particular screen against screen identifiers listed in a tracking database, the tracking database including the screen identifiers associated with screen storage plates stored in the screen storage station.