Oxygen Supply for Cell Transplant and Vascularization

• US 20090012502A1
• Filed: 11/28/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beta-O2 Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Beta-O2 Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Barkai, Uriel, Rotem, Avi, Evron, Yoav, Schneider, Chanan
• Granted Patent: US 8,444,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/890.100
• 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 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

Abstract

Apparatus is provided, including a housing (22), configured for insertion into a body of a patient; a photosynthetic oxygen supply (24) configured to supply oxygen; and functional cells (30), coupled to the housing (22). The functional cells (30) are adapted to receive the oxygen and to secrete at least one factor that induces vascularization in a vicinity of the housing (22) when the housing (22) is in the body of the patient. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising:

a housing, configured for insertion into a body of a patient;

a photosynthetic oxygen supply configured to supply oxygen; and

functional cells, coupled to the housing, and adapted to receive the oxygen and to secrete at least one factor that induces vascularization in a vicinity of the housing when the housing is in the body of the patient.

2-3. -3. (canceled)

4. Apparatus, comprising:

a housing, configured for insertion into a body of a patient;

functional cells, coupled to the housing; and

an oxygen supply, configured to supply oxygen to the functional cells for a period that is no more than 24 months.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the oxygen supply comprises at least one supply selected from the group consisting of:

a photosynthetic oxygen generator, a photolytic oxygen generator, a vessel containing gaseous oxygen, a hydrolytic oxygen generator, and a chemical oxygen generator.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the oxygen supply is configured to supply oxygen to the functional cells for a period that is no more than 6 months.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the oxygen supply is configured to supply oxygen to the functional cells for a period that is no more than 2 months.

6. (canceled)

9. Apparatus, comprising:

a housing, configured for insertion into a body of a patient;

functional cells, coupled to the housing; and

an oxygen supply, configured to provide to the functional cells between 4 micromoles and 150,000 micromoles of oxygen per million functional cells.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the functional cells have an oxygen consumption rate of 150-300 nanomoles per hour per million functional cells, and wherein the oxygen supply is configured to provide the oxygen to the functional cells in accordance with the oxygen consumption rate.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the oxygen supply is configured to provide between 50 micromoles and 15,000 micromoles of oxygen per million functional cells.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the oxygen supply is configured to supply a quantity of oxygen sufficient to sustain the functional cells for a period of no more than two months.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the oxygen supply is configured to supply a quantity of oxygen sufficient to sustain the functional cells for a period preceding vascularization of tissue around the housing after insertion of the housing into the body of the patient.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the functional cells comprise pancreatic islet cells.

17. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the oxygen supply comprises at least one supply selected from the group consisting of:

a photosynthetic oxygen generator, a photolytic oxygen generator, a vessel containing gaseous oxygen, a hydrolytic oxygen generator, and a chemical oxygen generator.

18. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the housing is configured to be positioned subcutaneously inside the body of the patient.

23. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the housing comprises oxygen solubilizing apparatus.

24. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the housing comprises a biochemical growth factor.

27. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the housing comprises platelets.

12. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

19-22. -22. (canceled)

25-26. -26. (canceled)

28. Apparatus, comprising:

a housing, configured for insertion into a body of a patient;

pancreatic islets, coupled to the housing; and

an oxygen supply, configured to provide to the pancreatic islets between 800 micromoles and 30 million micromoles of oxygen per 100,000 islets.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the functional cells have an oxygen consumption rate of 15-30 nanomoles per hour per 100,000 functional cells, and wherein the oxygen supply is configured to provide the oxygen to the functional cells in accordance with the oxygen consumption rate.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the oxygen supply is configured to provide between 10,000 micromoles and 3 million micromoles of oxygen per 100,000 islets.

31. (canceled)

32. A method, comprising:

implanting functional cells into a body of a patient; and

supplying oxygen to the functional cells for a period that is no more than 24 months.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein implanting the functional cells comprises subcutaneously implanting.

35. The method according to claim 32, wherein supplying oxygen to the functional cells comprises supplying the oxygen for a period that is no more than 6 months.

36. The method according to claim 32, wherein supplying oxygen to the functional cells comprises supplying the oxygen for a period that is no more than 2 months.

37. The method according to claim 32, wherein supplying the oxygen comprises supplying the oxygen at a rate of between 1 and 10 micromoles/hour per million functional cells.

40. The method according to claim 32, wherein supplying the oxygen comprises facilitating photosynthesis.

34. (canceled)

38-39. -39. (canceled)

41-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A method, comprising:

implanting, into a body of a patient, functional cells that release a factor that induces vascularization; and

inducing the vascularization by supplying oxygen by photosynthesis to the functional cells such that the functional cells release the factor that induces the vascularization.

44. A method, comprising:

implanting functional cells into a body of a patient; and

supplying to the functional cells between 4 micromoles and 150,000 micromoles of oxygen per million functional cells.

45. The method according to claim 44, wherein the functional cells have an oxygen consumption rate of 150-300 nanomoles per hour per million functional cells, and wherein the supplying comprises supplying the oxygen to the functional cells in accordance with the oxygen consumption rate.

49. The method according to claim 44, wherein supplying comprises generating the oxygen within the body of the patient.

50. The method according to claim 49, wherein generating the oxygen comprises generating the oxygen by a process selected from the group consisting of:

photosynthesis, photolysis, electrolysis, and a chemical process.

46-48. -48. (canceled)