You’re using a public version of DrugPatentWatch with 5 free searches available | Register to unlock more free searches. CREATE FREE ACCOUNT

Last Updated: March 28, 2024

Claims for Patent: 8,679,751


✉ Email this page to a colleague

« Back to Dashboard


Summary for Patent: 8,679,751
Title:System and method for particle filtration
Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure feature a filtration system comprising a filtration module for particle filtration and methods of using the device for the isolation of particles (e.g., viable cells). Advantageously, embodiments of the device provide for the high throughput filtration of large volumes of sample while preserving cell viability and. providing high yields.
Inventor(s): Huang; Lotien (Chestnut Hill, MA)
Assignee: Cytovera Inc. (Chestnut Hill, MA)
Application Number:13/518,514
Patent Claims:1. A method for particle filtration comprising: introducing a feed comprising particles into a feed inlet of a filtration device including at least one filtration module, the filtration module comprising a first flow chamber including at least one feed inlet, and at least one retentate outlet; a second flow chamber including a distal end having at least one filtrate outlet, and a first filter positioned between the first flow chamber and the second flow chamber, the first filter including a first row of pillars, a plurality of pores defined by spacings between adjacent pillars, and a plurality of sections, a first section having a small angle with a side wall of the filtration module and configured to draw a small amount of flow across the first section, and a second section having a large angle with the side wall of the filtration module and configured to draw a larger amount of flow through the second section than the small amount of flow, an effective pore size of the second section being larger than an effective pore size of the first section, each pore of the first filter having a physical pore size larger than the effective pore size of the second section; passing the feed through the filtration device, fluid flow configurations around the filter achieving the effective pore size of the first section and the effective pore size of the second section; collecting retentate comprising particles having a size larger than the effective pore size of the second section at the retentate outlet; and collecting filtrate comprising particles smaller than the effective pore size of the second section at the filtrate outlet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed comprises a population of target particles, and wherein collecting the retentate comprises collecting at least 75% of the target particles in a fluid having a volume of less than 30% of the volume of the feed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed further comprises a first population of particles and a second population of particles, wherein collecting the retentate comprises collecting at least 80% of the first population of particles at the retentate outlet, and wherein collecting the filtrate comprises collecting at least 80% of the second population of particles at the filtrate outlet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the effective pore size of the second section is between about 1 micrometer and about 100 micrometers, and is at least 0.5 micrometers smaller than the physical pore sizes of pores of the second section.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first flow chamber further includes a carrier fluid inlet distinct from the feed inlet, wherein introducing the feed further comprises introducing a carrier fluid into the first flow chamber through the carrier fluid inlet, and wherein passing the feed through the filtration device further comprises passing the carrier fluid through the filtration device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the particles comprise cells, wherein passing the feed through the filtration device further comprises transferring at least a first subset of the cells from the feed to the carrier fluid and performing an operation selected from the group consisting of lysing, labeling, magnetically labeling, staining, fixing, and altering at least a second subset of the cells using the carrier fluid, the carrier fluid including a substance selected from the group consisting of an antibody, a fluorophore conjugated antibody, a bead, a magnetic bead, an antibody conjugated magnetic bead, a fluorescence label, a dye, a stain, enzyme, DNase, collagenase, a chemical, an oxidant, a reducing agent, an anticoagulant, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), a deoxyribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid, a probe for fluorescence in-situ hybridization, a fixative, a freezing solution, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), substrates of an enzyme, active derivatives of cyclophosphamide, growth factors, an alkylating agent, a detergent, and a lysis solution.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed comprises cells.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cells are viable, and wherein passing the feed through the filtration device further comprises passing cells through a filtration module of the filtration device at a rate of at least 10,000 cells per second.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the feed comprises a cell count of at least 10.sup.6 cells per microliter.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the filtration device has a footprint area and a chamber depth, and wherein passing the feed through the filtration device further comprises passing cells through the filtration module at a normalized processing speed, defined as the number of cells passing through the filtration device per second divided by the product of the chamber depth and the footprint area, of greater than 10,000 cells per second per cubic millimeter.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein passing the feed through the filtration device includes passing the feed through the filtration module of the filtration device at a first volumetric throughput causing a first shear rate representing the largest shear rate the cells experience, the filtration module further including a footprint area, a channel depth, and a design efficiency index defined as the first volumetric throughput divided by the product of the footprint area, the channel depth, the first shear rate, and the square of the first retention size, the design efficiency index being greater than 0.5 mm.sup.-2.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed comprises blood including red blood cells and a population of target cells, and wherein collecting the retentate comprises collecting at least 75% of the target cells and less than 3% of the red blood cells at the retentate outlet.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed comprises umbilical cord blood including a population of CD34+ cells, the feed having a volume of at least 50 ml, wherein introducing the feed further comprises introducing the umbilical cord blood within 9 hours from draw, wherein collecting the retentate further comprises collecting at least 75% of the CD34+ cells at the retentate outlet, at least 95% of the CD34+ cells in the retentate being viable, and wherein the retentate has a volume smaller than about 30 ml.

14. The retentate of the method of claim 13.

15. A method for particle filtration comprising: introducing a feed comprising umbilical cord blood comprising a population of target cells comprising stem cells and colony forming cells into a first inlet of a microfluidic device, the feed having a volume of at least 50 ml, the microfluidic device including a first flow chamber having a depth of less than 500 micrometers, a second flow chamber, at least one inlet, at least one outlet, a first channel in fluid connection with the first flow chamber and the inlet, a second channel in fluid connection with the first flow chamber and the outlet, and a filter positioned between the first flow chamber and the second flow chamber, the filter including a row of pillars, a plurality of pores defined by spacings between adjacent pillars, and a plurality of sections, a first section having a small angle with a side wall of the first flow chamber and configured to draw a small amount of flow across the first section, and a second section having a large angle with the side wall of the first flow chamber and configured to draw a larger amount of flow through the second section than the small amount of flow, an effective pore size of the second section being larger than an effective pore size of the first section, each pore of the first filter having a physical pore size larger than the effective pore size of the second section, the first flow chamber, the first channel and the second channel being fabricated on the same surface; passing the feed through the microfluidic device, fluid flow configurations around the filter achieving the effective pore size of the first section and the effective pore size of the second section; and collecting at least 70% of the target cells in a volume of less than 30 ml.

16. A filtration device including at least one filtration unit, the at least one filtration unit comprising: a first flow chamber including at least one feed inlet configured to receive a feed comprising particles and a fluid, and at least one retentate outlet; a second flow chamber including a distal end having at least one filtrate outlet; and a filter positioned between the first flow chamber and the second flow chamber, the filter including a first row of pillars, a plurality of pores defined by spacings between adjacent pillars, and a plurality of sections, a first section having a small angle with a side wall of the filtration unit and configured to draw a small amount of flow across the first section, and a second section having a large angle with the side wall of the filtration unit and configured to draw a larger amount of flow through the second section than the small amount of flow, an effective pore size of the second section being larger than an effective pore size of the first section, each pore of the filter having a physical pore size larger than the effective pore size of the second section.

17. The filtration device of claim 16, wherein the first flow chamber narrows along a length from the feed inlet to the retentate outlet, wherein the second flow chamber further includes a proximal end, the second flow chamber widening along a length from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the physical pore sizes of the pores of the second section are between about 1 micrometer and about 1 mm, and wherein the effective pore sizes of the pores of the second section are smaller than about 90% of their physical pore sizes.

18. The filtration device of claim 16, wherein the filtration unit includes fewer than 5,000 pillars, and wherein the first row of pillars comprises more than 10% of all pillars present in the filtration unit.

19. The filtration device of claim 16, wherein the filtration unit has a hold up volume of smaller than about 0.3 microliters, and wherein the filtration device has a chamber depth, a footprint area, and a filtration unit density, defined as the number of filtration units included in the filtration device divided by the product of the chamber depth and the footprint area, wherein the filtration unit density is greater than about 400 filtration units per cubic centimeter.

20. The filtration device of claim 16, wherein the filtration unit further comprises a second filter including a second row of pillars wherein a first tangent line defined by the first row of pillars and a second tangent line defined by the second row of pillars are non-parallel.

21. The filtration device of claim 16, wherein the first flow chamber further comprises at least one carrier fluid inlet distinct from the feed inlet, the carrier fluid inlet configured to introduce a carrier fluid into the first flow chamber.

22. The filtration device of claim 16, wherein the filtration unit further comprises a third flow chamber and a second filter comprising a second row of pillars, the second filter being disposed between the first flow chamber and the third flow chamber, the third flow chamber including a proximal end and a distal end having at least one filtrate outlet, the third chamber widening along a length from the proximal end to the distal end.

23. The filtration device of claim 22, wherein the filtration unit is substantially symmetric about a mirror plane through a center line of the first flow chamber.

Make Better Decisions: Try a trial or see plans & pricing

Drugs may be covered by multiple patents or regulatory protections. All trademarks and applicant names are the property of their respective owners or licensors. Although great care is taken in the proper and correct provision of this service, thinkBiotech LLC does not accept any responsibility for possible consequences of errors or omissions in the provided data. The data presented herein is for information purposes only. There is no warranty that the data contained herein is error free. thinkBiotech performs no independent verification of facts as provided by public sources nor are attempts made to provide legal or investing advice. Any reliance on data provided herein is done solely at the discretion of the user. Users of this service are advised to seek professional advice and independent confirmation before considering acting on any of the provided information. thinkBiotech LLC reserves the right to amend, extend or withdraw any part or all of the offered service without notice.