Claims for Patent: 8,967,512

Summary for Patent: 8,967,512

Title:	Systems and methods for processing cells
Abstract:	The present invention efficiently and cost-effectively extracts and collects cells from a tissue. The inventors have discovered that the tissue can be effectively fragmented and the resulting cells can be purified using a system or kit with multiple components. An advantage of the present invention is that tissue processing takes place in a closed system such that sterility can be maintained throughout the process, even if certain components are removed during processing, for example through the use of valves, clamps, and heat seals. Furthermore, any or all of the steps can be automated or manually accomplished, according to the specific needs of the application or the user.
Inventor(s):	Taghizadeh; Rouzbeh R. (Cambridge, MA), Meade; John (Mendon, MA)
Assignee:	Auxocell Laboratories, Inc. (Cambridge, MA)
Application Number:	14/547,956
Patent Claims:	1. A tissue mincing tool comprising: a compartment for a tissue sample; a solid member automatedly translatable within the compartment; a cutting surface at one end of the compartment; and a sterile, sealed container, wherein the compartment is arranged to position the tissue sample between the solid member and the cutting surface, and further wherein the cutting surface separates the compartment from the sterile, sealed container, such that a tissue sample that is pressed, via an automated translation of the solid member, into contact with and through the cutting surface is deposited as a minced tissue within the sterile, sealed container. 2. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, wherein the cutting surface comprises an automated cutting system. 3. The tissue mincing tool of claim 2, wherein the automated cutting system comprises semi-automatic scissors. 4. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, wherein the cutting surface is dimensioned to mince the tissue sample into fragments having an average cross-section no greater than four square millimeters. 5. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, wherein the cutting surface is dimensioned to mince the tissue sample into fragments, and further comprising a second cutting surface for reducing an average cross-section of the fragments. 6. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, further comprising at least one mincer screen positioned in proximity to the cutting surface. 7. The tissue mincing tool of claim 6, wherein the at least one mincer screen is moveable towards the tissue sample. 8. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, further comprising a suction cup for stabilizing the tissue mincing tool during operation thereof. 9. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, wherein the sterile, sealed container comprises at least one sealed access port permitting the sterile introduction of a fluid into the container. 10. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, wherein an interior surface of the compartment is threaded. 11. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, further comprising a gasket for sealing the compartment. 12. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, wherein a portion of the compartment near its end has a substantially constant cross-section. 13. The tissue mincing tool of claim 12, wherein the solid member is shaped to mate with and to fill the portion of the compartment. 14. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, wherein the cutting surface is rotatable. 15. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, wherein the cutting surface is moveable towards the tissue sample. 16. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, further comprising a shaft crank for moving the cutting surface towards the tissue sample. 17. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, further comprising a shaft crank for actuating the cutting surface, the shaft crank configured for automatic machine actuation. 18. The tissue mincing tool of claim 1, wherein the tissue mincing tool comprises a series of cutting surfaces at the one end of the compartment. 19. A method of mincing a tissue sample, the method comprising: automatically translating the solid member to press the tissue sample into contact with and through the cutting surface of the tissue mincing tool according to claim 1. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the cutting surface comprises an automated cutting system. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the automated cutting system comprises semi-automatic scissors. 22. The method of claim 19, further comprising automatically machine-actuating the cutting surface. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the cutting surface is automatically machine-actuated via an automatic machine-actuation of a shaft crank coupled thereto. 24. A method of digesting a tissue sample, the method comprising: mincing the tissue sample according to the method of claim 19 and, optionally, transferring the minced tissue to a second sterile, sealed container; and injecting an enzyme, whereby the enzyme digests the minced tissue. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the enzyme is a collagenase. 26. A method of separating cells from a tissue sample, the method comprising: mincing the tissue sample according to the method of claim 19; and removing undigested tissue. 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising diluting the tissue sample, wherein the undigested tissue is subsequently removed by filtering. 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising sedimenting a filtrate generated by the filtering. 29. The method of claim 28, further comprising re-suspending sedimented cells and filtering the re-suspended sedimented cells. 30. The method of claim 19, wherein the tissue sample comprises Wharton's Jelly stem cells.

Details for Patent 8,967,512

Applicant	Tradename	Biologic Ingredient	Dosage Form	BLA	Approval Date	Patent No.	Expiredate
Smith & Nephew, Inc.	SANTYL	collagenase	Ointment	101995	06/04/1965		2031-11-08