Orbital Biosciences, LLC

W. R. Grace Co.

Amicon Ltd.

Basil Yankopoulos

William F Bowers

Scott P Fulton

Timothy Towle

Lewis Zediana, Jr

An ultrafiltration device has a ported reservoir body, and a filter membrane sealed to the body along a closed contour surrounding the port(s) to provide a large area filtered outflow path. A frusto-conical end provides hydrostatic deadstopping with little or no wicking, greatly enhancing recovery time and efficiency. Methods of using the device rapidly isolate a predetermined amount of a desired retentate in the distal portion of the tube, and are also useful for quantitative transfer of smaller molecules and for multi-step processing of sample arrays Linear array strips of such chambers may be formed by bonding together mating halves with filter areas over the chamber ports. The vessel may include a rib to guide and orient filter during assembly, and/or a ledge or recess to engage and align the filter, assuring that the filter is precisely positioned and does not wander during manufacture and bonding. The vessels have a high filter area to volume ratio, maintain open filter surfaces and high rates of filtration throughout the spin, and are fully compatible with robotic loading, multistage operation and in situ multiwell plate filtrate and/or retentate assay or transfer. Attachment of the filter may be effected by heat welding. Preferably the vessel and filter are positioned between a press member and a heat sink and a superheated tool contacts the press member to selectively deliver a defined bolus of heat to the weld areas.

Ultrafiltration device and method of forming same

An ultrafiltration device has a filter membrane sealed inside a reservoir body that has one or more ports and a closed portion distal to the port(s), and the filter membrane is sealed to the body along a closed contour widely surrounding the port(s) to provide a large area filtered outflow path. The method is effective to rapidly isolate a predetermined amount of a desired retentate in the distal portion and is also useful for quantitative transfer of smaller molecules and for multi-step processing of sample arrays. A frusto-conical peripheral filter provides high ratio of effective filter area, and may be configured for hydrostatic deadstopping and little or no wicking, greatly enhancing recovery time and efficiency. Novel constructions and methods of manufacture enhance filtration or separation vessels of various sizes.

A reusable microconcentrator device may be disassembled, cleaned and reassembled before use. The microconcentrator device of the invention is typically useful in filtering and separating small samples of solutions and suspensions. The microconcentrator device of the invention includes an elongate sample sleeve, a base element which can be removable and replaceably coupled to a centrifugal portion of the sleeve, a compliant membrane compressing feature, and a disposable membrane. Preferably, the base element includes an O-ring which compresses the membrane to seal it to the centrifugal surface of an annular ledge portion of the sleeve, which also forms a deadstop. Among the advantages of the microconcentrator device of the invention is that a reliable retentate volume remains following filtration. The elements of the microcentrator device can also be permanently assembled to one another.

Microconcentrator device

Compound comprising agarose covalently bonded to amino phenyl boronic acid through a substituted triazine and an intermediate compound comprising substituted triazine bonded to amino phenyl boronic acid.

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Peabody, MA, United States of America

Basil Yankopoulos