New York Blood Center, Inc.

Other

Ehud Ben-Hur

Bernard Horowitz

Henrietta Margolis-Nunno

Shanti B Rywkin

Maria M Zuk

Sara Lustigman

Zvi Malik

Wai-Shun Chan

Paul Gottlieb

Robert A Preti

Jan F Keij

Disclosed is an improved process for irradiating cell-containing compositions, especially, red cell-containing compositions, wherein vitamin E or a derivative thereof is added to the cell-containing composition prior to, during or after such irradiation. Addition of vitamin E or a derivative thereof is protective of cells in such compositions, but not of virus. Cells irradiated using the inventive process show a reduced leakage of K from cells and also a reduced loss of negative charges from the cell membrane compared to cells subjected to the similar process wherein vitamin E or a derivative thereof are not used. In addition, red blood cells sterilized by this process are better preserved during storage and their life-time in the circulation in vivo is greatly enhanced.

Vitamin E and derivatives thereof prevent potassium ion leakage and other types of damage in red cells that are virus sterilized by phthalocyanines and light

The present invention concerns a process for inactivating extracellular and intracellular virus in a biological composition without incurring substantial disruption or inactivation thereof, said process comprising subjecting said composition to a virucidally effective amount of UVA1 irradiation substantially in the absence of UVA2 irradiation for a period of time sufficient to thereby inactivate said virus while retaining functionality of said composition. The biological composition is advantageously a product that contains red blood cells or platelets. The process is advantageously carried out in the presence of an irradiation sensitizer compound and/or a quencher. The present invention also concerns the product substantially identical to that produced by the inventive process.

Process for the sterilization of biological compositions and the product produced thereby

The present invention provides a method for removing hair from a selected skin area comprising the steps of (a) applying a liposome composition comprising a photosensitizer to the selected skin area so that the composition is introduced into hair follicle ducts of the skin area, wherein the photosensitizer is present in the composition in an amount effective to undergo a reaction and damage the hair follicles upon application to the skin area of light at an appropriate wavelength, energy and duration to penetrate the skin and activate the photosensitizer; (b) removing from the skin area substantially all of the liposome composition which is not introduced into the hair follicle ducts; and (c) applying light to the skin area at an appropriate wavelength, energy and duration to penetrate the skin and cause the photosensitizer to undergo a reaction to damage the hair follicles. The present invention also provides a composition useful for hair removal.

Method and composition for hair removal

The present invention provides a method for treating a viral infection in a subject in need of such treatment comprising administering to the subject a photosensitizer formulated in a liposome carrier, and exposing the subject to light at a wavelength 20-40 nm greater than the maximum absorption of the photosensitizer at a sufficient dose and duration to treat the viral infection in the subject. The present invention also provides a method for treating a viral infection in a subject in need of such treatment comprising administering to the subject (i) a photosensitizer formulated in a liposome carrier and (ii) at least one quencher, and exposing the subject to light at a sufficient wavelength, dose and duration to treat the viral infection in the subject.

Methods for treating viral infections

The present invention provides a method for treating a viral infection in a subject. The method comprises administering to the subject an amount of 5-aminolevulinic acid to cause virus-infected cells to accumulate protoporphyrin in amounts such that upon application of a sufficient dose of red light, the virus-infected, protoporphyrin-accumulated cells will be destroyed; and applying a sufficient dose of red light to the virus-infected, protoporphyrin-accumulated cells to destroy the virus-infected, protoporphyrin-accumulated cells.

Method for treating viral infections

The present invention provides a method for photoinactivating malignant cells in a cell sample. The method comprises incubating the cell sample with a concentration of Pc 4 effective to cause a substantial number of the malignant cells contained in the cell sample to absorb Pc 4 such that upon application of a sufficient dose of red light, the Pc 4 absorbed malignant cells will be photoinactivated; and applying a sufficient dose of red light to the cell sample to photoinactivate the Pc 4 absorbed malignant cells contained in the cell sample.

Method for photoinactivating malignant cells

Viral inactivation treatment of red blood cells using phthalocyanines

The present invention concerns a process for inactivating extracellular and intracellular virus in a biological composition without incurring substantial disruption or inactivation thereof, said process comprising subjecting said composition to a virucidally effective amount of UVA1 irradiation substantially in the absence of UVA2 irradition for a period of time sufficient to thereby inactivate said virus while retaining functionality of said composition. The biological composition is advantageously a product that contains red blood cells or platelets. The process is advantageously carried out in the presence of an irradiation sensitizer compound and/or a quencher. The present invention also concerns the product substantially identical to that produced bythe inventive process.

Process for the sterilization of biological compositions and the product

An improved process is disclosed for photodynamically inactivating viruses in red blood cell containing compositions by adding vitamin E or a derivative thereof, such as Trolox, to the red blood cell and photosensitizer containing composition prior to irradiation. Addition of vitamin E or derivative thereof is protective of the red blood cells but not the viruses to be inactivated. Cells irradiated in this manner exhibit reduced leakage of potassium ion, and reduced loss of negative charges from the cell membrane compared to cells treated in the absence of vitamin E or derivative. Red blood cells sterilized by this method are better preserved during storage and their life-time in the circulation in vivo is enhanced.

Vitamin E and derivatives thereof prevent potassium ion leakage and

The present invention provides methods for reducing the level of infectious virus contained in red blood cell compositions. The methods comprise the steps of contacting the composition with a photosensitizer formulated in a liposome carrier, and exposing the composition to light at a sufficient wavelength, dose and duration to reduce the level of infectious virus contained in the composition. In the methods of the present invention, a quencher, either alone or formulated in a liposome carrier, also may be added to the red blood cell composition before application of light. The present invention also provides compositions containing photosensitizers formulated in specific liposome carriers, as well as quenchers formulated in liposome carriers, for use in the methods of the present invention.

Method for viral inactivation and compositions for use in same

Methods of use of phthalocyanines to inactivate blood borne parasites

This invention relates to a method for inactivating parasites in blood cell-containing compositions by incubating a mixture of the blood cell-containing composition, a phthalocyanine dye and a quencher and optionally irradiating this mixture with red light. This invention further relates to a method of sterilizing blood cell-containing compositions which contain lipid enveloped viruses and blood borne parasites.

The present invention provides a method for treating a viral infection in a subject. The method comprises administering to the subject an amount of 5-aminolevulinic acid and an iron-chelating agent to cause virus-infected cells to accumulate protoporphyrin in amounts such that upon application of a sufficient dose of red light, the virus-infected, protoporphyrin-accumulated cells will be destroyed; and applying a sufficient dose of red light to the virus-infected, protoporphyrin-accumulated cells to destroy the virus-infected, protoporphyrin-accumulated cells.

Growing community of inventors

New York, NY, United States of America

Ehud Ben-Hur