Baxter International Inc.

Norma J Ofsthun

Paul J Soltys

Gretchen A Kunas

Richard I Brown

Robin Gail Pauley

Lee W Henderson

The present invention provides an improved affinity membrane device and method for the effective removal of target molecules in plasma. The affinity membrane device is designed for use in an extracorporeal blood circuit and can be employed concurrently with other therapeutic processes for the purification of blood. The device of the present invention consists of hollow fiber membranes having specified dimensions and transfer properties, ligand immobilized to the pore surface of the hollow fibers, and a housing to encase the hollow fibers and allow appropriate entry and exit of the blood. In a preferred embodiment, specific immobilization chemistries are utilized to attach the ligands to the hollow fibers for optimal function.

Affinity membrane system and method of using same

The invention provides dual-skinned membranes useful as one way or rectifying membranes which reduce back filtration of solute molecules in dialysis and which improve nutrient supply and product recovery in membrane bioreactors. The membranes are dual-skinned polymeric materials preferably in the form of hollow fibers. The membranes have skins of polymer on the opposite sides with differing permeability to solutes and sieving coefficient characteristics. The skin on each side have pores that are invisible at 10,000 times magnification, the microporous structure between said skins contains pores capable of retaining solutes in a molecular weight range of about 5000 to 200000 in an increased concentration between the interior and the exterior skins. Improved dialysis devices are formed by using bundles of the hollow fiber membranes as a dialysis means having rectifying properties.

Rectifying dialyzer, bioreactor and membrane

Dual-skinned membranes are provided useful as one-way or rectifying membranes which reduce back filtration of solute molecules in dialysis and which improve nutrient supply and product recovery in membrane bioreactors. The membranes are dual-skinned polymeric materials preferably in the form of hollow fibers. The membranes have skins of polymer on the opposite sides with differing permeability to solutes and sieving coefficient characteristics. The skin on each side have pores that are invisible at 10,000 times magnification. A microporous structure between the skins contains pores capable of retaining solutes in a molecular weight range of about 5000 to 200,000 in an increased concentration between the interior and the exterior skins. Improved dialysis devices are formed by using bundles of the hollow fiber membranes as a dialysis member having rectifying properties.

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Rolling Meadows, IL, United States of America

Norma J Ofsthun