Islet Technology, Inc.

Stephen E Walsh

Monte R Canfield

Nancy J Drake

A method and system for the effective and consistent encapsulation of viable (i.e., living or physiologically active) biological material (preferably, pancreatic islets also known as islets of Langerhans) with a polymeric material (preferably, a biocompatible semipermeable alginate) to form a gelled capsule, which preferably can be transplanted into genetically dissimilar hosts. The method includes an electrostatic mixing process for producing encapsulated cell clusters with at least two polymeric coatings, and the system includes an improved spinning disk atomizer. In an embodiment, biological material is encapsulated in a first alginate layer, the resultant capsules are suspended in a liquid carrier medium such as a saline solution, an electrostatic charge is applied to the carrier medium which is then introduced into an alginate solution, and the resultant suspension is atomized and gelled to form a second alginate layer.

System and method for encapsulating biological material by applying electrostatic charge to capsules

An organ containment shipping system has an outer container adapted to receive a passive cooling medium and an inner container adapted to receive an organ to be transported in a preservation medium. The inner container is positioned within the outer container by structure that includes a gimbal mechanism to substantially maintain the inner container in a predefined orientation in the event of a change of orientation of the outer container. Preferably, the preservation medium is a dual-layer preservation liquid having a bottom oxygen carrying layer and a top layer and the inner container include a perforated plate positioned in the inner container above a level of the bottom layer to prevent the organ from rising in the preservation medium. In one embodiment, the organ containment shipping system includes a system for regulating a level of the preservation medium relative to the organ and a system for regulating a temperature of the organ relative to the cooling medium.

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North Oaks, MN, United States of America

Stephen E Walsh