Adsorbing pathogen-inactivating compounds with porous particles immobilized in a matrix

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for reducing the concentration of low molecular weight compounds in a biological composition containing cells while substantially maintaining a desired biological activity of the biological composition. The device comprises highly porous adsorbent particles, and the adsorbent particles are immobilized by an inert matrix. The matrix containing the particles is contained in a housing, and the particles range in diameter from about 100 μm to about 1500 μm. The device can be used to adsorb and remove a pathogen-inactivating compounds from a biological composition such as a blood product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pathogen-inactivating compound adsorption system for reducing the concentration of a low molecular weight pathogen-inactivating compound in an aqueous biological composition containing cellular elements, wherein the pathogen-inactivating compound adsorption system comprises a housing compatible with the biological composition containing an adsorption medium comprising porous adsorbent particles immobilized within a sintered matrix formed from polymeric particulate material, wherein the diameter of the adsorbent particles ranges from about 100 μm to about 1500 μm, wherein the adsorbent particles have an affinity for said pathogen-inactivating compound, wherein the system is configured to remove said pathogen-inactivating compound from said biological composition in a batch process, and wherein the system is configured so that the cellular elements in the biological composition treated with the system maintain sufficient biological activity so that said biological composition is suitable for infusion within a human, the system further comprising a particle retention medium downstream of the adsorption medium, wherein said particle retention medium retains particles shed from said adsorption medium. 
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous adsorbent particles have a surface area greater than about 750 m 2 /g, and the porous adsorbent particles are between 25 and 85 percent of the weight of the adsorption medium. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 2 , wherein the porous adsorbent particles are between 50 and 80 percent of the weight of the adsorption medium, and the adsorption medium has a particle loading of between 100 and 500 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 3 , wherein the adsorption medium has a particle loading of between 250 and 350 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the matrix contains said porous adsorbent particles. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 5 , wherein the porous adsorbent particles comprise a synthetic polymeric adsorbent having a porous network structure and having a surface area greater than about 750 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 5 , wherein the porous adsorbent particles comprise activated carbon. 
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 6 , wherein the porous adsorbent particles comprise a polyaromatic resin. 
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 8 , wherein said resin has a pore size between about 25 and 800 Å. 
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein said resin has a pore size between about 25 and 150 Å. 
     
     
         11 . A system according to  claim 6 , wherein the porous adsorbent particles do not require prewetting before use. 
     
     
         12 . A system according to  claim 6 , wherein the porous adsorbent particles comprise a hypercrosslinked resin. 
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 7 , wherein the porous adsorbent particles comprise activated carbon having a surface area between about 1000 and 3000 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein the activated carbon is derived from a synthetic source and at least about 50% of pores of the activated carbon particles have a diameter less than about 20 Å. 
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 6 , wherein the diameter of the porous adsorbent particles is between about 300 and 900 μm. 
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 7 , wherein the diameter of the porous adsorbent particles is between about 300 and 900 μm. 
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pathogen inactivating compound comprises a nucleic acid-binding compound. 
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 17 , wherein the nucleic acid-binding compound comprises a psoralen derivative. 
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 17 , wherein the nucleic acid-binding compound comprises an acridine derivative. 
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 17 , wherein the nucleic acid-binding compound comprises a dye.