Title:  Method for treating hemophilia A and B and AIDS and devices used therein

United States Patent:  6,174,299

Appl. No.:  205964

The present invention provides a method for treating Hemophilia A or B which comprises implanting in fluid communication with the bloodstream of a mammal in need of such treatment a permeable membrane having one or more walls, a hollow chamber therewithin, a plurality of holes extending through the walls of the membrane and permitting fluid to enter and exit the chamber of the membrane, each of the holes being sized so that it is large enough to permit inactive Factor VII to enter the chamber of the membrane and activated Factor VIIa to exit the chamber of the membrane but small enough to prevent fibrinogen from entering the chamber of the membrane, a plurality of supports being disposed within the chamber, and an effective amount of a Factor VII activator or a source of the activator being bound to the supports, wherein inactive Factor VII in blood passing through the membrane becomes activated into Factor VIIa upon contact with the activator within the chamber. The present invention also provides a method for treating Hemophilia A or B extracorporeally. The present invention further provides methods for treating AIDS as well as permeable membranes for use in the methods above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method for treating Hemophilia A or B which comprises implanting in fluid communication with the bloodstream of a mammal in need of such treatment a permeable membrane having one or more walls, a hollow chamber therewithin, a plurality of holes extending through the walls of the membrane and permitting fluid to enter and exit the chamber of the membrane, each of the holes being sized so that it is large enough to permit inactive Factor VII to enter the chamber of the membrane and activated Factor VIIa to exit the chamber of the membrane but small enough to prevent fibrinogen from entering the chamber of the membrane, a plurality of supports being disposed within the chamber, and an effective amount of a Factor VII activator or a source of the activator being bound to the supports, wherein inactive Factor VII in blood passing through the membrane becomes activated into Factor VIIa upon contact with the activator within the chamber.

The present invention also provides a method for treating Hemophilia A or B which comprises circulating extracorporeally blood from a mammal in need of such treatment through a permeable membrane having one or more walls, a hollow chamber therewithin, a plurality of holes extending through the walls of the membrane and permitting fluid to enter and exit the chamber of the membrane, each of the holes being sized so that it is large enough to permit inactive Factor VII to enter the chamber of the membrane and activated Factor VIIa to exit the chamber of the membrane but small enough to prevent fibrinogen from entering the chamber of the membrane, a plurality of supports being disposed within the chamber, and an effective amount of a Factor VII activator or a source of the activator being bound to the supports, wherein inactive Factor VII in blood passing through the membrane becomes activated into Factor VIIa upon contact with the activator within the chamber.

The present invention further provides a permeable membrane having one or more walls, a hollow chamber therewithin, and a plurality of holes extending through the walls of the membrane and permitting fluid to enter and exit the chamber of the membrane, each of the holes being sized so that it is large enough to permit inactive Factor VII to enter the chamber of the membrane and activated Factor VIIa to exit the chamber of the membrane but small enough to prevent fibrinogen from entering the chamber of the membrane, a plurality of supports being disposed within the chamber, and an effective amount of a Factor VII activator or a source of the activator being bound to the supports, the Factor VII activator activating inactive Factor VII in blood passing through the membrane into Factor VIIa upon contact with the inactive Factor VII within the chamber.

In addition, the present invention provides a method for preventing AIDS which comprises implanting in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus a permeable membrane having one or more walls, a hollow chamber therewithin, a plurality of holes extending through the walls of the membrane and permitting fluid to enter and exit the chamber of the membrane, each of the holes being sized so that it is large enough to permit HIV virions to enter the chamber of the membrane but small enough to prevent cells containing CD4 receptors from entering or exiting the chamber of the membrane, a plurality of supports being disposed within the chamber, and an effective amount of CD4 molecules being bound to the supports, wherein HIV virions in blood passing through the membrane bind to the CD4 molecules within the chamber and do not exit the chamber.

The present invention also provides a method for preventing AIDS which comprises administering orally to a patient with human immunodeficiency virus a permeable membrane having one or more walls, a hollow chamber therewithin, a plurality of holes extending through the walls of the membrane and permitting fluid to enter and exit the chamber of the membrane, each of the holes being( sized so that it is large enough to permit HIV virions to enter the chamber of the membrane but small enough to prevent cells containing CD4 receptors from entering or exiting the chamber of the membrane, a plurality of supports being disposed within the chamber, and an effective amount of CD4 molecules being bound to the supports, wherein HIV virions in blood passing through the membrane bind to the CD4 molecules within the chamber and do not exit the chamber.

The present invention further provides a method for preventing AIDS which comprises circulating extracorporeally blood from a patient with human immunodeficiency virus through a permeable membrane having one or more walls, a hollow chamber therewithin, a plurality of holes extending through the walls of the membrane and permitting fluid to enter and exit the chamber of the membrane,, each of the holes being sized so that it is large enough to permit HIV virions to enter the chamber of the membrane but small enough to prevent cells containing CD4 receptors from entering or exiting the chamber of the membrane, a plurality of supports being disposed within the chamber, and an effective amount of CD4 molecules being bound to the supports, wherein HIV virions in blood passing through the membrane bind to the CD4 molecules within the chamber and do not exit the chamber.

Lastly, the present invention provides a permeable membrane having one or more walls, a hollow chamber therewithin, and a plurality of holes extending through the walls of the membrane and permitting fluid to enter and exit the chamber of the membrane, each of the holes being sized so that it is large enough to permit virions associated with a virus to enter the chamber of the membrane but small enough to prevent substances capable of binding to virions from entering or exiting the chamber of the membrane, a plurality of supports being disposed within the chamber, and an effective amount of a substance being bound to the supports, the substance capable of binding to the virions when placed in contact therewith within the chamber thereby preventing such virions from exiting the chamber.

Claim 1 of 28 Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for preventing AIDS, which comprises: implanting in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus a permeable membrane having one or more walls defining a hollow chamber therewithin; a plurality of holes extending through the walls of the membrane and permitting fluid to enter and exit the chamber of the membrane, each of the holes being sized so that it is large enough to permit HIV virions to enter the chamber of the membrane but small enough to prevent cells containing CD4 receptors from entering or exiting the chamber of the membrane; a plurality of supports disposed within the chamber; and an effective amount of CD4 molecules bound to the supports, wherein HIV virions in blood passing through the membrane bind to the CD4 molecules within the chamber and do not exit the chamber.

____________________________________________
If you want to learn more about this patent, please go directly to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Web site to access the full patent.