Virus filter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10005044-B2
Application number	US-201414766844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2014
Priority date	Feb 25, 2013
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a virus filter membrane which can be used for the removal of virus particles including parvovirus. The invention further relates to a method for producing the membrane. The membrane comprises polyacrylonitrile and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A porous hollow fiber membrane having a homogeneous sponge-like structure free of macrovoids having a largest dimension of more than 5 μm, the membrane comprising:
75-85 wt % of polyacrylonitrile and 15-25 wt % of polyvinylpyrrolidone, relative to the total weight of the membrane, wherein the polyvinylpyrrolidone has a weight average molecular weight in the range of from 1,000 to 2,000 kDa, wherein the membrane is prepared from a polymer solution comprising, relative to the total weight of the polymer solution, from 8 to 12 wt % of polyacrylonitrile and from 2 to less than 6 wt % of polyvinylpyrrolidone, and the membrane has a sieving coefficient for IgG, determined by dead-end filtration of a solution of 15.0 g/l IgG in PBS buffer at 25° C., of greater than 0.9, and a Gold Particle Retention (GPR) value for 20 nm gold particles, measured at 25° C., of greater than 1.7.

2. The membrane of claim 1 , having a hydraulic permeability, measured at 37° C., of from 8·10 −4 to 15·10 4 cm 3 /(cm 2 ·bar·sec).

3. The membrane of claim 1 , having a hydraulic permeability, measured at 37° C., of from 20·10 −4 to 40·10 −4 cm 3 /(cm 2 ·bar·sec).

4. The membrane of claim 1 , having an inner diameter of from 300 to 400 μm; a wall thickness from 40 to 85 μm; and a burst pressure of at least 5 bar(g).

5. A continuous solvent phase inversion spinning process for preparing a porous hollow fiber membrane, the process comprising:
dissolving at least one polyacrylonitrile and at least one polyvinylpyrrolidone in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone to form a polymer solution;
extruding the polymer solution through an outer ring slit of a nozzle with two concentric openings into a precipitation bath;
simultaneously extruding a center fluid through the inner opening of the nozzle;
washing the membrane obtained; and
subsequently drying the membrane;
wherein the polymer solution comprises, relative to the total weight of the polymer solution, from 8 to 12 wt % of polyacrylonitrile and from 2 to less than 6 wt % of polyvinylpyrrolidone having a weight average molecular weight in the range of from 1,000 to 2,000 kDa.

6. The process of claim 5 , wherein the polymer solution has a viscosity, measured according to DIN EN ISO 1628-1 at 22° C., in the range of from 50,000 to 140,000 mPa·s.

7. The process of claim 5 , wherein the center fluid comprises 20 to 40 wt % of water and 60 to 80 wt % of NMP, relative to the total weight of the center fluid.

8. The process of claim 5 , wherein the precipitation bath comprises 20 to 40 wt % of water and 60 to 80 wt % of NMP, relative to the total weight of the precipitation bath.

9. The process of claim 5 , wherein the temperature of the spinneret is in the range of from 25 to 50° C.

10. The process of claim 5 , wherein the membrane is spun at a speed of from 5 to 10 m/min.

11. The process of claim 5 , wherein the membrane is sterilized with beta radiation or electron beam at from 25 to 50 kGy subsequently to drying.

12. A diffusion and/or filtration device comprising a membrane according to claim 1 , or a membrane prepared according to claim 5 .

13. A method of using a membrane according to claim 1 , or a membrane prepared according to claim 5 , the method comprising:
filtration of a liquid through the membrane for removing virus particles from the liquid.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the filtration is tangential-flow filtration.

15. A diffusion and/or filtration device comprising a plurality of membranes according to claim 1 .

16. A diffusion and/or filtration device comprising a plurality of membranes prepared according to claim 5 .

Assignees

• Gambro Lundia Ab

Inventors

• Hornung Markus
• Krause Bernd
• Geckeler Johannes
• Schweiger Ferdinand
• Dutczak Szymon
• Beiter Simon

Classifications

• B01D61/14

  Ultrafiltration; Microfiltration · CPC title

• B01D69/081

  characterised by the fibre diameter · CPC title

• B01D2325/04

  Characteristic thickness · CPC title

• B01D69/088

  Co-extrusion; Co-spinning · CPC title

• B01D2321/34

  by radiation · CPC title