Purification systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11433401-B2
Application number	US-202017091481-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2020
Priority date	Oct 31, 2016
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A purification system and method may include a container receiving portion, pump, and magnetic field generating element. The container receiving portion may be configured to receive and support a container containing a mixture. Magnetic beads may be added to the container for separating a target substance from a remainder of the mixture. The magnetic field generating element may be movable relative to the container receiving portion between a non-working position remote from the container receiving portion and a working position adjacent an outer periphery of the container receiving portion. In the working position, the magnetic field generating element may attract the magnetic beads and hold them firmly against an interior surface of the container. While the magnetic beads are immobilized by the magnetic field generating element, the pump may remove the mixture from the container, leaving behind the magnetic beads bound tightly but reversibly to the target substance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A purification method comprising:
adding a mixture including a target substance to a container;
adding magnetic beads to the container;
separating the target substance from a remainder of the mixture with the magnetic beads, wherein the target substance temporarily binds to the magnetic beads;
moving magnetic field generating elements concurrently toward the container to apply a magnetic field to hold the magnetic beads against an interior surface of the container; and
removing the mixture from the container while the magnetic field holds the magnetic beads against the interior surface of the container.

2. The purification method of claim 1 , comprising adding a washing fluid to the container after removing the mixture from the container, and subsequently removing the washing fluid from the container while the magnetic field holds the magnetic beads against the interior surface of the container.

3. The purification method of claim 2 , comprising removing the magnetic field after adding the washing fluid to the container so that the magnetic beads are free to disperse in the washing fluid, and subsequently re-applying the magnetic field to hold the magnetic beads against the interior surface of the container during removal of the washing fluid from the container.

4. The purification method of claim 1 , comprising adding an eluent to the container after removing the mixture from the container to elute the target substance bound to the magnetic beads, and subsequently removing the eluent and the target substance from the container while the magnetic field holds the magnetic beads against the interior surface of the container, and comprising removing the magnetic field after adding the eluent to the container so that the magnetic beads are free to disperse in the eluent, and subsequently re-applying the magnetic field to hold the magnetic beads against the interior surface of the container during removal of the eluent from the container.

5. The purification method of claim 1 , wherein removing the mixture from the container comprises aspirating the mixture from the container via an automated pump.

6. The purification method of claim 1 , wherein moving magnetic field generating elements concurrently toward the container to apply a magnetic field to hold the magnetic beads against an interior surface of the container comprises activating an actuator to move at least one magnetic field generating element from a first position remote from the container to a second position adjacent an exterior surface of the container.

7. The purification method of claim 6 , wherein the actuator includes a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder configured to move the at least one magnetic field generating element between the first position and the second position, and wherein the container has an open end and a closed end and a longitudinal axis extending between the open end and the closed end, and wherein the actuator is configured to move the at least one magnetic field generating element in a direction non-parallel to the longitudinal axis when moving the at least one magnetic field generating element from the first position to the second position.

8. The purification method of claim 1 , wherein moving magnetic field generating elements concurrently toward the container to apply the magnetic field to hold the magnetic beads against the interior surface of the container comprises arranging a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet on opposite sides of the container.

9. The purification method of claim 1 , wherein moving magnetic field generating elements concurrently toward the container to apply the magnetic field to hold the magnetic beads against the interior surface of the container comprises arranging a plurality of permanent magnets around a perimeter of the container at equally spaced intervals.

10. The purification method of claim 9 , wherein each permanent magnet of the plurality of permanent magnets has a maximum magnetic pull force equal to or greater than 100 N.

11. The purification method of claim 1 , wherein the target substance is a biomolecule or the container has a volume equal to or greater than 0.5 L.

12. A purification method comprising:
adding a mixture including a target substance to a first container;
adding magnetic beads to the first container;
separating the target substance from a remainder of the mixture in the first container with the magnetic beads, wherein the target substance temporarily binds to the magnetic beads;
transferring a first volume of the mixture and a first quantity of the magnetic beads from the first container to a second container, wherein a volume of the second container is less than a volume of the first container;
applying a magnetic field to hold the first quantity of the magnetic beads against an interior surface of the second container;
removing the first volume of the mixture from the second container while the magnetic field holds the first quantity of the magnetic beads against the interior surface of the second container;
transferring a second volume of the mixture and a second quantity of the magnetic beads from the first container to the second container; and
removing the second volume of the mixture from the second container while the magnetic field holds the first and second quantities of the magnetic beads against the interior surface of the second container.

13. The purification method of claim 12 , wherein removing the first volume of the mixture from the second container comprises removing the first volume of the mixture from the second container while simultaneously transferring the second volume of the mixture and the second quantity of the magnetic beads from the first container to the second container.

14. The purification method of claim 13 , comprising
(a) adding a washing fluid to the second container after removing the second volume of the mixture from the second container, and subsequently removing the washing fluid from the second container while the magnetic field holds the first and second quantities of the magnetic beads against the interior surface of the second container, or
(b) removing the magnetic field after adding the washing fluid to the second container so that the first and second quantities of magnetic beads are free to disperse in the washing fluid, and subsequently re-applying the magnetic field to hold the first and second quantities of magnetic beads against the interior surface of the second container during removal of the washing fluid from the second container.

15. The purification method of claim 12 , comprising
(a) adding an eluent to the second container after removing the second volume of the mixture from the second container to elute the target substance bound to the first and second quantities of magnetic beads, and subsequently removing the eluent and the target substance from the second container while the magnetic field holds the first and second quantities of magnetic beads against the interior surface of the second container, or
(b) removing the magnetic field after adding the eluent to the second container so that the first and second quantities of the magnetic beads are free to disperse in the eluent, and subsequently re-applying the magnetic field to hold the first and second quantities of the magnetic beads against the interior surface of the second container during removal of the eluent and the target substance from the second container.

16. The purification method of claim 12 , wherein transferring the first volume of the mixture and the first quantity of the magnetic be

Assignees

• Amgen Inc

Inventors

• Schulz Craig Michael
• Provchy Justin James
• Kawooya John Kasajja

Classifications

• G01N33/54326 Primary

  Magnetic particles · CPC title

• B03C1/01 Primary

  by addition of magnetic adjuvants · CPC title

• B03C1/30

  Combinations with other devices, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B03C1/284

  with associated cleaning means, e.g. retractable non-magnetic sleeve · CPC title

• B03C1/288 Primary

  disposed at the outer circumference of a recipient · CPC title