# US 10,816,546 B2 · Binding a target substance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,816,546 B2 - Document ID: US10816546B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/810,216 - Filed: 2015-07-27 - Published: 2015-11-19 - Granted: 2020-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2002-07-01 - Assignees: Sinvent AS - Applicants: Sinvent AS - Inventors: Lars Kilaas; Anne Dalager Dyrli; Vidar Skagestad - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10816546B2 ## CPC - G01N 33/54393: {Improving reaction conditions or stability, e.g. by coating or irradiation of surface, by reduction of non-specific binding, by promotion of specific binding} - C12N 15/1013: {by using magnetic beads} - G01N 33/54326: {Magnetic particles} - G01N 33/54333: {Modification of conditions of immunological binding reaction, e.g. use of more than one type of particle, use of chemical agents to improve binding, choice of incubation time or application of magnetic field during binding reaction} - H01F 1/11: in the form of particles {(for magnetic record carriers G11B5/70626)} - Y10T 428/2982: Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.] - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Magnetic particles capable of binding a target substance, which comprise a magnetic material and a matrix material, wherein the magnetic material is remanent upon exposure to a magnetic field and the matrix material has a surface comprising functional groups which promote disaggregation of the particles in the presence of a liquid phase. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for separating a target substance from a sample containing the target substance, the process comprising: (a) providing magnetic beads in a liquid, wherein each magnetic bead includes a magnetic material coated with a matrix material, the matrix material having an affinity for the target substance and having a surface comprising hydrophilic functional groups which promote disaggregation of the magnetic beads in the liquid, the magnetic material including one or more magnetic particles comprising ferrimagnetic, metal oxide and having a length or diameter of about 100 nm to 300 nm, and wherein the magnetic beads form aggregates due to remanent magnetization in the absence of a magnetic field; (b) disrupting the aggregates by an external force to form a dispersion of the magnetic beads suspended in the liquid; (c) contacting the dispersion of the magnetic beads with the sample containing the target substance to allow the target substance to bind to the magnetic beads; and (d) extracting the magnetic beads bound to the target substance from the sample by applying a magnetic field to thereby separate the target substance from the sample. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein disrupting the aggregates comprises mechanical disruption selected from pipetting, stirring, vortexing, shaking, sonication and UV disruption. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the target substance is a cell, a microorganism, a protein, a metal, an organic compound, or a nucleic acid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the sample comprises unfractionated nucleic acid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the target substance is a contaminant which is depleted from the sample. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the ferrimagnetic metal oxide comprises ferrimagnetic magnetite. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is an aqueous liquid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the matrix material comprises an affinant for binding the target substance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The process according to claim 8, wherein the affinant is capable of binding a cell, a protein, a vims or a prion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The process according to claim 9, wherein the cell or protein is microbial. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The process according to claim 8, wherein the affinant comprises an antibody, a binding protein, a fragment of an antibody or binding protein, or a ligand. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The process according to claim 11, wherein the affinant comprises a binding protein which comprises an avidin for binding to a target substance which, is biotinylated, or the affinant comprises biotin and the target substance is avidinylated. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The process according to claim 11, wherein the affinant comprises a ligand which comprises an oligonucleotide or a metal chelate specific for the target substance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The process according to claim 8, wherein the target substance comprises a metal and the affinant comprises a chelator for the metal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the matrix material is an organic polymer or a silica-based polymer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the matrix material is an organic polymer, the magnetic particles are 200-300 nm in length or diameter, and the magnetic beads are 0.7-6 μm in sizes.