Dialyzer, liposome producing apparatus, and liposome producing method

A dialyzed liposome liquid producing method comprising:

• a. providing a liposome liquid producing apparatus including a production section, a dialyzer, a collection section, a dialysate supply section, a waste liquid container, and a waste liquid treating filter;
• b. continuously producing a liposome liquid containing liposomes in the production section;
• c. dialyzing the produced liposome liquid by the dialyzer while supplying dialysate to the dialyzer by the dialysate supply section;
• d. collecting the dialyzed liposome liquid in the collection section;
• and
• e. collecting in the waste liquid container the dialysate that had passed through the dialyzer;
• f. wherein the dialyzer includes:
• i. a hollow fiber dialysis column including a hollow fiber membrane, a first flow channel that has a first inlet and a first outlet and that allows a dialysis target as the liposome liquid to flow internally of the hollow fiber membrane from the first inlet to the first outlet of the first flow channel, and a second flow channel that has a second inlet and a second outlet and that allows the dialysate to flow externally of the hollow fiber membrane from the second inlet to the second outlet of the second flow channel;
• ii. a liquid tubing section configured to tube the dialysis target to the first inlet of the first flow channel;
• and
• iii. a flow rate changing section capable of changing a flow rate of the dialysis target at the dialysis target flowing out of the first outlet of the first flow channel,
• g. the flow rate changing section is a first pump that is disposed downstream of the first outlet of the first flow channel, that is connected to the first outlet of the first flow channel through a tube, and that tubes the dialysis target flowing out of the first outlet of the first flow channel downstream at a predetermined flow rate,
• iv. the production section is connected to the first inlet via a tube,
• v. the collection section is connected to the first outlet,
• vi. the dialysate supply section is connected to the second inlet,
• vii. the waste liquid container is connected to the second outlet, and
• viii. the production section includes
• (1) a first tank in which a lipid solution is produced by dissolving a raw material in a solvent,
• (2) a second tank in which a liposome preparation liquid is produced from the lipid solution, and
• (3) a third tank for cooling the liposome preparation liquid to produce the liposome liquid,
• h. the waste liquid container is connected to the second outlet of the second flow channel of the hollow fiber dialysis column through a pipe in which the dialysate flows, and is disposed at a lower level than the hollow fiber dialysis column, and
• ix. when the waste liquid treating filter is not disposed at the second outlet of the second flow channel, a negative pressure of the dialysate in the pipe is applied to the hollow fiber dialysis column to reduce an internal pressure of the hollow fiber dialysis column, where the second flow channel outlet and first flow channel outlet each have a negative pressure, and
• x. when the waste liquid treating filter is disposed at the second outlet of the second flow channel, the negative pressure of the dialysate in the pipe is released, which causes an internal pressure of the hollow fiber dialysis column to increase, thereby increasing dialysis efficiency,
• i. wherein the liquid tubing section of the dialyzer is constituted by a second pump,
• j. a third pump causes the dialysate to flow in the second flow channel of the hollow fiber dialysis column in the dialyzer, and
• k. in the dialyzing the produced liposome liquid, the first and second pumps are controlled such that the liposome liquid flowing out of the first outlet of the first flow channel has a predetermined concentration in a state in which the second pump causes the liposome liquid to flow in the first flow channel and the third pump causes the dialysate to flow in the second flow channel.