# US 2014/0154666 A1 · Erythrocyte Preservation Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154666 A1 - Document ID: US20140154666A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/083,581 - Filed: 2013-11-19 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Trustees of Dartmouth College; Advanced Preservations Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Trustees of Dartmouth College; Advanced Preservations Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Ilya Ilyin; Larry J. Dumont - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154666A1 ## CPC - A01N 1/122: Preservation or perfusion media - A01N 1/142: Apparatus - A01N 1/146: Non-refrigerated containers specially adapted for transporting or storing living parts whilst preserving - A01N 1/165: Pressure processes, e.g. following predefined pressure changes over time - A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ## Abstract A method for preserving erythrocytes comprising the steps of obtaining an erythrocyte concentrate; subjecting the erythrocyte concentrate to a gas system that includes 65% to 100% by volume and optionally one or more ballast gases from 0% to 35% by volume; and, maintaining the erythrocyte concentrate that has been subjected to the gas system at a temperature that is above the freezing point of the erythrocyte concentrate and up to a temperature of about 30° C. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for preserving erythrocytes comprising the steps of: a. obtaining an erythrocyte concentrate; b. subjecting the erythrocyte concentrate to a gas system that includes xenon at a concentration that is greater than xenon gas that naturally occurs in the atmosphere; and, c. maintaining the erythrocyte concentrate that has been subjected to the gas system at a temperature that is above the freezing point of the erythrocyte concentrate and up to a temperature of about 30° C. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said gas system includes 65% to 100% by volume xenon and 0-35% by volume of at least one ballast gas. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said gas system includes less than 5% by volume oxygen. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, further including the step of removing 70-100% of the oxygen from the erythrocyte concentrate prior to adding said gas system to said erythrocyte concentrate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method as defined in claim 4, wherein said step of removing oxygen occurs in a vacuum environment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said gas system is added to said erythrocyte concentrate at a pressure of about 1-10 atm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method as defined in claim 6, wherein said gas system is added to said erythrocyte concentrate at a pressure of above 1 atm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said container is absent DEHP plasticizer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, further including the step of agitating said erythrocyte concentrate in a container a) prior to addition of said gas system to said erythrocyte concentrate, b) during said addition of said gas system to said erythrocyte concentrate, c) after said addition of said gas system to the erythrocyte concentrate, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the pressure of the gas system when being introduced to said erythrocyte concentrate is 1-4 atm, 1-3 atm, or 1-2 atm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a temperature of said erythrocyte concentrate when said gas system is introduced to said erythrocyte concentrate is above the freezing point of the erythrocyte concentrate and no greater than about 23° C. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as defined in claim 11, wherein said temperature of said erythrocyte concentrate is maintained at a constant temperature or has a variable temperature while said gas system is introduced to said erythrocyte concentrate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, further including the step of cooling said erythrocyte concentrate after addition of said gas system to a temperature above the freezing point of the erythrocyte concentrate and no greater than about 6° C. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as defined in claim 13, wherein said step of cooling said erythrocyte concentrate after addition of said gas system occurs in a cooling chamber, said cooling chamber is designed to store said cooled erythrocyte concentrate for up to 42 days. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The method as defined in claim 2, wherein said ballast gas is nitrogen, argon or mixtures thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said container is permeable to said gas mixture and said gas mixture is introduced into and removed from said container via diffusion through said container. ### Claim 17 (depends on 17) The method as defined in claim 17, wherein said container is positioned in a hermetically-sealed vessel equipped with a cover that is permeable to said gas mixture, said vessel is not permeable to said gas mixture. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said erythrocyte concentrate in said container is kept in said gas mixture and under a pressure above 1 atm without additional pumping of said gas mixture while said container is positioned in said hermetically-sealed chamber, and cooling of erythrocyte concentrate is started from a moment of gas mixture pressure stabilization in said hermetically-sealed chamber, with said stabilization resulting from saturation of erythrocyte concentrate said gas mixture. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a bag is made of polyvinylchloride that does not contain DEHP plasticizer. ### Claim 20 An erythrocyte container system designed to preserving erythrocytes comprising a container that includes an erythrocyte concentrate, said erythrocyte concentrate in said container at a temperature of less than ambient temperature, said erythrocyte concentrate at least partially saturated with a gas system, said gas system including xenon gas at a concentration that is greater than xenon gas that naturally occurs in the atmosphere. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The erythrocyte container system as defined in claim 20, wherein said container that includes said erythrocyte concentrate includes less than 5% by volume oxygen. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The erythrocyte container system as defined in claim 20, wherein said container is absent DEHP plasticizer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The erythrocyte container system as defined in claim 20, wherein said container is a flexible plastic container. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The erythrocyte container system as defined in claim 20, wherein said container is under pressure that is greater than 1 atmosphere.