Methods and apparatus for independent control of product and reactant concentrations
AssigneePharyx, Inc.
InventorsHarry Lee, Kevin Shao-Kwan Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microreactor with a reaction chamber comprising two sub-chambers with reconfigurable volumes, an input conduit with input valve, an un-filtered output conduit with first output valve, and a filtered output conduit with a second output valve is used to perform a method to control a different dilution rate for cells and molecules in continuous culture bioprocesses. In preferred embodiments flow control is achieved using the difference in volume of the two sub-chambers.
Claims20
A microreactor apparatus to perform a continuous bioreaction process in a fluid wherein the dilution rate of cells and the dilution rate of a product are different, comprising:
- a reaction chamber comprising a first sub-chamber having a reconfigurable first volume fluidically coupled to a second sub-chamber having a reconfigurable second volume;
- an input conduit fluidically connecting an inlet to the microreactor apparatus to the reaction chamber;
- a first output conduit fluidically connecting the reaction chamber to an outlet of the microreactor apparatus;
- a filter that restricts the passage of cells with a first side fluidically connected to the reaction chamber;
- a second output conduit fluidically connecting a second side of the filter to an outlet of the microreactor;
- a first fluid path from the reaction chamber to an outlet, wherein the first fluid path passes through a portion of the first conduit and does not pass through the filter;
- and
- a second fluid path from the reaction chamber to an outlet, wherein the second fluid path passes through the filter and a portion of the second conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.