Method and apparatus for the treatment of autoimmune and allergic diseases

A method for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergy (hypersensitivity of immediate type) utilizing an apparatus having, in fluid communication with each other, an inlet tube, means for separating plasma from whole blood, absorbing means for absorbing and thereby removing interferon from the plasma, and an outlet tube, said method comprising:

• connecting the inlet tube of the apparatus to a blood vessel of a patient and connecting the outlet tube to a vein of the patient;
• removing blood from the blood vessel of the patient;
• separating the removed blood into blood cells and plasma;
• passing the plasma through absorbing means for absorbing interferon from the plasma to thereby reduce the level of interferon within the plasma;
• combining the plasma having a reduced level of interferon with the blood cells previously removed from the blood;
• and
• returning the combined blood cells and plasma to the vein of the patient.

A method for obtaining interferon from a donor utilizing an apparatus having an inlet tube, means for separating plasma from whole blood, absorbing means for absorbing and thereby removing interferon from the plasma, and an outlet tube, said method comprising:

• injecting a healthy donor with an agent for inducing production of interferon;
• connecting the inlet tube of the apparatus to a blood vessel of the donor and connecting the outlet tube to a vein of the donor;
• removing blood through the inlet tube from the blood vessel of the donor;
• separating the removed blood into blood cells and plasma;
• passing the plasma through absorbing means for absorbing interferon from the plasma to thereby remove interferon from the plasma;
• combining the plasma after passage through the absorbing means with blood cells previously removed from the blood;
• and
• returning the combined blood cells and plasma to the vein of the donor.

A method for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergy (hypersensitivity of immediate type) utilizing an apparatus having, in fluid communication with each other, an inlet tube, means for separating plasma with leukocytes from whole blood, absorbing means for absorbing and thereby removing interferon from the plasma with leukocytes, and an outlet tube, said method comprising:

• connecting the inlet tube of the apparatus to a blood vessel of a patient and connecting the outlet tube to a vein of the patient;
• removing blood from the blood vessel of the patient;
• separating the removed blood into a first component containing plasma with leukocytes and a second component containing the remaining blood cells;
• passing the plasma with leukocytes through absorbing means for absorbing interferon from the plasma with leukocytes to thereby reduce the level of interferon within the plasma with leukocytes;
• combining the plasma with leukocytes having a reduced level of interferon with the second component of the blood;
• and
• returning the combined blood to the vein of the patient.

A method for obtaining interferon from a donor utilizing an apparatus having an inlet tube, absorbing means for absorbing and thereby removing interferon from the blood, and an outlet tube, said method comprising:

• injecting a healthy donor with an agent for inducing production of interferon;
• connecting the inlet tube of the apparatus to a blood vessel of the donor and connecting the outlet tube to a vein of the donor;
• removing blood through the inlet tube from the blood vessel of the donor;
• passing the blood through absorbing means for absorbing interferon from the blood to thereby remove interferon from the blood;
• and
• returning the blood to the vein of the donor.

A method for obtaining interferon from a donor utilizing an apparatus having an inlet tube, means for separating plasma with leukocytes from whole blood, absorbing means for absorbing and thereby removing interferon from the plasma with leukocytes, and an outlet tube, said method comprising:

• injecting a healthy donor with an agent for inducing production of interferon;
• connecting the inlet tube of the apparatus to a blood vessel of the donor and connecting the outlet tube to a vein of the donor;
• removing blood through the inlet tube from the blood vessel of the donor;
• separating the removed blood into a first component containing plasma with leukocytes and a second component containing the remaining blood cells;
• passing the plasma with leukocytes through absorbing means for absorbing interferon from the plasma with leukocytes to thereby remove interferon from the plasma with leukocytes;
• combining the plasma with leukocytes after passage through the absorbing means with the second component of the blood;
• and
• returning the combined blood to the vein of the donor.