Storage-stable lipid vesicles and method of preparation
OwnerMurray Weiner, Klaus Gersondeinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Lipid vesicles, such as those containing inositol hexaphosphate useful for improving the oxygen-release of intact erythrocytes, may be rendered stable to long term storage at temperatures below the freezing point of the encapsulated solution, by rapid freezing at a temperature of from about -196.degree. C. to about -30.degree. C.
Claims12
The process for preparing an aqueous lipid vesicle suspension, wherein a biologically active agent is encapsulated within a unilamellar phopholipid membrane, stable to long term storage at temperatures of -20.degree. C. and below, which comprises rapidly freezing the lipid vesicle suspension at a temperature of from about -196.degree. C. to about -30.degree. C., wherein the lipid vesicle suspension is frozen in a liquid propane bath at a temperature of from -190.degree. C. to -141.degree. C.
In a process for preparing an aqueous lipid vesicle suspension, a biologically active agent being encapsulated in an aqueous buffered solution within a unilamellar phospholipid membrane in said suspension, and wherein said suspension has a predetermined freezing point,
- the steps comprising
- rapidly freezing the lipid vesicle suspension at a temperature of from about -196.degree. C. to about -30.degree. C. following preparation of said lipid vesicle suspension,
- subsequently storing said lipid vesicle suspension at a temperature below said freezing point so as to be stable for long term storage, and
- thereafter thawing said lipid vesicle suspension to a temperature suitable for said lipid vesicle suspension to be carried into living cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.