# US 8,785,117 B2 · Method for treating blood or plasma using hepatocyte spheroids

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- Number: US 8,785,117 B2
- Document ID: US8785117B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/562,008
- Filed: 2006-11-21
- Published: 2008-07-10
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2002-06-07
- Assignees: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Applicants: Scott L Nyberg
- Inventors: Scott L Nyberg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785117B2

## CPC

- C12N 5/067: {Hepatocytes}
- A61M 1/3472: {with treatment of the filtrate}
- A61M 1/3489: {by biological cells, e.g. bioreactor}
- B01D 63/031: {Two or more types of hollow fibres within one bundle or within one potting or tube-sheet}
- A61M 1/3623: {Means for actively controlling temperature of blood}
- B01D 2313/501: Permeate storage tanks
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)

## Abstract

A bioartificial liver system is described that incorporates a cell reservoir and hepatocyte spheroids to both increase the number of and longevity of cells in the system. Additional methods are also described for forming spheroid aggregates from isolated hepatocytes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for treating blood or plasma from a mammal, wherein said method comprises:
(a) providing a bioreactor comprising a selectively permeable barrier separating a fluid treatment compartment and a cell compartment, wherein said fluid treatment compartment is configured to receive said blood or plasma from said mammal,
(b) providing a cell reservoir comprising fluid and hepatocyte spheroids in said fluid,
(c) providing a rocking device in contact with said cell reservoir to induce motion to said fluid, wherein said motion results in formation of said hepatocyte spheroids in said cell reservoir and helps maintain said hepatocyte spheroids, wherein said cell reservoir comprises 0.5×107 to 5×107 hepatocytes/mL of said fluid,
(d) providing said fluid and said hepatocyte spheroids from said cell reservoir to said cell compartment, and
(e) circulating said blood or plasma from said mammal through said fluid treatment compartment of said bioreactor to thereby treat said blood or plasma.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, said mammal is a human.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said hepatocytes are human hepatocytes.