The present invention generally relates to the field of blood treatment. More particularly, the invention relates to an ex vivo method for treating an immunological dysfunction of blood. The invention also relates to an ex vivo method for removing toxic or inflammatory compounds from blood plasma and/or supplementing blood plasma with immunologically active compounds. The methods of the invention comprise the steps of extracorporeally separating at least part of the plasma from the blood and conducting the separated plasma through a plasma-permeable hollow fiber filter with immune cells located thereon such that the plasma comes into contact with the immune cells. The invention also relates to the use of a plasma-permeable hollow fiber filter with immune cells located thereon for the ex vivo treatment of an immunological dysfunction of blood. Finally, the present invention relates to the use of a plasma-permeable hollow fiber filter with immune cells located thereon for removing toxic or inflammatory compounds from blood plasma and/or supplementing blood plasma with immunologically active compounds.

A method for extracorporeal treatment of a body fluid of a patient suffering from sepsis, in an extracorporeal flow line, comprising removing at least one harmful substance from the body fluid of the patient. In a first injection step, a first mixture containing functionalized magnetic particles bound to at least a first binding agent at least directed against a first type of target molecules contained in the body fluid is added to the extracorporeal flow line comprising a sample of the body fluid extracted from a patient and containing at least the first type of target molecules. The first mixture is injected in a therapeutically effective dose necessary to reduce a concentration of the target molecules of at least the first type in the body fluid sample of the patient, followed by a mixing step and a separation step for reduction of the target molecule concentration.