A transdermal patch comprising: a microneedle in a protruding position, protruding from the transdermal patch; and immobilised functional molecules; wherein a fluid path is provided between the distal tip of the microneedle and the immobilised functional molecules; and the functional molecules are selected to interact with selected target molecules so as to convert or trap said target molecules. The device intends to dynamically curb the postprandial insulin spike offering an unprecedented therapeutic effect for diabetes and obesity with significant benefits in morbidity and without strict diet. The device offers unprecedented phenylketonuria management that removes the burden of strict diet. The device offers easy removal of autoantibodies, low density lipoprotein and other pathogenic molecules. The device can be used in any disorder that requires enzymatic replacement or elimination of pathogenic molecules via biochemical conversion or trapping.

This invention discloses methods for reducing physiologic molecules in abnormal levels and/or exogenous toxins in blood from blood by way of an extracorporeal circuit comprising a hollow-fiber filter module and polymer sorbent in combination.

The present disclosure is directed to methods of removing proteins, including cytokines, from blood and blood products, the methods comprising contacting the blood or blood product with a form of carbon having high graphitic contents and slit-shaped mesopores and macropores, the pore size dimensions chosen to be comparable to the size of the proteins, wherein the contacting results in the removal of high levels of the protein from the blood or blood product in minutes or hours.

Methods and for treatment of cancer and other diseases including complications from late stage viral infections by inducing hyperthermia in a patient relying on withdrawing blood from the patient and returning the withdrawn blood to the patient to establish an extracorporeal flow circuit. Blood is heated by passing through the extracorporeal circuit at a controlled rate until a target body core temperature in is achieved. Usually, the blood will be subjected to a continuously re-circulating dialysis to balance electrolytes. Additionally, the blood will be subjected to a continuously recirculating regeneration through a carbon sorbent column where toxins and contaminants are removed. The blood temperature is maintained at the target blood temperature for a treatment period, and the blood is cooled after the treatment period has been completed. The method can also be effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, hepatitis, sepsis, the Epstein-Barr virus, and patients with life threatening complications from other viruses, including the COVID-19 virus. A method for removing viruses from the blood supply in an external circuit is also presented.

The present invention relates to a method for using lectins that bind to pathogens having high mannose surface glycoproteins or fragments thereof which contain high mannose glycoproteins, to remove them from infected blood or plasma in an extracorporeal setting. Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for reducing viral load in an individual comprising the steps of obtaining blood or plasma from the individual, passing the blood or plasma through a porous hollow fiber membrane wherein lectin molecules are immobilized within the porous exterior portion of the membrane, collecting pass-through blood or plasma and reinfusing the pass-through blood or plasma into the individual.

A blood purification device includes a chamber, a liquid feed line, an air introduction unit, a liquid level adjustment unit, and a control unit. The chamber is provided on a blood circuit for extracorporeally circulating patient's blood and introduces purified plasma obtained by purifying plasma separated by a plasma separator provided on the blood circuit, or a replenishing liquid for replenishing the plasma separated by the plasma separator, into the blood circuit. The liquid feed line is capable of sending the purified plasma or the replenishing liquid to the chamber. The air introduction unit is capable of introducing air into the liquid feed line. The liquid level adjustment unit is capable of adjusting a liquid level height in the chamber. At the end of blood purification treatment, the control unit performs a liquid recovery process for sending the purified plasma or the replenishing liquid to the chamber via the liquid feed line while introducing air into the liquid feed line by the air introduction unit and maintains the liquid level height in the chamber at a predetermined liquid level height by the liquid level adjustment unit.

The invention provides a method and an apparatus or system for dialysis. The method and apparatus or system are useful for removing an undesirable protein-binding substance such as a toxin from a biological fluid such as blood or blood plasma. As such, the method and apparatus or system are useful for treating a subject in need of dialysis such as a subject suffering from hepatic disease. The methods feature a) dialyzing a biological fluid against a dialysis fluid containing an adsorber for a protein-binding substance to be removed through a semipermeable membrane, b) adjusting the dialysis fluid so that the binding affinity of the adsorber for the protein-bound substance to be removed is lowered and the substance to be removed passes into solution, and c) balancing the volume or flow of one or more fluids in the apparatus or system suitable for dialyzing a biological fluid containing a protein-binding substance to be removed. The apparatus or system features a) a biological fluid circuit (3); b) a dialysis fluid circuit (2); c) a means (4; 6; 7; 8; 9) for solubilizing the protein-binding substance to be removed; d) a dialysis, filtration or diafiltration device (5); e) a balancing system or apparatus suitable for balancing the volume or flow of one or more fluids in the apparatus or system suitable for dialyzing a biological fluid containing a protein-binding substance to be removed; and f) a dialysate regeneration unit.

The present invention relates to a device for the treatment of blood comprising a solid phase on which a polypeptide is immobilized which is suitable for the inactivation of free nucleic acids. Suitable polypeptides are, for example, deoxyribonucleases, ribonucleases, DNA methyltransferases or cytosine deaminases. The invention further comprises the use of such devices for the treatment of patients suffering from chronic kidney failure, cancer or lupus erythematosus, as well as methods and systems for the treatment of blood, wherein free nucleic acids are inactivated outside the body.

A sorbent cartridge for use in a portable wearable renal therapy system, and a method of using same is provided. The sorbent cartridge comprises: a inlet and an outlet, the inlet configured to receive process fluid from renal therapy device and the outlet configured to discharge treated process fluid; a hydrogel configured to absorb and adsorb a toxin from the process fluid without use of a dialysate to purify the process fluid. The inlet and the outlet are each configured to releasably couple to the renal therapy device for removing the sorbent cartridge.

The invention provides apheresis devices and their use for removal of substantially all types of cell free DNA (cfDNA) in patients' blood, including nucleosome-bound cfDNA, exosome-bound cfDNA and unbound cfDNA (including double stranded DNA (dsDNA), single stranded DNA (ssDNA) and oligonucleotides), to limit the negative effects of the circulating cfDNA and to treat various diseases.