Phage culturing device, method for preparing phages, and filtration device for same
View Patent ↗A device and a method for clinically providing a preparation of autologous phages, namely, those that can verifiably be traced back to originating from a very specific person and preferably are also only intended for use in this one specific person includes a phage culturing device which is a fluid line system that is sealed off with respect to the outside environment The phages in the fluid line system obtained after at least one-time culturing are separated from bacteria by way of filtration, and preferably by way of tangential flow filtration. The phages separated by way of filtration are transferred into a collection vessel that is connected to the fluid line system and are preferably removed from the fluid line system, using the collection vessel, as a usable, preferably autologous preparation.
1 . A phage culturing device, comprising a fluid line system that is sealed off with respect to the outside environment, comprising:
a. an inlet port configured to have a sample vessel connected thereto in such a way that phages from a sample that is inserted into the sample vessel can be transferred via the inlet port into the fluid line system;
b. an outlet port configured to have a withdrawal vessel removably attached thereto so that the phages can be withdrawn from the fluid line system via the outlet port;
c. a filtration device disposed in a fluid line between the inlet port and the outlet port and comprises a filter membrane configured to allow the phages to pass in a direction toward the outlet port, while not allowing bacteria to pass;
d. at least one nutrient medium reservoir including a nutrient medium; and
e. at least one host bacteria reservoir including host bacteria in lyophilized, viable form and which is closed prior to use and which is configured to be connected to the at least one nutrient medium reservoir by a connecting line that is configured to be opened,
the at least one nutrient medium reservoir being disposed upstream from the filtration device in the fluid line system, as viewed in a flow direction form the inlet port to the outlet port so that the phages that are transferred into the fluid line system can be replicated at least once by way of culturing upstream from the filtration device in the at least one nutrient reservoir including the host bacteria,
wherein the filtration device is a tangential flow filtration device configured to cause the nutrient medium to flow tangentially across the filter membrane in a reversing manner on one of two sides of the membrane, and
wherein the tangential flow filtration device comprises a first and a second cavity each having a variable volume and being connected to one another by way of at least one channel at regions of a wall which are formed by the filter membrane and the at least one channel is configured so that across the at least one channel nutrient medium can be pumped back and forth between the first and second cavities and can flow tangentially at a first side of the wall pointing toward the channel interior and which at a second side of the wall facing away from an interior of the at least one channel adjoins a third cavity, an inlet channel opening into the first cavity and an outlet channel opening into the third cavity.
2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first cavity, the second cavity, the inlet channel and the at least one channel connecting the first and second cavities are integrally formed into a first foil as a bulge protruding from a plane of the first foil and the third cavity and the outlet channel are integrally formed into a second foil as a bulge protruding from a plane of the second foil, the first and second foils being welded or laminated, from opposing sides to surfaces of the filter membrane.
3 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein each of the two foils is covered by a respective flexible shell which is attached to the respective foil by lamination or welding.