Plasma-free medium for platelet storage

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the nutrients are selected from fructose, adenine or acetyl CoA.

Claim 4

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reversible inhibitors for platelet activation are selected from indomethacin, quinacrine or vitamin E.

Claim 5

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the substances to raise cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels are selected from prostaglandins E 1 , D 2 or I 2 .

Claim 6

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the buffering agents are selected from phosphate or amino acids.

Claim 7

A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the amino acids are selected from histidine, cysteine, tyrosine, lysine or arginine.

Claim 8

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the balanced salt medium is selected from Spinner salt solution, Tyrode's solution, Seligmann's balanced salt solution, Earle's balanced salt solutions, Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline, Hank's balanced salt solutions, Gey's balanced salt solutions or Puck's saline.

Claim 9

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the balanced salt medium is a Tyrode's solution.

Claim 10

A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the Tyrode's solution contains a phosphate buffer or a histidine buffer.

Claim 11

A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein extraction and a washing step is used to remove plasma from platelets prior to final suspension in the Tyrode's solution.

Claim 12

A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein extraction is used to remove plasma from platelets prior to final suspension in the modified Tyrode's solution.

Claim 13

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plasma is human plasma.

Claim 14

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plasma is derived from freshly collected whole blood or by apheresis.

Claim 15

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plasma is derived from freshly collected whole human blood or by apheresis on a human donor.

Claim 16

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plasma is human plasma.

Claim 17

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plasma is derived from freshly collected whole blood or by apheresis.

Claim 18

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plasma is derived from freshly collected whole human blood or by apheresis on a human donor.

Claim 19

.[.A.]. .Iadd.An essentially plasma-free .Iaddend.platelet concentrate composition for administration to animals comprising blood platelets suspended in a medium consisting essentially of: a balanced, physiologically compatible, saline solution; an anticoagulant; and one or more additives to enhance stability of the platelets selected from (a) nutrients to improve the storage life of the platelets, (b) reversible inhibitors for platelet activation, (c) substances to raise cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels which have reversible effects on platelets, and (d) buffering agents which are physiologically compatible.

Claim 20

.[.A.]. .Iadd.An essentially plasma-free .Iaddend.platelet concentrate composition for administration to animals comprising blood platelets suspended in a medium consisting essentially of: a balanced, physiologically compatible, saline solution; an anticoagulant; and one or more additives to enhance stability of the platelets selected from (a) nutrients to improve the storage life of the platelets, (b) reversible inhibitors for platelet activation, (c) substances to raise cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels which have reversible effects on platelets, and (d) buffering agents which are physiologically compatible.

Claim 21

A platelet concentrate as claimed in claim 18 wherein the nutrients are selected from fructose, adenine or acetyl CoA.

Claim 22

A platelet concentrate as claimed in claim 18 wherein the reversible inhibitors for platelet activation are selected from indomethacin, quinacrine or vitamin E.

Claim 23

A platelet concentrate as claimed in claim 18 wherein the substances to raise cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels are selected from prostaglandins E 1 , D 2 or I 2 .

Claim 24

A platelet concentrate as claimed in claim 18 wherein the buffering agents are selected from phosphate or amino acids.

Claim 25

A platelet concentrate as claimed in claim 22, wherein the amino acids are selected from histidine, cysteine, tyrosine, lysine or arginine.

Claim 26

A platelet concentrate as claimed in claim 18, wherein the balanced salt medium is selected from Spinner salt solution, Tyrode's solution, Seligmann's balanced salt solution, Earle's balanced salt solutions, Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline, Hank's balanced salt solutions, Gey's balanced salt solutions or Puck's saline.

Claim 27

A platelet concentrate as claimed in claim 18 wherein the balanced salt medium is a Tyrode's solution.

Claim 28

A platelet concentrate as claimed in claim 25 wherein the Tyrode's solution contains a phosphate buffer or a histidine buffer.

Claim 29

A platelet concentrate as claimed in claim 18 wherein the plasma is human plasma.

Claim 30

A platelet concentrate as claimed in claim 18 wherein the human plasma is derived from freshly collected whole blood or by apheresis on a human donor. .Iadd.

Claim 31

An essentially plasma-free storage-stable package of blood platelets, which comprises a concentrate of blood platelets suspended in a volume of physiologically acceptable salt solution, said suspension being sealedly enclosed within a blood storage member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 29 which is devoid of a buffering agent. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 29 which is devoid of an anticoagulant. .Iaddend. .Iadd.32. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 29, said blood storage member comprising a blood collection and storage bag. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 32, said blood collection and storage bag being highly permeable. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 29, said blood storage member comprising a plastic blood collection and storage bag. .Iaddend. .Iadd.35. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 29, which further comprises a buffering agent. .Iaddend. .Iadd.36. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 29, wherein the physiologically compatible salt solution is selected from the group consisting of Spinner salt solution, Tyrode's solution, Seligmann balanced salt solution, Earle's balanced salt solutions, Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline, Hank's balanced salt solutions, Gey's balanced salt solution or Puck's saline. .Iaddend.

Claim 32

.Iadd. 7. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 36, wherein the physiologically compatible salt solution is Tyrode's solution. .Iaddend. .Iadd.38. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 37, wherein Tyrode's solution contains a phosphate buffer or a histidine buffer. .Iaddend. .Iadd.39. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 29, wherein the blood platelets are human blood platelets. .Iaddend. .Iadd.40. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 39, wherein the blood platelets are derived from platelet-rich plasma from whole blood or by apheresis on a human donor. .Iaddend. .Iadd.41. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 29, further comprising an anticoagulant. .Iaddend. .Iadd.42. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 29, further comprising saline-citrate-buffer. .Iaddend. .Iadd.43. The storage-stable package as defined by claim 29, further comprising

Claim 33

saline-citrate-buffer-nutrient. .Iaddend. .Iadd.44. A composition of matter comprising an essentially plasma-free storage-stable concentrate of blood platelets suspended in a volume of physiologically acceptable salt solution, said composition exhibiting no worse than normal platelet aggregation. .Iaddend. .Iadd.45. The composition of matter as defined by claim 44, further comprising an additive adopted to enhance platelet function under conditions of storage, or to prolong the storage life thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd.46. The composition of matter as defined by claim 45, which said additive is a buffering agent. .Iaddend. .Iadd.47. The composition of matter as defined by claim 44, wherein the physiologically compatible salt solution is selected from the group consisting of Spinner salt solution, Tyrode's solution, Seligmann balanced salt solution, Earle's balanced salt solutions, Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline, Hank's balanced salt solutions, Gey's balanced salt solution or Puck's saline. .Iaddend. .Iadd.48. The composition of matter as defined by claim 47, wherein the physiologically compatible salt solution is Tyrode's

Claim 34

solution. .Iaddend. .Iadd.49. The composition of matter as defined by claim 48, wherein Tyrode's solution contains a phosphate buffer or a histidine buffer. .Iaddend. .Iadd.50. The composition of matter as defined by claim 44, wherein the blood platelets are human blood platelets. .Iaddend. .Iadd.51. The composition of matter as defined by claim 50, wherein the blood platelets are derived from platelet-rich plasma from whole blood or by apheresis on a human donor. .Iaddend. .Iadd.52. The composition of matter as defined by claim 44, further comprising an anticoagulant. .Iaddend. .Iadd.53. The composition of matter as defined by claim 44, further comprising saline-citrate-buffer. .Iaddend. .Iadd.54. The composition of matter as defined by claim 44, further comprising saline-citrate-buffer-nutrient. .Iaddend. .Iadd.55. A method for the storage of essentially plasma-free blood platelets, which comprises confining a concentrate of said blood platelets suspended in a volume of physiologically acceptable salt solution within a blood storage member,

Claim 35

for a period of time of at least 72 hours. .Iaddend. .Iadd.56. The method as defined by claim 55, comprising confining the suspension within said blood storage member under conditions of agitation. .Iaddend. .Iadd.57. The method as defined by claim 55, wherein a buffering agent is contained in the storage member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.58. The method as defined by claim 55, wherein the physiologically compatible salt solution is selected from the group consisting of Spinner salt solution, Tyrode's solution, Seligmann balanced salt solution, Earle's balanced salt solutions, Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline, Hank's balanced salt solutions, Gey's balanced salt solution or Puck's saline. .Iaddend. .Iadd.59. The method as defined by claim 58, wherein the physiologically compatible salt solution is Tyrode's solution. .Iaddend. .Iadd.60. The method as defined by claim 59, wherein Tyrode's solution contains a phosphate buffer or a histidine buffer. .Iaddend. .Iadd.61. The method as defined by claim 55,

Claim 36

wherein the plasma is human plasma. .Iaddend. .Iadd.62. The method as defined by claim 61, wherein the plasma is derived from human whole blood or by apheresis on a human donor. .Iaddend. .Iadd.63. The method as defined by claim 55, wherein the storage member is highly permeable. .Iaddend. .Iadd.64. The method as defined by claim 55, wherein an anticoagulant is contained in the storage member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.65. The method as defined by claim 55, wherein saline-citrate-buffer is present within the storage member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.66. The method as defined by claim 55, wherein saline-citrate-buffer-nutrient is present within the storage member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.67. A method for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in a patient in need of such treatment, which comprises infusing into such patient an effective amount of an essentially plasma-free concentrate of blood platelets suspended in a volume of

Claim 37

physiologically compatible salt solution. .Iaddend. .Iadd.68. The method as defined by claim 67, wherein the physiologically compatible salt solution is selected from the group consisting of Spinner salt solution, Tyrode's solution, Seligmann balanced salt solution, Earle's balanced salt solutions, Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline, Hank's balanced salt solutions, Gey's balanced salt solution or Puck's saline. .Iaddend. .Iadd.69. The method as defined by claim 68, wherein the physiologically compatible salt solution is Tyrode's solution. .Iaddend. .Iadd.70. The method as defined by claim 69, wherein Tyrode's solution contains a phosphate buffer or histidine buffer. .Iaddend.