Inventors:
Yukihiko Nose - Cleveland OH
Koji Kayashima - Mayfield OH
Akinori Sueoka - South Euclid OH
Yoshihiro Asanuma - Sendai, JP
Shigeru Shinagawa - Cleveland OH
James Smith - Cleveland OH
Andrej Werynski - Warsaw, PL
Paul S. Malchesky - Painesvilla Township, Lake County OH
Assignee:
Kuraray Co., Ltd. - Kurashiki
International Classification:
A61K 3514
Abstract:
This invention provides a method for treating blood plasma wherein a hollow fiber membrane which comprises at least a skin layer on one surface of the membrane and also a porous layer inside the membrane is employed. The skin layer of the membrane has micropores with average pore size of 50 to 450 A, and the membrane shows a water permeability of 80 ml/m. sup. 2. hr. mmHg or more, and permeabilites for human blood plasma albumin of 85% or more and for human blood plasma immunoglobulin G(IgG) of 80% or more, and a rate of inhibition against human blood plasma immunoglobulin M(IgM) of 40% or more. Use of the above mentioned hollow fiber membrane, which makes it possible to selectively remove immune complex, rheumatoid factors, etc. , without decrease in levels of immunological functions, brings excellent effects on therapy of autoimmune diseases.