Patent Grant
11925599
This application is a national stage filing under section 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2017/066371, filed on Jun. 30, 2017, published in English on Jan. 11, 2018 as WO 2018/007265 A1 which claims priority to European Patent Application No. 16315003.0, filed on Jul. 7, 2016, the entire disclosure of these applications being hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to a container comprising a shape memory material for receiving, processing, transporting and/or storing a biopharmaceutical fluid. The invention relates also to a system for expanding/unfolding such a container, and a method for receiving, transporting and/or storing a biopharmaceutical fluid, in which such a system is implemented.
“Biopharmaceutical fluid” should be understood to mean a product derived from biotechnology (culture media, cell cultures, buffer solutions, artificial nutrition liquids, blood products and derivatives of blood products) or a pharmaceutical product or, more generally, a product intended to be used in the medical domain. Such a product is in liquid, paste or possibly powder form. The invention applies also to other products subject to similar requirements with regard to their packaging.
It is known practice to use rigid containers, for example made of stainless steel, in order to transport biopharmaceutical fluids. Such containers make it possible in particular to transport biopharmaceutical fluids over great distances, by ship or by aeroplane, from the place where the containers have been filled to the place where the fluids will finally be used. Since these biopharmaceutical fluids are often of high financial value, even often of high value for the health of individuals since they may be used for example to manufacture medicines intended for human health, it is essential that they reach their place of destination safely and without contamination.
However, one drawback with these rigid containers is that they occupy a significant space, even once emptied of biopharmaceutical fluid. Also, they require a lot of space in order to be stored between two uses.
Consequently, there is, in the specific field of the invention, the need to be able to transport a biopharmaceutical fluid safely, simply and economically, with a high capacity container.
To remedy the abovementioned problem, according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a container for transporting and/or processing a biopharmaceutical fluid, the container comprising a wall, the wall comprising a shape memory material being adapted to change shape when induced by an external stimulus, so that the container can be alternately in a collapsed state and in an unfolded state, the wall of the container in the unfolded state delimiting an internal cavity adapted to contain the biopharmaceutical fluid.
Thanks to the shape memory material, the container can easily change shape. The container can thus contain the biopharmaceutical fluid in the unfolded state, or be stored in the collapsed state while saving space.
In various embodiments according to the present invention, use may also possibly be made of one and/or the other of the following dispositions, taken separately or in combination, according to which:
The invention also relates to a system comprising a container according to the invention and an internal pouch made of plastic material, flexible and leak-tight, adapted to be arranged in the internal cavity of the container, the internal pouch being suited and intended to receive the biopharmaceutical fluid.
The invention also relates to a system for expanding/collapsing a container according to the invention, comprising the container and a device for expanding the container, the expansion device comprising a source to induce a change of the shape memory material.
The invention also relates to a method for receiving and transporting biopharmaceutical fluid, in which:
A number of embodiments of the invention will now be described with the help of the drawings, in which:
Below is a detailed explanation of a number of embodiments of the invention together with examples and references to the drawings. Obviously, the invention is in no way limited to the embodiment(s) described by way of nonlimiting illustration.
The subject of the invention is a container 1 for receiving, processing, transporting and/or storing a biopharmaceutical fluid 2 (said container 1 hereinafter being referred to as “container”).
The container 1 comprises a wall 3 delimiting an internal cavity 4. The internal cavity 4 of the container 1 is suited and intended to receive biopharmaceutical fluid 2. The qualifiers “internal” or “inner”, and “external” or “outer” when applied to the container 1 reflect the fact that the container 1 delimits the internal cavity 4 in which the biopharmaceutical fluid 2 is placed. It is therefore with reference to this situation that these qualifiers should be understood. The container 1 may take any form, notably cylindrical, parallelepipedal or other so as to form the internal cavity 4. The container 1 may notably be in the form of a tank. In particular, the wall 3 comprises a bottom wall 3a and a lateral peripheral wall 3c. In the embodiment where the container 1 has a parallelepipedal form, the lateral peripheral wall 3c may be erected in four panels, two-by-two, at right angles or parallel to one another.
The wall may also comprise a top wall 3b. In a normal situation as represented in
The wall 3 is delimited between an outer face 23 and an inner face 24, the terms “inner” and “outer” having to be understood as explained previously. Thus, the inner face 24 delimits more particularly the internal cavity 4 of the container 1.
As represented also in
According to one embodiment, the wall 3 of the container 1 may be at least partly transparent or translucent so as to view through the internal cavity 4 and the biopharmaceutical fluid 2. Moreover, the wall 3 of the container 1 may also be at least partly, even totally, opaque to light or to ultraviolet rays, for example to ensure optimal conservation of the biopharmaceutical fluid 2, notably if the biopharmaceutical fluid 2 is a photosensitive product.
According to a first embodiment as represented for example in
However, although delimiting a closed internal cavity 3, the container 1 is provided with at least one filling orifice 7, that is to say a passage for biopharmaceutical fluid 2, and at least one draining orifice 8, that is to say a passage for the biopharmaceutical fluid 2. The filling orifice 7 is more particularly situated in the top wall 3b. The draining orifice 8 is more particularly situated in the bottom wall 3a or in the bottom part of the lateral peripheral wall 3c.
A filling tube 9, having, at the opposite end, an inlet 10 for filling the internal cavity 4 with the biopharmaceutical fluid 2, is associated by a leak-tight link with the filling orifice 7 of the container 1. A draining tube 11, having, at the opposite end, an outlet 12 for emptying the internal chamber 4 of the biopharmaceutical fluid 2, is associated with the draining orifice 8 of the container 1.
“Seal-tight link” should be understood to mean a structure that is already known such that the wall 3 of the container 1 and the tube 9, 11 fluidically connected with the orifice 7, 8, are associated with one another in such a way as to both not allow any passage at the link between them, notably for the biopharmaceutical fluid 2 or a gas or possible contaminants.
The wall 3 of the container 1 and the tubes 9, 11 may notably form an indissociable secure whole or be linked together by coupling systems.
“Tube” should be understood to mean a hollow structure of greater or lesser length or shortness, the term also including a simple port.
As a variant, the container 1 may comprise a single filling and draining orifice. According to this variant, a single tube serving as tube for filling and tube for emptying the chamber of biopharmaceutical fluid 2 is then associated by a leak-tight link to an orifice of the container 1. According to yet another variant, the container 1 may comprise more than two filling and draining orifices, and therefore more than two filling and/or draining tubes.
According to a second embodiment as represented for example in
According to this second embodiment in which the container 1 comprises an opening 6, the container 1 may also comprise a filling orifice 7 and/or a draining orifice 8 (not represented in
According to the invention, the wall 3, of the container 1 comprises a shape memory material 5. By “shape memory material”, it is understood a material that can reversibly go from a least one shape to another shape when a predetermined external stimulus is applied.
The stimulus applied to the wall 3 to change the state of the shape memory material 5 may be of any physical or chemical type, for example, but without being limited to, a temperature change, a chemical treatment, a magnetic field, an electric current, a light radiation, etc. Once, the shape memory material 5 has taken a particular shape, this shape is said to be constant, meaning that the wall 3 remains in said shape as long as a stimulus is applied. The stimulus can be only applied temporarily to trigger a change of shape of the shape memory material 5. As a variant, the stimulus needs to be applied permanently so that the shape memory material 5 retain its specific shape, the material 5 returning to its initial shape as soon as the stimulus stops.
According to an embodiment, the shape memory material 5 may retain more than two shapes. According to this embodiment, the shape memory material 5 may in particular retain three shapes. For instance, a first stimulus applied to the shape memory material 5 may trigger a change from a first shape to a second shape, whereas a second stimulus may trigger a change from the second shape to a third shape of the shape memory material 5.
The shape memory material 5 may be a shape memory polymer (SMP) and/or a shape memory alloy (SMA). SMPs are polymers that derive their name from their inherent ability to return to an original permanent shape after undergoing a temporary shape deformation. SMPs can be deformed to a temporary shape by processing through heating, deformation, and finally, cooling. As long as the SMPs remain below a glass transition temperature Tg, it holds the temporary shape indefinitely. When the SMPs are heated above its transition temperature Tg, it returns to its permanent shape. It is widely known to use such shape memory polymers in various industries. For instance, such shape memory polymers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,759,481, 6,986,855, 7,276,195, 7,422,714 or WO 2005118248.
SMAS can for instance be nitinol which is a metal alloy of nickel and titanium, in particular type 60 or type 55 nitinol. Nitinol has the ability to undergo deformation at one temperature, and then recovers its original, preformed shape upon heating above a transformation temperature.
Shape memory material 5 may be arranged locally in certain part of the wall 3. For instance, only the peripheral wall 3c comprises a shape memory material 5.
Besides, the shape memory material 5 can be arranged as one or several layers in the wall 3 of the container 1 and cover, entirely or partly, the surface of the wall 3. According to one embodiment, the wall 3 may comprise a number of layers superposed one on top of the other. Such superposed layers make it possible to obtain a good resistance of the wall 3, notably to impacts during transport operations. Thus, according to the embodiment represented in
According to another embodiment, the shape memory material 5 may have other arrangements in the wall 3. The shape memory material 5 may be arranged to form a cellular structure, similar to corrugated cardboard, by bonding several sheets comprising a shape memory material 5. Such structure permits an improved change of the wall's shape when a stimulus is applied. Such a structure with a shape memory material 5 is described for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 7,690,621.
According to another embodiment represented in
Thanks to the shape memory material 5, the container 1 is suited and intended to be collapsed or unfolded/expanded. Thus, the container 1 may alternately be in a collapsed state or in an unfolded state.
In this collapsed state, the container 1 occupies a minimal space as represented in
After applying a stimulus, the shape memory material 5 comprised in the wall 3 triggers a change of shape of the container 1. For instance, the shape memory material 5 goes from the temporary shape to another second permanent shape. As a result, the container 1 goes from the collapsed state to the unfolded state. In the unfolded state, the container 1 is expanded in volume as represented notably in
In the unfolded state, the container 1, notably the peripheral lateral wall 3c, is rigid or semi-rigid. “Rigid or semi-rigid” should be understood to mean that the container 1, notably the peripheral lateral wall 3c, is expanded as to have at least sufficient rigidity in order to support itself to contain the biopharmaceutical fluid 2. Furthermore, the container 1 has, in the unfolded state, a peripheral lateral wall 3c that is solid enough to protect the biopharmaceutical fluid 2 with which the internal cavity 4 is filled. In the unfolded state, the container 1 has a capacity of between 100 litres and 1000 litres, in particular between 200 and 500 litres, and it depends on the requirements and the applications.
The wall 3 may comprise a plurality of predetermined fold lines (not represented in the figures), allowing the wall 3 to flex along the fold lines to the collapsed state and unfold along the fold lines to the unfolded state. Such predetermined fold lines may be grooves or slots, in which the wall has a lower thickness between the outer face 23 and the inner face 24 so as to locally facilitate its deformation.
The wall 3 may be adapted to come directly into contact with the biopharmaceutical fluid 2. Thus, the inner face 24 may be neutral to and/or biocompatible with the biopharmaceutical fluid 2 which fills the container 1. In other words, the quality of the biopharmaceutical fluid 2 is not affected by its coming into contact with the inner face 24 of the container 1. As a result, the inner face 24 may be covered with or formed by low-density polyethylene (LDPE), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA), or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA).
However, as a variant, the container 1 may also comprise an internal pouch 16, adapted to be interposed between the inner face 24 of the container 1 and the biopharmaceutical fluid 2. An internal pouch 16 may notably be used and arranged in the internal cavity 4 of the container 1 when the container 1 comprises an opening 6 according to the second embodiment as described previously and as represented in
The internal pouch 16 may be flexible and leak-tight. The internal pouch 16 is formed from a closed wall 17, made of plastic material. “Leak-tight” should be understood here to mean that the wall 17 of the internal pouch 16 does not allow any passage of biopharmaceutical fluid 2, of gas, or of possible contaminants. The internal pouch 16 is placed entirely in, that is to say inside of, the internal cavity 4 of the container 1.
The internal pouch 16 preferably has a form complementing that of the internal cavity 4 of the container 1. For example, in the embodiment in which the container 1 has a parallelepipedal form, the internal pouch 16 also has a parallelepipedal form in order to be shaped to and inserted easily in the internal cavity 4. Furthermore, the internal pouch 16, once filled with biopharmaceutical fluid, shapes itself to the form of the internal cavity 4 because of the pressure exerted by the biopharmaceutical fluid 2 on its wall 17.
The wall 17 of the internal pouch 16 may be simply positioned in the internal cavity 4 or may be fixed to the wall 3 of the container 1, for example on a common edge or a common lateral surface 18.
The wall 17 of the internal pouch 16 may be fixed to the container 1 by any means. In particular, the internal pouch 16 may be fixed to the container 1 reversibly for example using self-gripping means. According to this variant, the internal pouch 16 may thus be detached from the container 1, for example once the container 1 has been emptied of the biopharmaceutical fluid 2. The internal pouch 16 may then be an element that is distinct and separate from the container 1. The invention then also relates to a system 31 comprising a container 1 and an internal pouch 16 distinct from the container 1.
According to another variant, the internal pouch 16 may be fixed irreversibly, that is to say definitively, to the container 1. According to this variant, the internal pouch 16 may be fixed to the container 1 by gluing, by welding or by any other similar means.
The internal pouch 16 may be provided with an orifice, that is to say a passage for filling with the biopharmaceutical fluid 2 and an orifice, that is to say a passage for emptying the biopharmaceutical fluid 2.
A tube for filling the internal pouch 16 is associated with the filling orifice by leak-tight links having, at the opposite end, a filling inlet. A draining tube is associated with the draining orifice having, at the opposite end, a draining outlet.
As a variant, the internal pouch 16 may comprise a single orifice for filling and for draining. According to this variant, a single tube serving as tube for filling and tube for emptying the chamber of biopharmaceutical fluid 2 is then associated by a leak-tight link with the orifice of the internal pouch 16. According to yet another variant, the internal pouch 16 may comprise more than two filling and draining orifices, and therefore more than two filling and/or draining tubes.
Moreover, the filling tube and/or the draining tube may be formed in, respectively may pass through, the wall 3 of the container 1. As a variant, the filling tube and/or the draining tube may pass through the opening 6 of the container 1 if appropriate.
The internal pouch 16 is preferably at least partly, even totally, transparent or translucent so as to make it possible to view through, and in particular through the wall 17, the biopharmaceutical fluid 2. Moreover, the internal pouch 16 may also be at least partly, even totally, opaque to light or to ultraviolet rays for example to guarantee optimal conservation of the biopharmaceutical product 2, notably if the biopharmaceutical product 2 is a photosensitive product.
According to one embodiment, the container 1 may also comprise heating and/or cooling means intended to heat and/or cool the biopharmaceutical fluid 2 of the container 1. According to this embodiment, the wall 3 of the container 1 may be made of a material exhibiting a certain thermal conductivity, for example greater than that of stainless steel which is approximately 16 W−1·m−1·k−1 at 23 degrees Celsius, so as to improve the implementation of the heating and/or cooling means.
Moreover, the wall 3 may comprise a heating and/or cooling means in the form of a chamber 26 adapted to contain a cooling and/or heating liquid L, as represented in
According to one embodiment, as represented for example in
According to one embodiment, as represented for example in
With the aeration means 15 which have just been described, there may be associated at least one aeration gas discharge orifice 28 formed in the top part of the wall 3 of the container 1. Such an aeration gas discharge orifice 28, which may be covered with an exhaust filter 36, makes it possible to discharge from the container 2, to the outside, the gas which has not been mixed with the content of the container 2.
To the abovementioned means there may also be added sensors of pH, oxygen measurement, conductivity and/or biomass type, via a port passing through the wall 3 of the container 1 by leak-tight link. In the case of the use of an internal pouch 16 as previously described, at least one sensor passes through the wall 17 of the internal pouch 16 and is placed partially in the internal cavity 4 via such a port.
The invention relates also to a system 19 for expanding/unfolding a container 1. The system 19 comprises the container 1 and a device 20 for expanding the container 1.
The expansion device 20 comprises a source of stimulus 21. The source of stimulus 21 can for instance be an electric source which can provide the wall 3 with an electric current to trigger a change of the shape memory material 5 of the wall 3. To this end, a line 22 can connect the source 21 to the wall 3 of the container 1. Alternatively, the expansion device 20 can be a heat source for instance, in the case that the shape of memory material depends on temperature change as external stimulus. As explained above, other types of sources can be used according to the shape memory material 5 used in the wall 3 of the container 1.
The invention relates also to a method for receiving and transporting biopharmaceutical fluid 2.
There is initially a system 19 comprising the container 1 and the expansion device 20. The container 1 is then in the collapsed state, empty of biopharmaceutical fluid 2.
The container 1 is expanded with the expansion device 20. In particular, a stimulus is provided to the wall 3 so that the shape memory material 5 changes its shape. The container 1 is then in the unfolded state.
The container 1 may then be separated from the expansion device 20 if the shape memory material 5 can retain its shape after stopping inducing the stimulus.
If appropriate, in particular according to the second embodiment described above in which the container 1 comprises an opening 6, the internal pouch 16 is introduced into the internal cavity 4 of the container 1.
Then, the internal cavity 4 of the container 1 is filled with biopharmaceutical fluid 2, notably via the filling inlet 10 of the container or the filling inlet of the internal pouch 16, then the filling inlet 10 is brought to the closed state, the draining outlet 12 being also in the closed state.
The container 1 may be loaded onto a ship, a truck, an aeroplane in order to transport the biopharmaceutical fluid 2. The biopharmaceutical fluid 2 may be processed after, before or during the transportation operations.
Following the transport operations, the container 1 is emptied of the biopharmaceutical fluid 2 by bringing the draining outlet 12 to the open state. The container 1 may thus be emptied of all of the biopharmaceutical fluid 2.
Once the biopharmaceutical fluid 2 has been transferred, the internal pouch 16 may be taken out of the container 1 if appropriate. The internal pouch 16 may be discarded, the pouch 16 being disposable.
The container 1 may also be disposable. The container 1 may then be discarded after use, notably after having been emptied of the biopharmaceutical fluid 2.
As a variant, the container 1 may be brought back to the collapsed state, for example by applying another stimulus to the wall 3 with the expansion device 20, or by stopping inducing the stimulus to the wall 3 with the expansion device 20 so that the shape memory material 5 can return to its initial shape. The container 1 can then be transported back to the initial place of filling. The container 1 may then be reused for the future transportation of another biopharmaceutical fluid 2 with, if necessary, the introduction of a new internal pouch 16 therein.
The method described above may be carried out partially, the steps described above being able to be carried out independently of one another.
Obviously, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described previously and given purely by way of example. It encompasses a wide range of modifications, alternative forms and other variants that a person skilled in the art will be able to envisage within the scope of the present invention and notably all combinations of the different modes of operation described previously, being able to be taken separately or together.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16315003 | Jul 2016 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2017/066371 | 6/30/2017 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2018/007265 | 1/11/2018 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6076457 | Vallot | Jun 2000 | A |
| 6759481 | Tong | Jul 2004 | B2 |
| 6986855 | Hood et al. | Jan 2006 | B1 |
| 7276195 | Tong | Oct 2007 | B1 |
| 7422714 | Hood et al. | Sep 2008 | B1 |
| 7690621 | Grummon | Apr 2010 | B2 |
| 20010037627 | Hausslein | Nov 2001 | A1 |
| 20040074065 | Cheng | Apr 2004 | A1 |
| 20070034818 | Grummon | Feb 2007 | A1 |
| 20080302789 | Stevenson | Dec 2008 | A1 |
| 20110202031 | Mihaylov | Aug 2011 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 0 276 994 | Jan 1988 | EP |
| 0276994 | Aug 1988 | EP |
| 0326730 | Aug 1989 | EP |
| 2781202 | Jan 2000 | FR |
| 3017122 | Aug 2015 | FR |
| 1051516 | Dec 1966 | GB |
| 2005118248 | Dec 2005 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report and Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority for PCT/EP2017/066371 dated Oct. 17, 2017. |
| International Preliminary Report on Patentability for International Application No. PCT/EP2017/066371 dated Jan. 8, 2019. |
| Extended European Search Report for European Patent Application No. 16315003.0 dated Dec. 15, 2016. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20190300238 A1 | Oct 2019 | US |
