Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for reducing the functioning population of a nucleated cell in the blood supply of a human subject, comprising the steps of: withdrawing blood from said subject, and irradiating said withdrawn blood with UV radiation in the presence of a dissolved photoactivated antibody specific for the nucleated blood cell and capable when activated by said UV radiation of forming photoadducts with the nucleated blood cell, to thereby effect chemical bonding between said photoactivated antibody and the nucleated cells, thereby creating irreversible complexes of said antibody and said nucleated blood cells; and returning the irradiated blood to said subject.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for reducing the functioning population of a nucleated cell in the blood supply of a human subject, comprising the steps of: withdrawing blood from said subject, and irradiating said withdrawn blood with UV radiation in the presence of a dissolved photoactivated antibody specific for the nucleated blood cell and capable when activated by said UV radiation of forming photoadducts with the nucleated blood cell, to thereby effect chemical bonding between said photoactivated antibody and the nucleated cells, thereby creating irreversible complexes of said antibody and said nucleated blood cells; and returning the irradiated blood to said subject.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the nucleated blood cells are lymphocytes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein said withdrawn blood is formed into an extracorporeal flowing stream, passed through a treatment station whereat said irradiation is effected and returned to said subject in a continuous operation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 including the further step of separating at least portions of said photoactivated antibody-lymphocyte complexes before returning said blood to said subject.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 including the further step of separating at least portions of said photoactivated antibody-lymphocyte complexes before returning said blood to said subject, by passing said bloodstream through a filtration system or a continuous flow centrifuge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method in accordance of claim 5, wherein excess quantities of said photoactivated antibody are removed from the extracorporeal stream by withdrawing blood plasma at said centrifuge and replacing same with fresh photoactivated antibody-free plasma.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said blood is irradiated with photoenergy in the UVA wavelength range, and at a radiation dose level of from about 0.1 to 100 joules/cm 2 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said photoactivated antibody is dissolved in said blood by mixing same with said blood subsequent to withdrawing the blood from said subject.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said photoactivated antibody is dissolved in said blood by administering said photoactivated antibody to said subject.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for reducing the functioning population of an immunogenic chemical in the blood supply of a human subject, comprising the steps of: withdrawing blood from said subject, and irradiating said withdrawn blood with UV radiation in the presence of a dissolved photoactivated antibody specific for the immunogenic chemical and capable when activated by said UV radiation of forming photoadducts with said immunogenic chemical, to thereby effect chemical bonding between said photoactivated antibody and said immunogenic chemical, thereby creating irreversible complexes of said antibody and said immunogenic chemical; and returning the irradiated blood to said subject.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for reducing the functioning population of an immunogenic chemical in the blood supply of a human subject, comprising the steps of: withdrawing blood from said subject, and irradiating said withdrawn blood with UV radiation in the presence of a dissolved photoactivated antibody specific for the immunogenic chemical and capable when activated by said UV radiation of forming photoadducts with said immunogenic chemical, to thereby effect chemical bonding between said photoactivated antibody and said immunogenic chemical, thereby creating irreversible complexes of said antibody and said immunogenic chemical; and returning the irradiated blood to said subject.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the immunogenic chemical is an undesirable natural antibody of the human subject.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 or 11 wherein said withdrawn blood is formed into an extracorporeal flowing stream, passed through a treatment station whereat said irradiation is effected and returned to said subject in a continuous operation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method in accordance with claim 11 including the further step of separating at least portions of said photoactivated antibody-undesirable natural antibody complexes before returning said blood to said subject.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method in accordance with claim 11 including the further step of separating at least portions of said photoactivated antibody-undesirable natural antibody complexes before returning said blood to said subject, by passing said bloodstream through a filtration system or a continuous flow centrifuge.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein excess quantities of said photoactivated antibody are removed from the extracorporeal stream by withdawing blood plasma at said centrifuge and replacing same with fresh photoactivated antibody-free plasma.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said blood is irradiated with photoenergy in the UVA wavelength range, and at a radiation dose level of from about 0.1 to 100 joules/cm 2 .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said photoactivated antibody is dissolved in said blood by mixing same with said blood subsequent to withdrawing the blood from said subject.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said photoactivated antibody is dissolved in said blood by administering said photoactivated antibody to said subject.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 or 10 wherein the photoactivated chemical has an azide or diazo moiety contributing to its photoactivity.