Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for detecting broken glass in a continuous furnace provided for sterilizing or depyrogenating glass containers, comprising a transport device for the glass containers, wherein the detection device comprises at least one transmission and receiving unit. The receiving unit is designed to detect electromagnetic radiation that can be emitted by the transmission unit. The transport device and the transmission unit and receiving unit are positioned and aligned in relation to each other such that the glass particles or pieces of broken glass resulting from glass breakage cross the radiation path between transmission and receiving unit during or after leaving a substantially horizontal transport plane predetermined by the transport device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a von Willebrand Factor for use in the treatment and/or prevention of a bleeding event associated with a thrombopathy induced by substances inhibiting thrombocytes. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of treating and/or preventing a disorder related to a bleeding event associated with a thrombopathy induced by substances inhibiting thrombocytes comprising administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of a von-Willebrand-Factor (vWF) to a patient in need thereof. The present invention also relates to a composition comprising vWF and a composition comprising FVIII for simultaneous, separate or sequential use for use in the treatment and/or prevention of a bleeding event associated with a thrombopathy induced by substances inhibiting thrombocytes.

Abstract: The field of the invention is the treatment of acquired bleeding, a clinical condition associated with severe traumatic, peri- or post-operative bleeding. A novel treatment is proposed in which synergistic pro-coagulatory properties of Prothrombin Complex Concentrates (PCC) together with medicaments comprising FVIII and/or vWF are exploited.

Abstract: The present invention relates to modified nucleic acid sequences coding for coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) and for von Willebrand factor (VWF) as well as complexes thereof and their derivatives, recombinant expression vectors containing such nucleic acid sequences, host cells transformed with such recombinant expression vectors, recombinant polypeptides and derivatives coded for by said nucleic acid sequences which recombinant polypeptides and derivatives do have biological activities together with prolonged in vivo half-life and/or improved in vivo recovery compared to the unmodified wild-type protein. The invention also relates to corresponding FVIII sequences that result in improved expression yield. The present invention further relates to processes for the manufacture of such recombinant proteins and their derivatives. The invention also relates to a transfer vector for use in human gene therapy, which comprises such modified nucleic acid sequences.

Abstract: This invention relates to protein separation and purification methods for both alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT, also known as alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor, API, and A.sub.1-PI) and Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-1) from, for example, a fraction of human blood plasma. In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods for separating AAT from ApoA-1 at the initial stage of purification, so that the same starting material can be used as a source for both proteins. The methods further pertain to providing compositions of AAT and of ApoA-1 suitable for pharmaceutical use and are suitable for large-scale purification.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of at least one antibody and/or one inhibitor for inhibiting factor XII and for preventing the formation and/or the stabilization of three dimensional thrombi. It also relates to a pharmaceutical formulation and the use of factor XII as an anti-thrombotic target.

Abstract: This invention relates to protein separation and purification methods for both alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT, also known as alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor, API, and A1-PI) and Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) from, for example, a fraction of human blood plasma. In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods for separating AAT from ApoA-I at the initial stage of purification, so that the same starting material can be used as a source for both proteins. The methods further pertain to providing compositions of AAT and of ApoA-I suitable for pharmaceutical use and are suitable for large-scale purification.

Abstract: The field of the invention is the treatment of acquired bleeding, a clinical condition associated with severe traumatic, peri- or post-operative bleeding. A novel treatment is proposed in which synergistic procoagulatory properties of Prothrombin Complex Concentrates (PCC) together with medicaments comprising FVIII and/or vWF are exploited.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the therapeutic application of the Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor Infestin or domains thereof or modified Kazal-type serine protease inhibitors based on Infestin homologs, which prevent the formation and/or stabilization of three-dimensional arterial or venous thrombi by interfering with proteins involved in activation of the so-called intrinsic coagulation pathway. The present invention also relates to the use of Kazal-type serine protease inhibitors or fragments thereof or modified Kazal-type serine protease inhibitors in the treatment or prophylaxis of a condition or disorder related to arterial thrombus formation, i.e. stroke or myocardial infarction, inflammation, complement activation, fibrinolysis, angiogenesis and/or diseases linked to pathological kinin formation such as hypotonic shock, edema including hereditary angioedema, bacterial infections, arthritis, pancreatitis, or articular gout, Disseminated Intravasal Coagulation (DIC) and sepsis.

Abstract: An apparatus for combining under sterile conditions a liquid component held in a first container and a solid or liquid component held in a second container is provided. In one embodiment, two hollow bodies for receiving the two containers are provided, the two hollow bodies being arranged one within the other and being slidable relative to one another in a guided manner in the longitudinal direction. A cannula holder forms a pot-shaped structural unit with the first hollow body. Alternatively, the cannula holder is provided with at least one cannula. The cannula holder and the first hollow body may be separate components, in which the cannula holder is pot-shaped.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of at least one antibody and/or one inhibitor for inhibiting factor XII and preventing the formation and/or the stabilization of three-dimensional thrombi. It also relates to a pharmaceutical formulation and the use of factor XII as an anti-thrombotic target.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for combining two components. A first container accommodates the first component, which is liquid, and a second container accommodates a second, solid or liquid component under negative pressure. A body is provided with a first holder for the first container, in the region of the closure of the latter, and with a second holder for the second container, in the region of the closure of the latter. Displaceable means for piercing the closures are provided within the body. In the case of such a device, the invention provides that the body has two slides mounted in a displaceable manner in it, wherein each slide accommodates a cannula for piercing the respective closure, the cannulas are connected, in the region of their ends directed away from the closure, to an element which connects the cannulas in a liquid-tight manner, and actuating means are provided for moving the slides in the direction of the closures for the purpose of piercing the closures.

Abstract: The production of a thrombin preparation which is obtained from prothrombin which is, after activation to thrombin without the addition of thromboplastin, purified by a hydrophobic interaction chromatography, it being possible subsequently also to inactivate or remove viruses, is described. Before or after the hydrophobic interaction chromatography it is also possible in addition to carry out a cation exchange chromatography. A thrombin preparation which contains as stabilizer a noncovalently binding inhibitor and to which further stabilizers can be added for stabilization in the liquid state is additionally described.

Abstract: The invention relates to therapeutic fusion proteins in which a coagulation factor is fused to a half-life enhancing polypeptide, and in which both are connected by a linker peptide that is proteolytically cleavable. The cleavage of such linkers liberates the coagulation factor from activity-compromising steric hindrance caused by the half-life enhancing polypeptide and thereby allows the generation of fusion proteins may show relatively high molar specific activity when tested in coagulation-related assays. Furthermore, the fact that the linker is cleavable can enhance the rates of inactivation and/or elimination after proteolytic cleavage of the peptide linker compared to the rates measured for corresponding therapeutic fusion proteins linked by the non-cleavable linker having the amino acid sequence GGGGGGV.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a factor XIII deficiency, a method for determining a fibrinogen deficiency, and a method for differentiating between a factor XIII deficiency and a fibrinogen deficiency by means of thrombelastographic techniques. On the basis of the evaluation of the thrombelastographic parameters, a rapid and a selective substitution of factor XIII and/or of fibrinogen in deficiency states is possible.

Abstract: The present application relates to procedures for the determination of the activity of the protease which activates factor VII, also known as factor VII activating protease or FSAP. The application also relates to a method of detecting whether an individual has increased or lowered activity in the protease which activates factor VII compared to at least one standard sample, wherein the increased or lowered activity indicates an increased risk for disease or cardiovascular complications.

Abstract: This application describes methods of treatment involving a protease for activating the blood clotting factor VII, which (a) activates blood clotting factor VII, (b) is inhibited by the presence of aprotinin, (c) is increased in its activity by the presence of at least one of the following: calcium ions, heparin, or heparin related substances, and (d) in SDS-PAGE, on subsequent staining in the non-reduced state, has one or more bands in the molecular weight range from 50 to 75 kDa, and in the reduced state has a band at 40 to 55 kDa and one or more bands in the molecular weight range from 10 to 35 kDa, and a band, which corresponds to a proenzyme, in the molecular weight range from 60 to 65 kDa.

Abstract: This application includes description of antibodies for specifically detecting prions of human origin and methods for detecting pathogenic prions. In some embodiments, the antibodies bind to an epitope characteristic of a human prion protein which is not found in the prion proteins of other species. In some embodiments, the antibodies are not cross-reactive with cow, Syrian Gold hamster, mouse, or rat prions. The application also includes a conformation-dependent immunoassay method for detecting pathogenic prions in a sample containing a prion (PrP) protein. The PrP protein may be present in a first conformation and a second conformation, such as PrPc and PrPSc in which the two conformations have different binding affinity for the antibody used to detect them.

Abstract: Mutants of the DNA sequence coding for the protease (FSAP) which activates blood clotting factor VII and single-chain plasminogen activators, the mutants comprising a G/C base exchange at nucleotide position 1177 and/or a G/A base exchange at nucleotide position 1601, are described. The corresponding protease has a Glu/Gln exchange at amino acid position 393 and/or a Gly/Glu exchange at amino acid position 534. Diagnostic methods which are used for detecting FSAP in body fluids or tissue cells and also for identifying patients with genetic heterozygous or homozygous FSAP expression are also described. In addition, antibodies against FSAP and its mutants are disclosed and diagnostic methods which can be used to detect antibodies against FSAP and its mutants are specified.

Abstract: A monoclonal antibody which inhibits the blood clotting factor VII-activating protease and its proenzyme and a blood clotting factor VII-activating protease, stabilized by the addition of said monoclonal antibody, and its proenzyme are described. A suitable monoclonal antibody is produced by hybridoma cell line DSM ACC 2533. The application of the inhibitory, monoclonal antibody in the stabilization of blood clotting preparations and in preparations for reducing the coagulability of the blood is disclosed.