Patents by Inventor Makonnen Belew

Makonnen Belew has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7879244
    Abstract: A method for the removal of a substance, which has a negative charge and which is present in an aqueous liquid (I). The method comprises the steps of: (i) contacting the liquid with an anion-exchanger (1) that comprises mixed mode anion-exchanging ligands in which there is a positively charged nitrogen allowing binding of the substance to the anion-exchanger; and (ii) desorbing said substance from said anion-exchanger. The characteristic feature is that (A) the mixed mode ligands have a thioether linkage within a distance of 1-7 atoms from their positively charged atom, and (B) the anion-exchanger (1) (i) is capable of binding the substance of interest in an aqueous reference liquid (II) at an ionic strength corresponding to 0.25 M NaCl, and (ii) permits in the pH interval 2-12 a maximal breakthrough capacity for the substance which is ?200% of the breakthrough capacity of the substance for Q-Sepharose Fast Flow (anion-exchanger 2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences AB
    Inventors: Makonnen Belew, Bo-Lennart Johansson, Jean-Luc Maloisel
  • Publication number: 20100016564
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing an immobilised metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) adsorbent, which comprises to provide chromatography ligands comprised of alkylene diamine triacetic acid, or a derivative thereof, and coupling thereof to a carrier via nitrogen. In an advantageous embodiment, the alkylene diamine triacetic acid is ethylene diaminetriacetic acid (ED3A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: GE HEALTHCARE BIO-SCIENCES AB
    Inventors: Lars C. Andersson, Makonnen Belew, Tesfai Gebru, Gunnar Glad, Helena Lindgren, Nils Norrman
  • Patent number: 7423124
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of purifying recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA) from a solution, which method comprises to subject a cell culture supernatant (CCS) comprising rHSA cation exchange on a bimodal high salt tolerant matrix; hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC); anion exchange; and recovering the purified rHSA. The bimodal high salt tolerant cation exchange matrix used enables performing a purification of a cell culture supernatant directly, in the sense that no further dilution thereof is necessary. Due to its high binding capacity, said bimodal cation exchange matrix also allows use of a smaller amount of matrix as compared to a corresponding conventional cation exchanger matrix. Accordingly, the present invention allows substantial savings as regards volumes and consequently operation costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Ge Healthcare Bio-Sciences AB
    Inventors: Makonnen Belew, Mei Yan Li, Wei Zhang
  • Patent number: 7351801
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of separating recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA) from low molecular weight contaminants in a liquid, which method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a separation medium, which includes anion-exchanging ligands coupled to a base matrix; and (b) contacting the liquid with the separation medium to adsorb the rHSA to the ligands. In one embodiment, the functional groups of the ligands are weak anion-exchanging groups, preferably secondary amines, and the density of ligands on the base matrix is relatively high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences AB
    Inventor: Makonnen Belew
  • Patent number: 7214321
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing a positively charged substance from an aqueous liquid (I) by contacting the liquid with a cation-exchanger (1), possibly followed by a subsequent desorption of said substance. The cation-exchanger is selected to be capable of (a) binding to said substance by cation-exchange in an aqueous liquid reference (II) at an ionic strength corresponding to 0.3 M NaCl and (b) permitting a break through capacity for said substance 3200%, such as 3300% or 3500%, of the break-through capacity of said substance for a reference cation-exchanger (2) containing sulphopropyl groups —CH2CH2CH2SO2O—. The cation exchange ligands have an at least bimodal function by comprising a cation exchanging group and a separate hydrogen-bonding atom. The invention also relates to a method for testing the appropriateness of a cation-exchanger for removing a substance from a liquid and novel cation exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences AB
    Inventors: Makonnen Belew, Bo-Lennart Johansson, Jean-Luc Maloisel
  • Patent number: 7008542
    Abstract: Method for the removal of a substance from an aqueous liquid by ion exchange comprising providing a liquid with said substance is present; providing an adsorption matrix which comprises at least two different ligands; contacting the liquid with the matrix under a period of time and conditions sufficient to allow adsorption of the substance to the matrix; and adding an eluent that desorbs the substance from the matrix. Each one of the ligands interacts with the substance during the adsorption step, and at least one of the ligands is charged and capable of ionic interaction with the substance. The method can be run as a cation or anion exchange. The substance desorption can be performed by adding an eluent comprising an increasing ionic strength. The invention also encompasses an adsorbent comprising at least two structurally different ligands, which interact with the same kind of substance when used in a separation procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Amersham Biosciences AB
    Inventors: Makonnen Belew, Bo-Lennart Johansson, Jean-Luc Maloisel
  • Publication number: 20050267295
    Abstract: A method for purifying a desired substance by separating from each other a substance (I) from a substance (II), one of which is the desired substance, both of which have affinity for the same ligand structure, and wherein substance (I) is smaller than substance (II). The method comprising the steps of: (i) providing substances I and II in a liquid; (ii) contacting the liquid with an adsorbent which selectively adsorbs substance I; (iii) recovering the desired substance; The adsorbent has (a) an interior part which carries a ligand structure that is capable of binding to substances I and II, and is accessible to substance I, and (b) an outer surface layer that does not adsorb substance II, and is more easily penetrated by substance I than by substance II.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Inventors: Makonnen Belew, Jan Bergstrom, Rolf Berglund, Lennart Soderberg
  • Publication number: 20050215765
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of separating recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA) from low molecular weight contaminants in a liquid, which method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a separation medium, which includes anion-exchanging ligands coupled to a base matrix; and (b) contacting the liquid with the separation medium to adsorb the rHSA to the ligands. In one embodiment, the functional groups of the ligands are weak anion-exchanging groups, preferably secondary amines, and the density of ligands on the base matrix is relatively high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventor: Makonnen Belew
  • Publication number: 20050214902
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of purifying recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA) from a solution, which method comprises to subject a cell culture supernatant (CCS) comprising rHSA cation exchange on a bimodal high salt tolerant matrix; hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC); anion exchange; and recovering the purified rHSA. The bimodal high salt tolerant cation exchange matrix used enables performing a purification of a cell culture supernatant directly, in the sense that no further dilution thereof is necessary. Due to its high binding capacity, said bimodal cation exchange matrix also allows use of a smaller amount of matrix as compared to a corresponding conventional cation exchanger matrix. Accordingly, the present invention allows substantial savings as regards volumes and consequently operation costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: Makonnen Belew, Mei Yan Li, Wei Zhang
  • Patent number: 6852230
    Abstract: Method for desalting an aqueous liquid containing a charged substance comprising the steps of: (i) contacting liquid (I) with an ion-exchanger (1) under conditions permitting binding between ion-exchanger and substance, said ion-exchanger comprising a base matrix carrying an ion-exchange ligand (Ligand 1) with the opposite charge compared to the substance, (ii) desorbing said substance from said ion-exchanger by the use of a liquid (liquid (II)). Wherein: (A) ion-exchanger (1) is an ion-exchanger: (a) that can bind the substance in an aqueous reference liquid at ionic strength corresponding to 0.1 M NaCl, preferably 0.25 M NaCl; and (b) permits a breakthrough capacity at the pH provided by liquid (I) which is more than 2 mg/ml of gel, at a breakthrough of 10% and linear flow velocity of 300 cm/h; and (B) in step (ii) the pH of liquid (11) is adjusted to a pH value where the charge difference between the substance, the ligand and/or the ion-exchanger is lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Amersham Biosciences AB
    Inventors: Makonnen Belew, Bo-Lennart Johansson, Jean-Luc Maloisel
  • Publication number: 20040256324
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing a positively charged substance from an aqueous liquid (I) by contacting the liquid with a cation-exchanger (1), possibly followed by a subsequent desorption of said substance. The cation-exchanger is selected to be capable of (a) binding to said substance by cation-exchange in an aqueous liquid reference (II) at an ionic strength corresponding to 0.3 M NaCl and (b) permitting a break through capacity for said substance 3200%, such as 3300% or 3500%, of the break-through capacity of said substance for a reference cation-exchanger (2) containing sulphopropyl groups —CH2CH2CH2SO2O—. The cation exchange ligands have an at least bimodal function by comprising a cation exchanging group and a separate hydrogen-bonding atom. The invention also relates to a method for testing the appropriateness of a cation-exchanger for removing a substance from a liquid and novel cation exchangers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Makonnen Belew, Bo-Lennart Johansson, Jean-Luc Maloisel
  • Publication number: 20040079702
    Abstract: A method for the removal of a substance carrying a negative charge and being present in an aqueous liquid (I). The method comprises the steps of: (i) contacting the liquid with a matrix carrying a plurality of ligands comprising a positively charged structure and a hydrophobic structure, and (ii) desorbing the substance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Bo-Lennart Johansson, Mikael Andersson, Jan Gustavsson, Makonnen Belew, Jean-Luc Maloisel
  • Publication number: 20040050784
    Abstract: Method for desalting an aqueous liquid containing a charged substance comprising the steps of: (i) contacting liquid (I) with an ion-exchanger (1) under conditions permitting binding between ion-exchanger and substance, said ion-exchanger comprising a base matrix carrying an ion-exchange ligand (Ligand 1) with the opposite charge compared to the substance, (ii) desorbing said substance from said ion-exchanger by the use of a liquid (liquid (II)). Wherein: (&Lgr;) ion-exchanger (1) is an ion-exchanger::(a) that can bind the substance in an aqueous reference liquid at an ionic strength corresponding to 0.1 M NaCl, preferably 0.25 M NaCl; and (b) permits a breakthrough capacity at the pH provided by liquid (I) which is more than 2 mg/ml of gel, at a breakthrough of 10% and linear flow velocity of 300 cm/h; and (B) in step (ii) the pH of liquid (II) is adjusted to a pH value where the charge difference between the substance, the ligand and/or the ion-exchanger is lowered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Makonnen Belew, Bo-Lennart Johansson, Jean-Luc Maloisel
  • Patent number: 6702943
    Abstract: A method for the removal of a substance carrying a negative charge and being present in an aqueous liquid (I). The method comprises the steps of: (i) contacting the liquid with a matrix carrying a plurality of ligands comprising a positively charged structure and a hydrophobic structure, and (ii) desorbing the substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Amersham Biosciences AB
    Inventors: Bo-Lennart Johansson, Mikael Andersson, Jan Gustavsson, Makonnen Belew, Jean-Luc Maloisel
  • Publication number: 20040020857
    Abstract: Method for the removal of a substance from an aqueous liquid by ion exchange comprising providing a liquid with said substance is present; providing an adsorption matrix which comprises at least two different ligands; contacting the liquid with the matrix under a period of time and conditions sufficient to allow adsorption of the substance to the matrix; and adding an eluent that desorbs the substance from the matrix. Each one of the ligands interacts with the substance during the adsorption step, and at least one of the ligands is charged and capable of ionic interaction with the substance. The method can be run as a cation or anion exchange. The substance desorption can be performed by adding an eluent comprising an increasing ionic strength. The invention also encompasses an adsorbent comprising at least two structurally different ligands, which interact with the same kind of substance when used in a separation procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Makonnen Belew, Bo-Lennart Johansson, Jean-Luc Maloisel
  • Patent number: 6090288
    Abstract: Process for separating off a peptide or a nucleic acid by an anion exchanger (I) characterized in that a) the anion exchanger (I) exhibits ligands, which (i) contain a primary, secondary or tertiary amino group and (ii) are covalently bound to an organic polymer (matrix), b) there on a carbon atom at a distance of 2 or 3 atoms away from an amino nitrogen in the ligands is a hydroxyl group or a primary, secondary or tertiary amino group, and c) the maximum elution ionic strength in the pH range 2-14 for at least one of the proteins transferrin, ovalbumin 1, ovalbumin 2, .beta.-lactoglobulin 1 and .beta.-lactoglobulin 2 on the anion exchanger is higher than the elution ionic strength required for a quaternary comparative ion exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Amersham Pharmacia Biotech AB
    Inventors: Rolf Berglund, Jan Bergstrom, Makonnen Belew, Lennart Soderberg
  • Patent number: 5886155
    Abstract: A method for purifying a plant protein comprises: (a) preparing a crude plant extract; (b) passing the crude plant extract with a first buffer solution through a guard column comprising a hydrophobic interaction chromatography medium of hydrophobicity sufficiently high to prevent tannins and polyphenols from eluting from the column in the presence of the buffer solution, but sufficiently low that a protein fraction elutes with the first buffer solution; (c) passing the protein fraction through a capture column coupled in series to the guard column, the capture column comprising a hydrophobic interaction chromatography medium of hydrophobicity sufficiently high to prevent the protein from eluting in the presence of the buffer solution; and (d) eluting the protein from the capture column as a purified fraction. Preferably the plant is miracle fruit, the protein is Miraculin, and the method comprises ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration chromatography of the purified fraction of the protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignees: BioResources International Inc., Pharmacia Biotech AB
    Inventors: George Enyimah Armah, Daniel Gyingiri Achel, Robert Asare Acquaah, deceased, Makonnen Belew