Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a ligand for fibrinogen and/or fibrin for producing an agent for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of microcirculatory disorders and/or for influencing the rheology of a mammal.

Abstract: Immunoapheresis treatment for cardiomyopathy comprises passing the patient's plasma over a column having coupled thereto a specific ligand for human immunoglobulin, thereby removing a significant portion of the immunoglobulin from the patient's plasma, and then reinfusing the plasma to the patient. The invention is the use of a specific ligand for human immunoglobulin in the manufacture of a column having the ligand coupled thereto, the column being useful for immunoapheresis treatment of a patient with cardiomyopathy. The specific ligand binds, and thereby removes, human autoantibodies which are harmful to cardiac tissue such as antibodies against ?1-adrenergic receptors, ADP-ATP carriers, ? and ? myosin heavy chains, and adenine nucleotide translocators.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a ligand for fibrinogen and/or fibrin for producing an agent for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of microcirculatory disorders and/or for influencing the rheology of a mammal.

Abstract: Immunoapheresis treatment for cardiomyopathy comprises passing the patient's plasma over a column having coupled thereto a specific ligand for human immunoglobulin, thereby removing a significant portion of the immunoglobulin from the patient's plasma, and then reinfusing the plasma to the patient. The invention is the use of a specific ligand for human immunoglobulin in the manufacture of a column having the ligand coupled thereto, the column being useful for immunoapheresis treatment of a patient with cardiomyopathy. The specific ligand binds, and thereby removes, human autoantibodies which are harmful to cardiac tissue such as antibodies against &bgr;1-adrenergic receptors, ADP-ATP carriers, &agr; and &bgr; myosin heavy chains, and adenine nucleotide translocators.

Abstract: The invention provides a method to prevent or ameliorate hyperacute or acute rejection of a human donor organ transplanted to a human recipient. Hyperacute rejection would normally occur after a human subject receives a transplanted human organ against which the subject has preformed anti-HLA antibodies. Acute rejection occurs when the recipient of a human organ forms antibodies against that organ after transplant. The invention method comprises passing the plasma of the recipient over a sterile and pyrogen-free column coupled to anti-human immunoglobulin antibodies which bind to and remove a significant portion of the immunoglobulin from the subject's plasma.