Abstract:
A method and apparatus for selectively removing xenoreactive antibodies from blood, serum or plasma are provided wherein a ligand capable of binding to xenoreactive antibodies is immobilized to an immunoaffinity membrane, and the blood, serum or plasma is passed through the ligand-containing immunoaffinity membrane so that xenoreactive antibodies are removed from the blood, serum or plasma prior to its reintroduction into a patient. The invention allows for specific removal of only those xenoreactive antibodies associated with the hyperacute rejection observed when organs or tissues from certain non-human animals come in contact with human blood or blood fluids, as would occur during xenotransplantation. The invention is advantageous in that it can be carried out simply and efficiently using a single piece of equipment, and the invention will be useful in reducing or eliminating the hyperacute rejection and rapid destruction of graft tissue that would normally occur following xenotransplantation.