US 12,227,729 B2
Methods and systems for high-throughput cell processing
Sewoon Han, Albany, CA (US); Alexander Alexeev, Atlanta, GA (US); and Todd Sulchek, Atlanta, GA (US)
Assigned to CellFE, Inc., Alameda, CA (US)
Filed by CELLFE, INC., Alameda, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/561,910.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/130,583, filed on Dec. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0204908 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. C12M 3/00 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); C12M 1/12 (2006.01); C12M 3/04 (2006.01)
CPC C12M 27/10 (2013.01) [C12M 23/06 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of processing cells in a cell processing apparatus comprising a shell, a core disposed inside the shell, and ridges extending between the shell and the core and supported by one of the shell or the core, the method comprising:
moving the core into a processing position relative to the shell, wherein:
the shell comprises an inner shell cylindrical surface,
the core comprises an outer core cylindrical surface, concentric with the inner shell cylindrical surface and forming an interior space with the inner shell cylindrical surface, and
each of the ridges forms a ridge gap with one of the inner shell cylindrical surface and the outer core cylindrical surface in the processing position;
flowing a cell media through the interior space while monitoring a pressure drop or a flow rate of the cell media through the cell processing apparatus, wherein:
the cell media comprises a base media, a population of cells, and a payload,
the cells are compressed as the cell media flows through the ridge gap, and
the compression causes insertion of the payload into the cells; and
moving the core from the processing position to a cleaning position relative to the shell when the pressure drop or the flow rate of cell media through the cell processing apparatus exceeds a threshold, wherein the ridge gap in the cleaning position is greater than in the processing position.