Patent ID: 8246944
Filing Date: 2012-08-21
Classification: A61K,A61P

Abstract:
1. A method to obtain an immunotherapeutic agent that contains cell wall fragments from a virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis -complex (MTB-C) strain of cells consisting essentially of the sequential steps of a) culturing the cells for a period of at least three weeks, b) homogenizing the cells in the presence of a non-ionic surfactant to produce a homogenate comprising non-fragmented cells, cell wall fragments, and solubilized cell compounds, wherein the non-ionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkylphenol ethoxylates and ethoxylated sorbitan esters, c) centrifuging the homogenate to separate the cell wall fragments from the non-fragmented cells and the solubilized cell compounds, d) washing the cell wall fragments and further inactivating any remaining virulent cells to obtain the immunotherapeutic agent, and e) optionally, lyophilizing the immunotherapeutic agent; wherein the immunotherapeutic agent is substantially free of non-fragmented cells and solubilized cell compounds.