Patent Document ID: 10064653
Application ID: 15175959
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A medical device for detection, retrieval or elimination of disease-associated toxins and biomarkers, comprising: a plurality of magnets arranged within a flexible sheath forming a flexible wire, the flexible wire having a surface and a length axis, wherein the magnets are magnetically attached end-to-end and arranged with their magnetic polarities alternating in direction, each of the magnets having a magnetization direction; wherein the magnetization direction of each of the magnets is orthogonal to the length axis of the flexible wire; wherein the medical device is dimensioned to be introduced into a blood vessel, to be kept as a self-contained device within the blood vessel and to be retrieved from the blood vessel; wherein the medical device is dimensioned to allow blood flow along the length axis while being kept within the blood vessel; wherein a magnetic field along the length axis is sufficient to attract to the surface of the flexible wire superparamagnetic nanoparticles which could bind themselves to the disease-associated toxins and biomarkers; wherein the magnets are displaceable from the sheath upon retrieving the medical device from the blood vessel for capturing and analysis of disease-causing cells, the biomarkers or the toxins; and wherein the self-containing device operates without an external magnetic source.