Method for separating target molecules or particles from fibrinogen-containing samples including blood components

Abstract

A method for separating target molecules or particles from a fibrinogen containing sample comprises: (a) trapping the said target molecules or particles in a fibrin network by converting at least partially the fibrinogen contained in the sample into fibrin; (b) retracting the said fibrin network to form a fibrin clot; (c) separating the said fibrin clot from the surrounding sample medium,

1 .- 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A sample collection device for separating target molecules or particles from a sample comprising: (i) an identification code; (ii) a container for containing the sample; and (iii) a dry reagents formulation in the container, the device being operable to form a fibrin clot that traps in a separable manner the target molecules or particles upon the exposure of the sample to thrombin or a thrombin-like enzyme within the device in the presence of fibrinogen that is native to the sample and/or artificially added, wherein the formulation comprises thrombin or a thrombin-like enzyme. 
     
     
         29 . The device according to  claim 28 , wherein the volume of the sample container is between 0.1 and 20 ml. 
     
     
         30 . The device according to  claim 28 , wherein the concentration of fibrinogen within the sample is between 0.1 to 10 mg/ml. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 28  wherein said fibrinogen is native to the sample. 
     
     
         32 . The device according to  claim 28  wherein said fibrinogen is initially included within the device, prior to adding the sample into the device. 
     
     
         33 . The device according to  claim 28  wherein said thrombin or thrombin-like enzyme is included within the device in a lyophilized format. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The device according to  claim 28 , which further includes additives selected from the group consisting of calcium, chelating agents; activated platelet cells, activated platelet cell lysate, and factor XIII. 
     
     
         36 . The device according to  claim 28 , which further includes magnetic particles. 
     
     
         37 . The device according to  claim 36 , wherein the magnetic particles are coated with a fibrinogen/fibrin binding moiety. 
     
     
         38 . The device according to  claim 37 , which further comprises molecules having: (I) fibrin/fibrinogen-binding moiety and (II) a substance-capturing moiety directed against said target molecules or particles. 
     
     
         39 . The device according to  claim 28 , wherein the fibrinogen in the sample is recombinant. 
     
     
         40 . The device according to  claim 39 , wherein the fibrinogen in the sample is a fibrinogen fusion protein with a capturing moiety domain directed against said target molecules or particles. 
     
     
         41 . A device according to  claim 28 , wherein the target molecules or particles comprise bacteria, virus, yeast, proteins, peptides and/or nucleic acids. 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . The device according to  claim 28 , wherein the dry formulation further comprises fibrinogen.