Apheresis is Greek and means removal
Plasmapheresis is partially removing plasma from cellular components of the blood. Lipoprotein apheresis is a procedure for separating lipoproteins out of plasma or whole blood. It is an “extracorporeal” (blood is taken outside the body) procedure to remove apoB (apolipoprotein B) containing lipoproteins such as LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein, usually referred as “bad cholesterol”), VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoprotein) and Lp(a) (Lipoprotein (a)) from the blood or plasma. This treatment is used for high risk patients with elevated LDL cholesterol and Lp(a) levels who are refractory to established drug therapy.
Immune apheresis is targeting the removal of auto-antibodies and immuno-complexes out of plasma. This therapy is indicated for patients with auto-immune diseases as well as for antibody mediated transplant rejections.
Lipoprotein apheresis procedure applies after both dietary and drug treatments have been inefficient. The patients treated by Lipoprotein apheresis have high elevated LDL cholesterol levels, such as in Familiar Hypercholesterolemia (FH), and/or are patients with elevated Lp(a).
Kaneka’s lipoprotein apheresis treatment is using an adsorption column to eliminate LDL and Lp(a) particles from blood or plasma. The adsorption column LIPOSORBER® contains negatively charged dextran sulfate bound on cellulose beads. Negative surface of this adsorption material is designed for
- selective reduction of positively charged apo B-containing lipoproteins
- patients suffering from elevated LDL, VLDL, TG and Lp(a)
- preserving HDL cholesterol and other plasma components in the patient's blood