Purification of porcine plasma factor VIII using chromatographic methods

Factor VIII was purified from porcine plasma using adsorption on aluminium hydroxide with CM-cellulose as a filtration aid, cold ethanol precipitation, and two anion-exchange (Q-Sepharose fast flow) chromatographies. The final product was purified 264-fold and had a specific activity of 10 U mg-1. The method is suitable to produce purified porcine FVIII by an easy process where all steps can be scaled up. The final product is free of von Willebrand factor that is responsible for the main side effects in patients. Finally, this method can be used to obtain purified porcine plasma FVIII for use in haemophilic patients with inhibitors.

Chromatographic purification of antivenoms and antitoxins

Commercial preparations of antivenoms and antitoxins produced in horses, that are essentially pure F (ab)2 immunoglobulin preparations, were submitted to ion-exchange chromatography. For anticrotalic, anti-bothropic and anti-tetanic sera it is possible to remove 40-60% of the inactive globulins