Alpha is a scientific production complex producing track-etched membranes and devices for membranous plasmapheresis.

The main consumers of the company are Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Ministry for Civil Defense of the Russian Federation and other organizations.

“Scientific Production Complex Alpha”.

Plasmapheresis is the removal, treatment, and return of (components of) blood plasma from blood circulation. It is a medical procedure which is performed outside the body. The method is also used to collect plasma, to preserve it frozen and to keep it fresh. The procedure is used for prophylaxis of a variety of disorders, including cardiovascular diseases.

Nowadays, centrifugation is one of the most widely used procedures used to separate the plasma from the blood cells. They use bags with blood for the procedure which has its disadvantages like a possibility to mix up the bags (they centrifuge several bags simultaneously).

Applying track-etched membranes allows them to carry out plasmapheresis with just one disposable sterile apparatus and blood transfusion set.

Track-etched membranes are manufactured from high-quality polycarbonate film and have sharply defined pore sizes, high flow rates, and excellent chemical and thermal resistance.

If we take original film and wrap a bunch of flowers with it, then put it over a sheet of paper and draw a line with a regular marker, the paper will be clean.

If we do the same using a track-etched membrane, the marker will leave a line on the paper as well.

For over ten years, the company produces plasma filters ROSA which are both relatively affordable and simple in use. Small volume of filling of the ROSA plasma filter makes it useful in pediatric practice, including usage for newborns whose weight starts from 700 grams, which is another great advantage of the plasma filter.

The plasma filter is used for medicine of disaster and emergency situations and can be used in field conditions. To use the plasma filter, it is necessary to just fasten it to any bar or a wall (with sticky tape).

They use track-etched membranes with 400-nanometer pores which is much smaller than a human hair.

Track-etched membranes are made by treating plastic film with argon ions.

The cyclotron is fully automated.

“Do not enter! High voltage!”

Those working with the cyclotron are not exposed to radiation, a possibility of an electrical accident being much higher.

It is an electromagnet which controls the stream of ions.

They rewind the film automatically.

Treatment of plastic film with argon ions is followed by physicochemical processing resulted in formation of uniformly sized pores.

Treated with argon ions and ultraviolet, the tape goes through several baths: alkaline, the one with acetic acid to neutralize alkaline, and rinse tanks.

Then, the tape gets spooled.

They take samples of the tape at different production stages for testing.

This room is isolated from the rest of the world. Members of the personnel wearing special uniform clean it twice a day. People working here undergo thorough medical examinations and are given a leave in case they have a running nose or have had contacts with people suffering from infectious diseases.

This is where plasma filters get assembled. It is mostly women who assemble plasma filters because men don’t exhibit enough diligence and concentration for it.

Apart from assembly, they control and sort out plasma filters. The room is equipped with screens showing defects if there are any inside each plasma filter.

After that, they pack their plasma filters and transport them to Moscow where they undergo radiation sterilization.

HEMOFENIX-M is a device used for cascade plasma filtration performed with plasma filters ROSA and transfer set appliance. It allows filtering plasma to return it into the blood-vascular system of the patient.

Currently, HEMOFENIX-M is almost completed. It undergoes testing and setting-up. It is a complex apparatus which determines blood, plasma and physiologic saline pressure, may detect air in the tube and stop the work if necessary to fix the problem.

It is easy to use, equipped with an interactive interface and systems of autodiagnostics and warning.

Estimated cost for HEMOFENIX-M is $17,000 which is much cheaper than that of its existing analogs.

The device is applied in complex with ROSA-400 (with a volume of filling of up to 30 ml) and ROSA-50 (with a volume of filling of up to 80 ml) filters.

On the left, you can see a Japanese-made analog of the plasma filter; a Russian plasma filter is on the right.

They managed to reduce the cost of the procedure from $1,000 to about $200.

In 2010, they began constructing another scientific production complex to produce medical equipment for cascade plasma filtration. It is going to be called Beta. It is going to feature a cyclotron which will be 10 times as powerful as the one installed at Alpha. The complex is planned to manufacture up to 800,000 plasma filters and about 1,500 HEMOFENIX-M apparatuses.

They plan to complete the construction by December, 2012.

via kt_819