Creation of Porous Fibers for Adsorbing Pathogenic Substances in Intractable Diseases

Toray Industries has developed a technology to control the pore size of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) porous fibers within a wide range from a few nanometers to approximately 1,000nm. This technology enables the selective adsorption of pathogenic substances responsible for intractable diseases such as autoimmune, cardiovascular, metabolic, neurodegenerative, and cancer. By combining advanced analytical methods like small-angle X-ray scattering with digital technologies for phase-separation simulation, Toray realized a pore-size control technique that achieves pore sizes over 50 times larger than conventional ones while maintaining structural strength. Toray aims for early practical application in treatments and is also exploring uses in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.