Selenium Parenteral Nutrition Composition for Stable Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing parenteral nutrition solutions lack stability and convenience for selenium, leading to potential contamination and instability issues, especially with selenium dioxide, necessitating manual addition before administration, which increases the risk of errors and contamination.

Innovation Solution

A pre-prepared, sterilized solution in a flexible container containing selenate salts or seleno-amino acids like selenomethionine or selenocysteine, maintained at an acidic pH of 1 to 4, ensuring stability for at least three months at temperatures between 1 and 50 °C, and potentially longer at lower temperatures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If selenium dioxide is used in parenteral nutrition solutions, then selenium can be provided to patients, but the solution becomes unstable and prone to degradation during storage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveselenium stabilityVSAvoidstorage period
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical form of selenium from selenium dioxide to selenate salts (such as sodium selenate, potassium selenate, or ammonium selenate) or seleno-amino acids (such as selenomethionine or selenocysteine). This parameter change in chemical composition resolves the stability issue while maintaining selenium's nutritional value and preventing degradation during storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If trace elements are added manually to nutrition bags before administration, then the nutrition solution can be customized, but the process increases the risk of contamination and errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecustomization capabilityVSAvoidcontamination risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates selenate salts or seleno-amino acids into the parenteral nutrition solution during the manufacturing process, before the product reaches the patient. This preliminary action eliminates the need for manual addition of selenium at the point of use, thereby preventing contamination and dosing errors while still allowing for customized nutrition formulations through different manufacturing options.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If selenium is provided in multi-chamber bags, then stability during storage is improved, but the complexity of the device increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveselenium stabilityVSAvoidmulti-chamber structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges selenium (in the form of selenate salts or seleno-amino acids) directly into the parenteral nutrition solution in a single chamber, eliminating the need for separate multi-chamber structures. This consolidation maintains selenium stability through the appropriate chemical form while simplifying the device structure and reducing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a stable, ready-to-use medical product that maintains selenium stability and safety, reducing the risk of contamination and errors by eliminating the need for manual mixing, thus ensuring effective selenium delivery to patients.

Implementation Method 1

maintained at an acidic pH of 1 to 4, ensuring stability for at least three months at temperatures between 1 and 50 °C

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcidic pH stabilization:

Data Source

PatentEP4076383B1Parenteral nutrition solution comprising a selenium source
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 BAXTER INT INC
  • EP4076383B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4076383B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4076383B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a medical product for preventing or correcting selenium deficiency in a patient comprising a solution provided in a flexible container characterized in that the solution comprises at least one of a selenate salt and/or a seleno-amino acid, such as selenomethionine or selenocysteine.