US 12138052

US patent 12138052, titled "Blood sample optimization device," was issued to Kurin Inc. with inventors Bobby E. Rogers, Gino Kang, and John Detloff. It was filed on July 24, 2024, and granted on November 12, 2024.

Abstract:
The patent describes systems and methods for optimizing blood samples by reducing or eliminating contaminants, thereby minimizing false positive readings in blood cultures or other tests. The core of the system is a blood sequestration device positioned between a patient needle and a sample needle. This device includes a sequestration chamber designed to collect and sequester an initial, potentially contaminated aliquot of blood. A separate sampling channel bypasses the sequestration chamber to convey uncontaminated blood to the sample needle after the initial contaminated blood has been sequestered.

Plain-language overview of independent claims:

• Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a blood sequestration device. It includes an inlet port and an outlet port. A sequestration chamber is connected to the inlet port and features a vent with an air-permeable blood barrier. The device also has a sampling channel, with its proximal end connected to the inlet port and its distal end connected to the outlet port.

• Independent Claim 13: This claim describes a blood sequestration device connected within a blood sampling pathway that includes a patient needle and a sample collection device. The sequestration device has an inlet port connected to the patient needle. A sequestration chamber, also connected to the inlet port, includes a vent with an air-permeable blood barrier. This chamber is designed to receive and sequester a first portion of the blood sample. The device further includes a sampling channel, with its proximal end connected to the inlet port, and an outlet port at its distal end connected to the sample collection device. This sampling channel conveys a subsequent portion of the blood sample after the first portion has been sequestered.

• Independent Claim 14: This claim details a blood sequestration device integrated into a blood sampling system. The system comprises a patient needle for accessing blood and a sealed sample needle configured for an evacuated blood collection tube. The sequestration device has an inlet port connected to the patient needle. A sequestration chamber, connected to the inlet port, includes a vent with an air-permeable blood barrier and is specifically for receiving and sequestering a first portion of the blood sample before the sample needle is unsealed by the evacuated tube. A sampling channel, with its proximal end connected to the inlet port, conveys a subsequent portion of the blood sample after the sample needle is unsealed. An outlet port, connected to the distal end of the sampling channel, then conveys this subsequent portion to the sample needle.

• Independent Claim 22: This claim describes a blood sample optimization system. It includes a blood sampling system for accessing and acquiring blood samples from a patient, and a blood sequestration device. The blood sequestration device is for receiving and sequestering a first portion of the blood sample that might be contaminated by the venipuncture process and could lead to a false positive. The blood sampling system itself includes a patient needle for venipuncture, a blood sampling pathway connected to the patient needle, and a sample needle configured to receive an evacuated blood collection container for collecting a subsequent, uncontaminated portion of the blood.

• Independent Claim 24: This claim describes a blood sequestration device that includes an inlet port, an outlet port connected to the inlet port, and a sequestration chamber also connected to the inlet port. The sequestration chamber features a vent with an air-permeable blood barrier. This device is connected along a blood sampling pathway, between a patient needle and a sample needle. It receives a blood sample via its inlet port. The sequestration chamber receives a first amount of the blood sample and, with its air-permeable blood barrier, sequesters at least a first portion of that amount. A sampling channel, with its proximal end connected to the inlet port, conveys a subsequent amount of the blood sample to an evacuated blood collection container once the sequestration chamber has sequestered the initial portion. An outlet port, connected to the distal end of the sampling channel, outputs this subsequent amount of blood.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
As of April 26, 2026, US Patent 12,138,052 B1 has been involved in litigation. On May 14, 2026, the USPTO Director issued a precedential decision in Magnolia Medical Technologies, Inc. v. Kurin, Inc. (IPR2026-00097) denying institution of an inter partes review (IPR) petition challenging the patent. This denial occurred after a jury in a district court case found Kurin's patent not invalid. Magnolia Medical Technologies, Inc. had filed the IPR petition shortly before trial, after being precluded from presenting anticipation and obviousness defenses in the district court litigation. The Director's decision reinforces the view that AIA reviews should serve as a true "alternative to litigation," not a means to revisit validity after an adverse district court outcome. There was also a Federal Circuit (CAFC) decision on March 6, 2026, affirming a district court's judgment of non-infringement in Magnolia Medical Technologies, Inc. v. Kurin, Inc., however, this decision pertained to US Patent Nos. 10,039,483 and 9,855,001 and not directly to US12138052. The CAFC case did touch on the claim construction of terms like "vent" and "seal" in the context of blood sequestration devices.