Nutramax Laboratories, Inc.

Other

Johns Hopkins University

Chondros, Inc.

Chrondros, Inc.

Carmelita Frondoza

Todd R Henderson

David S Hungerford

Alan H Shikani

Abraham Domb

Reinhard Grzanna

David Jordan Fink

Leonard Bloom

Afshin Sohrabi

An orally administrable composition for treating or reducing damage to connective tissue or for treating or reducing inflammatory symptoms associated with damage to connective tissue includes a synergistic combination of: (i) avocado/soybean unsaponifiables; and (ii) lipoic acid, or a salt or derivative thereof. Methods for treating or reducing damage to connective tissue, for treating or reducing inflammatory symptoms associated with damage to connective tissue, or for reducing levels of one or more inflammatory mediators in connective tissue include administering the orally administrable composition to an avian or mammalian subject.

Orally administrable compositions comprising avocado/soybean unsaponifiables and lipoic acid and methods of administration

Orally administrable compositions compromising avocado/soybean unsaponifiables and lipoic acid and methods of administration

Methods comprising administration of: (i) avocado/soybean unsaponifiables and (ii) lipoic acid or derivatives thereof, to a mammalian or an avian subject are provided. This invention also relates to orally administrable compositions comprising avocado/soybean unsaponifiables and lipoic acid or derivatives thereof.

The present invention relates to compositions for the modulation of inflammation in connective tissues in humans and animals and the modulation of markers of such inflammation, including COX-2, TNF-a, IL-1 (3, iNOS, p38, and chemokines, comprising any or all of anabolic, anti-catabolic, anti-oxidant and analgesic agents, including aminosugars, S-adenosylmethionine, arachadonic acid, GAGs, including pentosan, collagen type II, tetracyclines or tetracycline-like compounds, diacerin, super oxide dismutase, L-ergothioneine, methyl sulfanylmethane, one or more avocado/soybean unsaponifiables, and an analgesic, e.g., acetaminophen, and to methods of treating humans and animals by administration of these novel compositions to humans and animals in need thereof.

Use of anabolic agents, anti-catabolic agents, antioxidant agents and analgesics for protection, treatment and repair of connective tissues in humans and animals

Disclosed is a method of growing cells on biodegradable microcarrier particles and more specifically growing chondrocytes for an extended period of time until they aggregate. These aggregated cells can be injected directly or shaped for implantation into the body. In another embodiment of this invention, the cell microcarrier aggregates are grown in a mold that is shaped to conform to the geometry of the desired body part to be replaced. An apparatus for shaping the aggregated cells is disclosed. The aggregated cells can be supplied in a kit.

Method for fabricating cell-containing implants

This invention is a method for the implantation of a combination of cells or cell-microcarrier aggregates wherein one component comprises a solid implantable construct and a second component comprises an injectable formulation. For example, in one embodiment, the solid implant may be first implanted to fill the majority of the cavity receiving the implant, and then cells or cell-microcarrier aggregates in an injectable format, with or without the addition of gelling materials to promote rapid gelling in situ, may be injected into spaces surrounding the solid implant in order to secure the solid implant in the site and/or to promote rapid adherence and/or integration of the solid implant to surrounding tissues. Also contemplated in this embodiment is that the cellular composition of the injectable component may differ from that of the solid component. For example, the solid implant may result from the culturing of chondrocytes on microcarriers or scaffolds, thereby resulting in an implant having cartilage-like properties, whereas the injectable cells or aggregates may result from the culturing of stem cells, resulting thereby in cells capable of producing cells of a chondrogenic, fibroblastic, myoblastic or osteoblastic phenotype. In this example, cells in the injectable aggregates may promote the fixation to or rapid integration of the solid cartilage implant into surrounding cartilage, connective tissue, muscle or bone, respectively.

Method for composite cell-based implants

The invention is directed to the culture of cells, and particularly chondrocytes for purpose of tissue replacement. The cells are cultured on polymer constructs. Integren expression is used as a measure of chondrocyte viability. Chondrocytes are obtained from the knee, nose and ankle cartilage. Mechanical strain is used to propagate chondrocytes, chitosan and arabinogalactanchitosan are used as scaffolds. Progenitor, pluripotential, stem and mesenchymal cells are operative in this invention.

Cell-culture and polymer constructs

Cells grown on a microcarrier are separated from the microcarrier by enzymatically digesting the microcarrier. More specifically, chondrocytes may be grown on dextran microcarrier beadlets and then the beadlets digested using dextranase to separate the chondrocytes from the carrier. Cells can also be grown on chitosan microcarriers to be used for implantation. In addition, cells can be grown on polysaccharide polymers to be used as implant devices. Various polymers serve as scaffolds for cells to be used for implantation. The polymers can be used for cell culture as well as for preparing scaffolds useful for tissue replacement such as cartilage tissue.

Growing community of inventors

Woodstock, MD, United States of America

Carmelita Frondoza