Nucryst Pharmaceuticals Corp.

Hua Qing Yin

Robert Edward Burrell

Antony George Naylor

Peter Howard Moxham

Scott H Gillis

Stojan Djokic

Paul Schechter

John Barrymore Wright

Kan Lam

David James Field

Rita Johanna Mary Langford

Walter Carlton Theodore Cholowski

Leonard Salvin Bowlby

Rita Johanna Langford

A transcutaneous device dressing and method for its use with a transcutaneous medical device, such as an intravascular catheter, which punctures the skin of a patient and which has a portion of the medical device protruding from the skin which can lead to infection. The dressing includes a top and a bottom dressing, both being formed from a flexible material and having upper and lower surfaces, with the lower surface being the skin facing surface in use. The bottom dressing has a slit formed therein extending from one edge inwardly to a termination point within the confines of the bottom dressing. An anti-microbial material is provided without the use of adhesives at the upper and lower surfaces of the bottom dressing, and at least at the lower surface of the top dressing. In use, the bottom dressing is placed next to the skin, the slit allowing the bottom dressing to surround the puncture site such that the lower surface of the bottom dressing is in contact with the skin while the upper surface of the bottom dressing is in contact with a portion of the medical device protruding from the skin. The top dressing is placed above the puncture site such that its lower surface is in contact with a portion of the medical device protruding from the skin. In this way, there is exposure of the portion of the medical device protruding from the skin to the anti-microbial activity of the anti-microbial material.

Transcutaneous medical device dressings and method of use

Solutions and aerosols of metal-containing compounds are disclosed. Methods of preparing and using the solutions and aerosols, particularly in the treatment of a subject having a condition, are also disclosed. The metal-containing material can be, for example, an antimicrobial material, an antibacterial material, an anti-inflammatory material, an anti-fungal material, an anti-viral material, an anti-cancer material, a pro-apoptosis material, and/or an MMP modulating material. In certain embodiments, the metal-containing material is an atomically disordered, silver-containing material.

Solutions and aerosols of metal-containing compounds

The invention relates to the use of one or more antimicrobial metals selected from silver, gold, platinum, and palladium but most preferably silver, preferably formed with atomic disorder, and preferably in a nanocrystalline form, for the treatment of a acne. The nanocrystalline antimicrobial metal of choice may be used in the form of a nanocrystalline coating of one or more antimicrobial metals, a nanocrystalline powder of one or more antimicrobial metals, or a solution containing dissolved species from a nanocrystalline powder or coating of one or more antimicrobial metals.

Treatment of acne

The invention relates to the use of one or more antimicrobial metals, most preferably silver, preferably formed with atomic disorder, and preferably in a nanocrystalline form, for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions. The nanocrystalline antimicrobial metal of choice may be used in the form of a nanocrystalline coating of one or more antimicrobial metals, a nanocrystalline powder of one or more antimicrobial metals, or a solution containing dissolved species from a nanocrystalline powder or coating of one or more antimicrobial metals.

Treatment of inflammatory skin conditions

The invention provides methods and kits to form water swellable gel coatings, preferably lubricious coatings, on substrates, and coated substrates thus formed. The coatings contain one or more antimicrobial metals formed with atomic disorder, together with one or more antimicrobial metals formed with atomic disorder such that the coatings provide an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect when wet. The invention also provides a method to produce metal powders by sputtering a coating onto a moving surface, and then scraping the coating with one or more scrapers to produce the metal powder. The method is particularly useful for producing large amounts of nanocrystalline antimicrobial metal powders formed with atomic disorder, useful in the water swellable gel coatings of this invention.

Lubricious coatings for substrates

The invention provides bioabsorbable materials with antimicrobial coatings or powders which provide an effective and sustainable antimicrobial effect. Specifically, this invention provides bioabsorbable materials comprising a bioabsorbable substrate associated with one or more antimicrobial metals being in a crystalline form characterized by sufficient atomic disorder, such that the bioabsorbable material in contact with an alcohol or water based electrolyte, releases atoms, ion, molecules, or clusters of at least one antimicrobial metal at a concentration sufficient to provide an antimicrobial effect. The one or more antimicrobial metals do not interfere with the bioabsorption of the bioabsorbable material, and do not leave behind particulates larger than 2 &mgr;m, as measured 24 hours after the bioabsorbable material has disappeared. Most preferably, the particulate sizing from the coating or powder is sub-micron that is less than about 1 &mgr;m, as measured 24 hours after the bioabsorbable material has disappeared. Particulates are thus sized to avoid deleterious immune responses or toxic effects. Such antimicrobial metals are in the form of a continuous or discontinuous coating, a powder, or a coating on a bioabsorbable powder. The antimicrobial coating is thin, preferably less than 900 nm or more preferably less than 500 nm, and very fine grained, with a grain size (crystallite size) of preferably less than 100 nm, more preferably less than 40 nm, and most preferably less than 20 nm. The antimicrobial coating is formed of an antimicrobial metal, which is overall crystalline, but which is created with atomic disorder, and preferably also having either or both of a) a high oxygen content, as evidenced by a rest potential greater than about 225 mV, more preferably greater than about 250 mV, in 0.15 M Na CO against a SCE (standard calomel electrode), or b) discontinuity in the coating. The antimicrobial metal associated with the bioabsorbable substrate may also be in the form of a powder, having a particle size of less than 100 &mgr;m, or preferably less than 40 &mgr;m, and with a grain size (crystallite size) of preferably less than 100 nm, more preferably less than 40 nm, and most preferably less than 20 nm. Such powders may be prepared as a coating preferably of the above thickness, onto powdered biocompatible and bioabsorbable substrates; as a nanocrystalline coating and converted into a powder; or as a powder of the antimicrobial metal which is cold worked to impart atomic disorder. Methods of preparing the above antimicrobial bioabsorbable materials are thus also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Sherwood Park, Canada

Hua Qing Yin