Focal, Inc.

Other

The University of Texas System

Genzyme Corporation

Infimed, Inc.

Pelias Technologies, Inc.

Mark T Kieras

Amarpreet S Sawhney

Luis Z Avila

Arthur J Coury

Shikha P Barman

Jeffrey Alan Hubbell

Chandrashekhar Prabhakar Pathak

C Michael Philbrook

David A Melanson

Stephen D Goodrich

Ronald S Rudowsky

Chandrashekar P Pathak

Eyal S Ron

George E Selecman

Stephen C Rowe

Dean M Pichon

Bradley C Poff

Douglas J Weaver

David J Nedder

Donald L Elbert

Marc A Levine

John C Spiridigliozzi

Thomas Bromander

Martin P Redmon

Keith G Baker

Thomas S Bromander

Douglas J K Weaver

Douglas JK Weaver

Gel-forming macromers including at least four polymeric blocks, at least two of which are hydrophobic and at least one of which is hydrophilic, and including a crosslinkable group are provided. The macromers can be covalently crosslinked to form a gel on a tissue surface in vivo. The gels formed from the macromers have a combination of properties including thermosensitivity and lipophilicity, and are useful in a variety of medical applications including drug delivery and tissue coating.

Multiblock biodegradable hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue treatment

A method for delivering a biologically active substance including the steps of: (a) combining said biologically active substance with a macromer; (b) forming a mixture of the combination formed in step (a); (c) polymerizing said mixture to form articles; and (d) administering said articles, or a portion thereof, to a mammal, where step (c) takes place in the absence of a polymerizable monovinyl monomer, is disclosed.

Biodegradable macromers for the controlled release of biologically active substances

An impoved barrier or drug delivery system which is highly adherent to the surface to which it is applied is disclosed, along with methods for making the barrier. In the preferred embodiment, tissue is stained with a photoinitiator, then the polymer solution or gel having added thereto a defined amount of the same or a different photoinitiator is applied to the tissue. On exposure to light, the resulting system polymerizes at the surface, giving excellent adherence, and also forms a gel in the rest of the applied volume. Thus a gel barrier of arbitrary thickness can be applied to a surface while maintaining high adherence at the interface. This process is referred to herein as &ldquo;priming&rdquo;. The polymerizable barrier materials are highly useful for sealing tissue surfaces and junctions against leaks of fluids. In another embodiment, &ldquo;priming&rdquo; can be used to reliably adhere preformed barriers to tissue or other surfaces, or to adhere tissue surfaces to each other. A first surface and a barrier, or another surface, are prestained with initiator, and a thin layer of gelable monomer containing initiator is placed between them. Strong adhesion is obtained between the two surfaces on gelation of the monomer. In a similar fashion, tissue surfaces can be adhered to each other in repair of wounds and formation of anastomoses. Methods for use of non-photochemical systems and combined chemical/photochemical systems are described.

Redox and photoinitiator systems for priming for improved adherence of gels to substrates

Biodegradable macromers for the controlled release of biologically

A method for universally distributing a therapeutic agent, in an encapsulated form, to the brain of a subject using intrathecal administration, excluding the lumbar region, is described. Methods for treating stroke and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are also described. The methods involve intrathecal administration into the cerebrospinal fluid of a subject, of a therapeutic agent in an encapsulated form. Pharmaceutical compositions intended for the amelioration of stroke and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are also described. The pharmaceutical compositions comprise a therapeutic agent encapsulated in a pharmaceutically acceptable polymer, suitable for injection into the cerebrospinal fluid of a subject suffering from stroke and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Methods for universally distributing therapeutic agents to the brain

Redox and photoinitiator systems for priming and improved adherence of

An improved barrier or drug delivery system which is highly adherent to the surface to which it is applied is disclosed, along with methods for making the barrier. The barrier can be prepared by staining tissue with a photoinitiator, applying a solution containing a polymerizable barrier material solution and a photoinitiator to the tissue, and polymerizing the polymer solution on exposure to light. The resulting polymer adheres strongly to the tissue surface, and also forms a gel in the rest of the applied volume. The polymerizable barrier materials are highly useful for sealing tissue surfaces and junctions against leaks of fluids. The method can be used to adhere preformed barriers to tissue or other surfaces, or to adhere tissue surfaces to each other. Tissue surfaces can be adhered to each other to repair wounds. In addition to photochemical initiators, non-photochemical initiators and combinations of chemical initiators and photochemical initiators can be used.

Redox and photoinitiator priming for improved adherence of gels to

Growing community of inventors

Burlingame, CA, United States of America

Mark T Kieras