Westaim Technologies

Nucryst Pharmaceuticals Corp.

Other

Alcan International Limited

Robin Hood Multifoods Inc.

Alfa Biotech S.p.a.

Nueryst Pharmaceuticals Corp.

Pavonis Diagnostics Inc.

Westaim Biomedical Corp.

Mystem Biotechnologies Inc.

Robert Edward Burrell

Larry Roy Morris

Hua Qing Yin

Aron M Rosenfeld

Prasad Shrikrishna Apte

Kashmir Singh Gill

John Barrymore Wright

Peter Howard Moxham

Antony George Naylor

Kan Lam

Scott H Gillis

Paul Schechter

Sudhindra Bharat Sant

Roderick John Precht

Stojan Djokic

Timothy J Smith

Jean V Sang

Murray Moo-Young

John Michaelides

Paul Groves

Leonard Salvin Bowlby

David James Field

Rita Johanna Mary Langford

Gerard Flynn

Anthony G Naylor

Catherine L McIntosh

Walter Carlton Theodore Cholowski

Dilruba Hilal Gul-uludag

Rita Johanna Langford

The invention provides colostrum derived stem cell populations, compositions and supplements having antimicrobial properties for enhancing mammalian health and for treating or preventing microbial contamination or infection. Also provided are methods of producing these populations, compositions and supplements from a female mammal in an inflammatory state. Also provided are colostrum derived stem cell populations and method of inducing differentiation into neural cells in neural progenitor medium including mammalian cell culture medium supplemented with casein depleted fraction of whey derived from colostrum. Also provided are neural progenitor medium, population of in vitro differentiated neural cells and pharmaceutical compositions containing same for use in treating neurological disease or disorder.

Colostrum derived stem cells, neural differentiation, compositions and supplements for enhancing mammalian health

A device, interface complex, diagnostic system, kit or method for use in binding analyte of interest, wherein immobilizing is on an aluminum oxide surface. An interface molecule is immobilized on the aluminum oxide surface. Attached to the interface molecule, is a cross linking agent for binding to the analyte, or a biomolecule specific to the analyte. The interface molecule includes a polypeptide having at least one carboxy rich domain providing at least 5 free carboxyl groups within a molecular volume of 2.2-25 nm, the free carboxyl groups being provided by amino acids containing two or more carboxyl groups, through which the interface molecule is immobilized to the aluminum oxide surface. The biomolecule may be covalently attached to the interface molecule, or the biomolecule may bean engineered antibody attached to the interface molecule through an antigenic determinant or through an Fc fragment.

Aluminum oxide surfaces and interface molecules

Methods of treating conditions with a metal-containing material are 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.

Methods of treating conditions with a metal-containing material

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

The invention relates to the use of one or more antimicrobial metals preferably selected from silver, gold, platinum, and palladium but most preferably silver, formed with atomic disorder, and preferably in a nanocrystalline form, for reducing inflammation or infection of the mucosal membrane. The antimicrobial metal may be formulated as, or used in the form of, a nanocrystalline coating of one or more antimicrobial or noble metals, a nanocrystalline powder of one or more antimicrobial or noble metals, or a liquid or solution containing dissolved species from a nanocrystalline powder or coating of one or more antimicrobial or noble metals.

Treatment of mucosal membranes

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 a method to induce apoptosis and to inhibit matrix metalloproteinases in a disease condition in a human or animal by contacting hyperplastic tissue, tumor tissue, or a cancerous lesion with one or more antimicrobial metals, preferably formed with atomic disorder, and preferably in a nanocrystalline form. In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of preventing excessive release of matrix metalloproteinases from an inflammatory cell in a disease condition in a human or an animal by contacting the cell with a therapeutically effective amount of a noble metal in a crystalline form characterized by atomic disorder, or with a solution derived therefrom to provide a modulatory effect on one or more matrix metalloproteinases, wherein the one or more noble metals is formed with atomic disorder, and preferably in a nanocrystalline form. The nanocrystalline antimicrobial or noble metal of choice may be used in the form of a nanocrystalline coating of one or more antimicrobial or noble metals, a nanocrystalline powder of one or more antimicrobial or noble metals, or a solution containing dissolved species from a nanocrystalline powder or coating of one or more antimicrobial or noble metals.

Method of induction of apoptosis and inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases using antimicrobial metals

Dry powders of metal-containing compounds are disclosed. Methods of preparing and using the dry powders, 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.

Dry powders of metal-containing compounds

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.

Antimicrobial bioabsorbable materials

The invention relates to the use of one or more noble metals selected from silver, gold, platinum, and palladium but most preferably silver, in a nanocrystalline form, for the treatment of a hyperproliferative skin disorder or disease such as psoriasis. Among the noble metals, silver is preferred for such treatment. The nanocrystalline noble metal of choice may be used in the form of a nanocrystalline coating of one or more noble metals, a nanocrystalline powder of one or more noble metals, or a solution containing dissolved species from a nanocrystalline powder or coating of one or more noble metals.

Treatment of hyperproliferative skin disorders and diseases

A process for production of an actively antimicrobial surface for a substrate and for use in a biologically dynamic environment, such as for treating and preventing microbial infections, including a film consisting of at least an antimicrobial element and another electrochemically nobler element and which forms multitudinous galvanic cells with electrolyte-containing biological fluids, such as body fluids from wounds, etc., for releasing the antimicrobial element at the surface.

Process for production of actively sterile surfaces

Multilayer anti-microbial materials formed to produce an interference colour, and thus an indictor of anti-microbial effect, are provided. The materials include a partly reflective base layer and a partly reflective, partly transmissive top layer balanced to produce an interference colour. The top layer is formed from an anti-microbial metal with atomic disorder. Dissolution or a change in composition of the top layer on contacting an alcohol or electrolyte causes a change in optical path length so as to produce a change in the interference colour of the material. Multilayer, laminated wound dressings are also provided. The dressing includes a first and second layer, and preferably a third layer. The first and third layers are formed of perforated, non-adherent materials and most preferably carry an anti-microbial coating as above. The second layer is sandwiched between the first and third layers and is formed of an absorbent material. At least one of the layers is formed from a plastic material. The layers are laminated together by ultrasonic welds spaced intermittently on the dressing to allow the dressing to be cut to size with delaminating.

Growing community of inventors

Sherwood Park, Canada

Robert Edward Burrell