Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Surmodics, Inc.

Surmodics Ivd, Inc.

Ronald F Ofstead

Dale G Swan

Stephen J Chudzik

Melvin J Swanson

Ralph A Chappa

Aron B Anderson

Laurie Lawin

Robert W Hergenrother

W James Hammar

Linh V Tran

Randall L Knoll

George Crawford

Wilhelm Lewon

James R Boardman

W James Hammer

Charles F Nawrot

The present invention provides method and materials for forming a polymeric matrix having improved biocompatible properties. A polymerization accelerator is provided that includes an N-vinyl group and a biocompatible functional group. The polymerization accelerator is particularly useful for the polymerization of macromers, which can be used to form biocompatible polymeric coatings on the surface of biological materials, such as cells and tissue.

Composition containing biocompatible polymerization accelerator and polymerizable material

Positively-charged initiator polymers having a polymerization initiator group and a cationic portion are provided. The initiator polymers can be used with a polymerizable material for the formation of a polymeric matrix on a surface. The initiator polymers are particularly useful for cell encapsulation using macromers.

Encapsulated cells using positively-charged initiator polymer

The present invention relates to methods, reagents, and substrates that can be used for, for example, immobilizing biomolecules, such as nucleic acids and proteins. In an embodiment, the present invention relates to surfaces coated with a polymer according to the present invention. In an embodiment, the present invention relates to methods for thermochemically and/or photochemically attaching molecules to a surface at a high density.

Attachment of molecules to surfaces

A coating composition in the form of a one or multi-part system, and method of applying such a composition under conditions of controlled humidity, for use in coating device surfaces to control and/or improve their ability to release bioactive agents in aqueous systems. The coating composition is particularly adapted for use with medical devices that undergo significant flexion and/or expansion in the course of their delivery and/or use, such as stents and catheters. The composition includes the bioactive agent in combination with a first polymer component such as polyalkyl(meth)acrylate, polyaryl(meth)acrylate, polyaralkyl(meth)acrylate, or polyaryloxyalkyl(meth)acrylate and a second polymer component such as poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate).

Bioactive agent release coating and controlled humidity method

Method for encapsulation of cellular material using a charged initiator polymer

A gelatin capsule sealant of a water soluble, amide-containing polymer adhesive in a volatile, essentially non-aqueous solvent is used to seal gelatin capsule sections together at less than the entire circumference of overlap between the capsule sections. The sealant may also adhere a pharmaceutical caplet within the capsule to the internal wall of the capsule. The method of applying the sealant to the capsule sections and possibly also the pharmaceutical caplet uses a drop of the sealant spread at the junction of an eccentric arcuate portion of the sections and the pharmaceutical caplet. The solvent evaporates from the sealant through the portion of the capsule section overlap not sealed. The sealant may use 'generally regarded as safe' (GRAS) solvents and may also include a GRAS dye for visual indication tha that the capsule is eccentrically sealed to resist manually forced separation of the capsule sections.

Method of sealing a gelatin capsule

A non-crosslinked crystallized polymer or polymer blending coating is disclosed for articles that come into contact with bodily fluids. The polymer or polymer blend to be used is crystallizable and is stable in the presence of water at temperatures of up to about 60.degree. C. when in the crystalline state. The polymer or polymer blend is dissolved in a solvent, such as water or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and is coated on the article. The polymer coating is then crystallized, generally by heat treatment, providing both toughness and increased adherence of the coating to the article without ready dissolution when the article comes into contact with fluids.

Article having non-crosslinked crystallized polymer coatings

Novel, non-crosslinked copolymers of vinyl trifluoroacetate (VTA) and up to 5 weight percent of the VTA of certain comonomers, such as vinyl esters, vinyl ethers, or disubstituted ethylene monomers, are disclosed. Solvolysis of these copolymers provides novel water-insoluble, non-crosslinked, poly(vinyl alcohol) copolymers which can be hydrated to copolymers having controllably variable hydrogel properties and high strength. Such poly(vinyl alcohol) copolymers are particularly desirable as ophthalmic devices such as contact lenses, corneal implants and transplants, and intraocular lenses.

Copolymers of poly(vinyl trifluoroacetate) or poly(vinyl alcohol)

Articles including ophthalmic devices prepared by a process comprising the steps of thermoforming a polymer comprising units derived from an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer bearing at least one trihaloacetoxy-substituent group, by heating the polymer in a mold or in sheet-form at a temperature in the range of 100.degree. to 400.degree. C. for about 5 seconds to 15 minutes, and then cooling said polymer, to provide a shaped article, solvolyzing the resulting shaped article to provide a hydroxy-substituted polymeric shaped article, and optionally hydrating said hydroxy-substituted polymeric shaped article to provide a shaped hydrogel article. When the polymer is derived from vinyl trihaloacetate it has a syndiotactic stereochemical configuration.

Hydroxy-substituted polymeric shaped hydrogel article

This invention provides a new method of preparing intraocular lenses for implantation which comprises folding, stretching, rolling, compressing or otherwise reconfiguring the lens to reduce the profile of the lens in at least one dimension and dehydrating the lens in that shape. The thus prepared artificial intraocular lens may be surgically implanted in the eye through a small incision where it will be rehydrated in situ.

Hydrogel implant lens construction reconfigured dehydrated re-hydrated

Miscible blends of slid, non-crosslinked polymers are disclosed. The blends comprise from 2 to 95 parts by weight of a water-insoluble, hydrophobic polymer and, correspondingly from 98 to 5 parts by weight of a hydrophilic polymer. The blends are capable of absorbing at least their own weight in water.

Polymer blends with high water absorption

Novel, non-crosslinked copolymers of vinyl trifluoroacetate (VTA) and up to 5 weight percent of the VTA of certain comonomers, such as vinyl eesters, vinyl ethers, or disubstituted ethylene monomers, are disclosed. Solvolysis of these copolymers provides novel water-insoluble, non-crosslinked, poly(vinyl alcohol) copolymers which can be hydrated to copolymers having controllably variable hydrogel properties and high strength. Such poly(vinyl alcohol) copolymers are particularly desirable as ophthalmic devices such as contact lenses, corneal implants and transplant, and intraocular lenses.

Growing community of inventors

Maplewood, MN, United States of America

Ronald F Ofstead