University of California

Northwestern University

Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne

Tatiana Segura

Donald R Griffin

Philip Scumpia

Dino Di Carlo

Westbrook Weaver

Lonnie D Shea

Jeffrey Alan Hubbell

Yunfeng Lu

Heather D Maynard

Jing Wen

Gregory Grover

Jonathan Lam

Jae-Hyung Jang

Peter Chung

Brian C Anderson

Jaekyung Koh

Nicolas Bernthal

Suwei Zhu

Weixian Xi

Quinn Ng

Angela Kaye Pannier

Zain Bengali

Nicholas Bernthal

Jeffrey A Hubbell

A copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-polyallyl mercaptan (PEG-PAM) material is used as a drug-containing coating for medical implants. In one embodiment, a mixture of multi-arm poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), polyallyl mercaptan (PAM), a photoinitiator, organic solvent, and one or more drugs, medicaments, or pharmaceutical compounds is applied to a surface of the implant and is exposed to a polymerizing light source to form a PEG-PAM material coating that is formed in situ on the implant. The PEG-PAM coating may be used by surgeons to incorporate antibacterial drugs or the like into coatings that are applied in the operating room setting to medical devices such as orthopedic implants. The type of drug and dosing can be customized during the coating operation and tailored to the patient's needs. PEG-PAM may also be applied as a coating on or within tissue or an injectable gel.

Multi-arm block-copolymers for multifunctional self-assembled systems

A hydrogel material for use in a human subject or other mammal includes a collection of microgel particles having one or more network cross linker components, wherein the microgel particles, when exposed to an endogenous or exogenous annealing agent, links the microgel particles together in situ to form a covalently-stabilized scaffold of microgel particles having pores formed between the microgel particles wherein the pores are substantially devoid of hydrogel.

Microporous annealed particle gel system

A hydrogel material for modulating an immune response in a human subject or other mammal includes a collection of microgel particles having one or more network cross linker components, wherein the microgel particles, when exposed to an endogenous or exogenous annealing agent, links the microgel particles together in situ to form a covalently-stabilized scaffold of microgel particles having interstitial spaces formed between the microgel particles and wherein the collection of microgel particles further includes at least one of an antigen and an adjuvant.

Microporous annealed particle gels and methods of use

A microporous gel system for certain applications, including biomedical applications, includes an aqueous solution containing plurality of microgel particles including a biodegradable crosslinker. In some aspects, the microgel particles act as gel building blocks that anneal to one another to form a covalently-stabilized scaffold of microgel particles having interstitial spaces therein. In certain aspects, annealing of the microgel particles occurs after exposure to an annealing agent that is endogenously present or exogenously added. In some embodiments, annealing of the microgel particles requires the presence of an initiator such as exposure to light. In particular embodiments, the chemical and physical properties of the gel building blocks can be controlled to allow downstream control of the resulting assembled scaffold. In one or more embodiments, cells are able to quickly infiltrate the interstitial spaces of the assembled scaffold.

Controllable self-annealing microgel particles for biomedical applications

An immune-modulating biomaterial comprising a hydrogel scaffold coupled to D-amino acid containing peptides having unexpected properties in vivo is described. For example, certain inflammatory reactions in vivo are significantly increased around the D-peptide containing particles of hydrogel scaffold as compared to particles that contain both L and D peptides or L peptides alone. In addition, these D-peptide compositions are further observed to enhance wound healing and improve the tensile strength of healed tissues. For these and other reasons, the D-amino acid hydrogel materials disclosed herein are useful in a number of methodologies that seek to modulate the immune response and/or wound healing.

Hydrogel for engineered immune response to D-chirality peptides

A method of creating a hydrogel, comprising the step of condensing first and second functional groups, wherein the first group comprises a molecule or macromolecule of interest containing two or more hydroxylamine or aminooxy groups and the second group comprises a molecule or macromolecule of interest containing two or more aldehyde/ketone/other reactive oxo groups, under conditions such that a hydrogel forms.

Method of creating hydrogels through oxime bond formation

The invention provides methods of making and using compositions comprising a polymer shell designed to deliver polypeptides to selected environments. In embodiments of the invention, different environmental conditions are harnessed to allow the selective degradation of the polymer shell and the consequential release of one or polypeptides encapsulated therein. In illustrative embodiments, polymer components of the shell are interconnected by peptide-containing crosslinker moieties, linkages which maintain the integrity of the polymer shell under certain environmental conditions, but can also be cleaved when combined with a selected protease.

Enzyme responsive nanocapsules for protein delivery

The invention features a triblock copolymer including a hydrophilic block; a hydrophobic block; and a positively charged block capable of reversibly complexing a negatively charged molecule, e.g., a nucleic acid, wherein the hydrophobic block is disposed between the hydrophilic block and the positively charged block. Desirably, the triblock copolymer is capable of self-assembling into a supramolecular structure, such as a micelle or vesicle. The invention further features methods of delivering negatively charged molecules and methods of treating a disease or condition using the polymers of the invention.

Triblock copolymers for cytoplasmic delivery of gene-based drugs

The present invention provides clustered ligand vehicles for the delivery of a nucleic acid therapeutic agent to a target expressing a receptor. The invention further provides methods for treating a disease state by targeting a nucleic acid therapeutic agent to a target expressing a receptor using clustered ligand vehicles.

Multivalent clustering targeting strategy for drug carriers

A system and methods for controlled gene delivery comprising condensed nucleic acids complexed with polylinkers, wherein the complexes are covalently and/or non-covalently bound to the surface of a substrate capable of supporting cell adhesion. The gene delivery system achieves temporal and spatial control of nucleic acid delivery to a target cell or cells through control of complex density on the surface of the support substrate, and reversibility of the attachment of the polylinker to the support substrate. The system and method of the invention can be used to create spatial patterns of gene expression, and in tissue engineering, high throughput screening, and gene therapy applications.

Controlled surface-associated delivery of genes and oligonucleotides

A system and method for controlled gene delivery comprising condensed nucleic acids complexed with polylinkers, wherein the complexes are covalently and/or non-covalently bound to the surface of a substrate capable of supporting cell adhesion. The gene delivery system achieves temporal and spatial control of nucleic acid delivery to a target cell or cells through control of complex density on the surface of the support substrate, and reversibility of the attachment of the polylinker to the support substrate. The system and method of the invention can be used to create spatial patterns of gene expression, and in tissue engineering, high throughput screening, and gene therapy applications.

Growing community of inventors

Durham, NC, United States of America

Tatiana Segura