The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 29, 1999
Filed:
May. 27, 1997
Laurence Berlowitz-Tarrant, Harvard, MA (US);
Anthony Ratcliffe, New York, NY (US);
Shuichi Mizuno, Brookline, MA (US);
The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, NY (US);
International Technology Management Associates, Ltd., Harvard, MA (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to the use of an ECM-altering enzymatic activity, such as a proteoglycanase or a protease, to stimulate the generation of cartilage tissue by inducing chondrocytes to synthesize new cartilage matrix. It has been discovered that treating chondrocytes with an enzymatic activity that modifies the territorial ECM of the cell, especially cell surface proteoglycans, can in and of itself be sufficient to stimulate cartilage production by the chondrocytes. The subject invention can be employed therapeutically to correct or prevent degeneration of connective tissue. For instance, the present method can be used in the treatment of disorders comprising cartilage such as found in an diarthroidal joint (e.g. articular and interarticular cartilage), as well as in the treatment of tendon and ligamental tissues. Such disorders can range from chronic degeneration brought about by disease, overuse, or trauma, to plastic or reconstructive surgery. Moreover, the subject method may also be applied to both the development and implantation of prosthetic devices.