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:
May. 20, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 21, 2001
Thomas R. Tice, Indian Springs, AL (US);
David W. Mason, Birmingham, AL (US);
Amanda McRae-McFarlane, Birmingham, AL (US);
Annica Dahlstromm, Askim, SE;
Deborah L. Dillon, late of Helena, AL (US);
Southern Research Institute, Birmingham, AL (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to polymeric microspheres as injectable, drug-delivery vehicles for use to deliver bioactive agents to sites within the central nervous system, and for the stimulation of nerve fiber growth by implanting such microspheres within the central nervous system of a patient. Microspheres of less than 45 &mgr;m, preferably less than about 20 &mgr;m, and preferably about 0.1 &mgr;m to about 10 &mgr;m in mean diameter according to the present invention are also selectively taken-up and into astrocytes when delivered directly into the nervous tissues.