HIGHLY POROUS SELF-COHERED FIBROUS TISSUE ENGINEERING SCAFFOLD

• US 20070155010A1
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Flynn, Charles, White, Charles, Farnsworth, Ted, Hayes, Byron
• Application Number:
  US11/668,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20070155010A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/399
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/18 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/26 Mixtures of macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/38 containing added animal cells organs or tissue containing native cells A61L27/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/56 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/58 Materials at least partially resorbable by the body
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/02 Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 69/00 Compositions of polycarbonates; Compositions of derivatives of polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 71/02 Polyalkylene oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0068 General culture methods using substrates for specific animal cell type C12N5/06

Abstract

The present invention is directed to bioabsorbable non-woven self-cohered web materials having a high degree of porosity. The web materials are very supple and soft, while exhibiting proportionally increased mechanical strength in one or more directions. The web materials often possess a high degree of loft. The web materials can be formed into a variety of shapes and forms suitable for use as scaffolds for tissue engineering.

Claims

1. A substrate for living cells comprising a self-cohered non-woven bioabsorbable web material comprising a block co-polymer of poly-glycolic acid and trimethylene carbonate, wherein said web material has a percent porosity greater than ninety in the absence of additional components;

and

a population of living cells on at least a portion of said substrate.

3. The substrate of claim 1 wherein said substrate and living cells are implantable.

2. A substrate for living cells comprising a self-cohered non-woven bioabsorbable web material comprising a block co-polymer of poly-glycolic acid and trimethylene carbonate, wherein said web material has a percent porosity greater than ninety in the absence of additional components;

and

wherein said substrate is sterilized.

4. The substrate of claim 2 further comprising living cells on at least a portion of said substrate.

5. A substrate for living cells comprising melt-formed continuous filaments intermingled to form a bioabsorbable porous web wherein said filaments are self-cohered to each other at multiple contact points, wherein said filaments comprise at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component covalently bonded to or blended with at least one amorphous polymeric component, wherein the filaments possess partial to full polymeric component phase immiscibility when in a crystalline state, and wherein said porous web has a percent porosity greater than ninety in the absence of additional components;

and

a population of living cells on at least a portion of said substrate.

6. The substrate of claim 5 wherein the percent porosity is greater than ninety-one.

7. The substrate of claim 5 wherein the at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component is covalently bonded to at least one amorphous polymeric component.

8. The substrate of claim 7 wherein the components comprise a block copolymer.

9. The substrate of claim 5 wherein the at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component is blended with the at least one amorphous polymeric component.

10. The substrate of claim 9 wherein at least one of the components is a block co-polymer.

11. The substrate of claim 5 further comprising a hydrogel material placed on at least one of said filaments.

12. The substrate of claim 11 wherein at least a portion of the hydrogel material is chemically cross-linked together.

13. The substrate of claim 11 further comprising a bioactive species in combination with the hydrogel material.

14. The substrate of claim 12 further comprising a bioactive species in combination with the cross-linked hydrogel material.

15. The substrate of claim 5 further comprising a fluoropolymer component.

16. The substrate of claim 5 in the form of a substantially planar sheet.

17. The substrate of claim 5 having a hollow tubular form.

18. The substrate of claim 5 in the form of a braid.

19. The substrate of claim 18 wherein said braid is rope-like in form.

20. The substrate of claim 5 in the form of a rod.

21. A substrate for living cells comprising melt-formed continuous filaments intermingled to form a bioabsorbable porous web wherein said filaments are self-cohered to each other at multiple contact points, wherein said filaments comprise at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component covalently bonded to or blended with at least one additional semi-crystalline polymeric component, wherein the filaments possess partial to full polymeric component phase immiscibility when in a crystalline state, and wherein said porous web has a percent porosity greater than ninety in the absence of additional components;

and

a population of living cells on at least a portion of said substrate.

22. The substrate of claim 21 wherein the percent porosity is greater than ninty-one in the absence of additional components.

23. The substrate of claim 21 wherein the at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component is covalently bonded to at least one amorphous polymeric component.

24. The substrate of claim 23 wherein the components comprise a block copolymer.

25. The substrate of claim 21 wherein the at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component is blended with the at least one amorphous polymeric component.

26. The substrate of claim 25 wherein at least one of the components is a block co-polymer.

27. The substrate of claim 21 further comprising a hydrogel material placed on at least one of said filaments.

28. The substrate of claim 27 wherein at least a portion of the hydrogel material is chemically cross-linked together.

29. The substrate of claim 27 further comprising a bioactive species in combination with the hydrogel material.

30. The substrate of claim 28 further comprising a bioactive species in combination with the cross-linked hydrogel material.

31. The substrate of claim 30 further comprising a fluoropolymer component.

32. The substrate of claim 21 in the form of a substantially planar sheet.

33. The substrate of claim 21 having a hollow tubular form.

34. The substrate of claim 21 in the form of a braid.

35. The substrate of claim 34 wherein said braid is rope-like in form.

36. The substrate of claim 21 in the form of a rod.

37. A process for forming a cellular aggregate, which comprises:

providing a substrate in the form of a self-cohered non-woven bioabsorbable web material comprising a block co-polymer of polyglycolide and trimethylene carbonate, wherein said web material has a percent porosity greater than ninety in the absence of additional components; and

placing living cells on at least a portion of said substrate under conditions favorable for growth of said cells.

38. The process of claim 37 wherein said cells are placed on said substrate contemporaneous with a surgical procedure.

39. The process of claim 38 wherein said substrate is implanted before placing living cells thereon.

40. The process of claim 38 wherein said living cells are placed on said substrate after implantation of said substrate.