Pro-Angiogenic Polymer Scaffolds

• US 20080206186A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rimon Therapeutics Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Rimon Therapeutics Ltd.
• Inventors: Butler, Mark J., Sefton, Michael Vivian, Skarja, Gary Alan
• Application Number:
  US11/912,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20080206186A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/78.31
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/16 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• 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: A61L 27/60 Materials for use in artificial skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2201/0446 Elimination of NaCl only
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2300/10 Polymers characterised by the presence of specified groups, e.g. terminal or pendant functional groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2333/02 Homopolymers or copolymers of acids; Metal or ammonium salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/26 by elimination of a solid phase from a macromolecular composition or article, e.g. leaching out
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/08 Homopolymers or copolymers of acrylic acid esters

Abstract

A pro-angiogenic porous polymer scaffold is disclosed. The polymer has at least 20 mol-% monomeric subunits containing acidic functional groups, and has a porosity of at least 40%. The pores in the scaffold are interconnected. A method of making such a scaffold using a novel adaptation to the traditional solvent casting/particulate leaching technique is also disclosed. The scaffold may be used for tissue regeneration.

Claims

1. A pro-angiogenic porous polymer scaffold, said polymer comprising at least 20 mol-% monomeric subunits containing acidic functional groups, said polymer having a porosity of at least 40%, and having interconnected pores.

2. The scaffold of claim 1, wherein the acidic functional groups are selected from the group consisting of:

carboxylic acids, carboxylates, sulfonic acids, sulfonates, phosphoric acids, and phosphates.

3. The scaffold of claim 1, wherein polymerizable monomeric subunits containing acidic functional groups used to produce the pro-angiogenic polymer are selected from the group consisting of methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, monoacryloxyethyl phosphate, 2-propene-1-sulfonic acid, 4-vinyl benzoic acid, crotonic acid, itaconic acid, vinylsulfonic acid, vinyl acetic acid, citric acid, styrene sulfonic acid, and sodium styrene sulfonate.

4. The scaffold of claim 3, wherein polymerizable monomeric subunits containing acidic functional groups used to produce the pro-angiogenic polymer are methacrylic acid.

5. The scaffold of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a polyacrylate.

6. The scaffold of claim 1, wherein the polymer is crosslinked.

7. The scaffold of claim 6, wherein the crosslinks are biostable.

8. The scaffold of claim 6, wherein the crosslinks are biodegradable.

9. The scaffold of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a graft polymer comprising a backbone and arms grafted onto the backbone, wherein the arms contain the at least 20 mol-% monomeric subunits containing acidic functional groups.

12. A method for tissue regeneration, comprising applying the scaffold of claim 1, to the vascularized tissue to be regenerated.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the scaffold is pre-seeded with cells.

10. A method for making a pro-angiogenic porous polymer scaffold, wherein said polymer comprises at least 20 mol-% monomeric subunits containing acidic functional groups, said scaffold having a porosity of at least 40%, and having interconnected pores, said method comprising:

mixing one or more types of monomers, and an initiator together in a solvent, wherein at least 20 mol-% of said monomers contain an acidic functional group;

pouring the mixture over a fused salt bed having a pore size range of 10 to 800 microns;

allowing the mixture to polymerize; and

leaching the salt out, to yield the porous scaffold.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the polymer is crosslinked, and the mixing step includes mixing in a crosslinking agent.