Method of regenerating or replacing cartilage tissue using amniotic cells

• US 5,612,028 A
• Filed: 10/17/1990
• Issued: 03/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Genethics Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Genethics Ltd.
• Inventors: Wood, Christopher B., Sackier, Jonathan M., Krishnan, Rajagopallan, Wiggington, Gordon R., Butler, Douglas Mitchel H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knode, Marian C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Witz, Jean C.
• Application Number:
  US07/605,858
• Time in Patent Office: 2,344 Days
• Field of Search: 424/93 B, 424/93 C, 424/93 U, 424/582, 424/93.7, 623/1, 623/11, 623/12, 623/13, 623/18, 623/19, 623/20, 623/21
• US Class Current: 424/93.7
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/062 Apparatus for the production of blood vessels made from natural tissue or with layers of living cells prostheses made from natural tissue or living cells A61L27/507
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 35/50 Placenta; Placental stem cells; Amniotic fluid; Amnion; Amniotic stem cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/982 Reproductive organs; Embryos, Eggs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/38 containing added animal cells organs or tissue containing native cells A61L27/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3679 by absorption A61M1/3675 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/00 Preparations for care of the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/08 Anti-ageing preparations
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 7/00 Preparations for affecting hair growth
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/915 Method or apparatus for preparing biological material

Abstract

This invention is based upon the application of amniotic cells--in particular, viable epithelial cells--to clinical procedures including the treatment of diseased or damaged tissues, e.g. in joints denuded of cartilage and vascular grafts. The invention also provides prosthetic devices which incorporate amniotic cells, and compositions for cosmetic use based upon amniotic cells or cell extracts. A further development uses amniotic cells in the form of a semi-permeable membrane, or coated onto, for example, microspheres; these structures act as filtration devices for the removal of toxic materials from, for example, blood or urine.

Claims

1. A method of regenerating or replacing in vivo diseased or damaged cartilage tissue in a skeletal joint which comprises implanting into the skeletal joint an effective amount of viable human or animal amniotic cells or tissue.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said amniotic cells or tissue comprise epithelial cells free of the mesenchyme.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein (i) live epithelial cells are harvested from fresh amniotic membrane (ii) the harvested cells are cultured;

and (iii) the cultured cells are introduced into the skeletal joint.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said amniotic cells or tissue are coated onto biologically acceptable carriers prior to implantation into the skeletal joint.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said carriers are microspheres.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said amniotic cells or tissue are coated onto and/or laminated with and/or infused into a suitable prosthesis prior to implantation into the skeletal joint.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said amniotic cells or tissue are introduced directly into the skeletal joint.