Resorbable polymer compositions

• US 6,607,548 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inion Ltd. (Beijing Naton Technology Group Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Inion Ltd. (Beijing Naton Technology Group Company Limited)
• Inventors: Helevirta, Pertti, Sailer, Hermann, Kaikkonen, Auvo, Pohjonen, Timo, Happonen, Harri, Nieuwenhuis, Jan, Haers, Piet E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woodward, Ana
• Application Number:
  US09/859,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20020173595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 606/230, 606/231, 606/60, 606/69, 606/77, 606/86, 606/105
• US Class Current: 606/230
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/26 Mixtures of macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/041 Mixtures of macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/04 Polyesters derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g. lactones C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 69/005 Polyester-carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/908 Bioabsorbable material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/91 Polymer

Abstract

A novel polymer composition is provided which includes a base material including a biodegradable polymer or copolymer, and a copolymer additive including one or more monomers imparting a tensile strength to the polymer composition at room temperature that is lower than a tensile strength at room temperature for the base material.

Claims

1. A method of making implants comprising

melt-blending a mixture of a base material and a copolymer additive to form a melt-blended mixture,

forming an implant from the melt-blended mixture, wherein the implant has a tensile strength at room temperature that is lower than a tensile strength at room temperature for an implant formed from the base material excluding the copolymer additive.

2. An implant formed from a melt-blended polymer composition comprising:

a base material including a biodegradable polymer or copolymer, and

a copolymer additive including one or more monomers imparting a tensile strength for the implant at room temperature that is lower than a tensile strength at room temperature for an implant formed from the base material excluding the copolymer additive.

3. A method of making implants comprising

melt-blending a mixture of a base material and a copolymer additive to form a melt-blended mixture,

forming an implant from the melt-blended mixture, wherein the implant has a glass transition temperature at room temperature that is lower than a glass transition temperature for an implant formed from the base material excluding the copolymer additive.

4. A method of recovering initial tensile strength of an implant comprising

melt-blending a mixture of a base material and a copolymer additive to form a melt-blended mixture,

forming an implant from the melt-blended mixture,

allowing the tensile strength of the implant to increase, and

heating the implant in a manner to decrease the tensile strength of the implant for a time period greater than a few minutes.

5. A medical implant comprising melt-blended polymer composition comprising:

a base material including a biodegradable polymer or copolymer, and

a copolymer additive including one or more monomers imparting a tensile strength for the melt-blended polymer composition at room temperature that is lower than a tensile strength at room temperature for the base material.

6. The medical implant of claim 5 wherein the base material is a polymer or copolymer including a lactide.

7. The medical implant of claim 5 wherein the base material is selected from the group consisting of polylactides, polyglycolides, poly(L-lactide), poly(D-lactide), poly(L-lactide-co D,L-lactide), poly(L-lactide-co-meso-lactide), poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide), poly(L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone), poly(D,L-lactide-co-meso-lactide), poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide), poly(D,L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone), poly(meso-lactide-co-glycolide), and poly(meso-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone).

8. The medical implant of claim 5 wherein the copolymer additive includes trimethylene carbonate or dioxanone.

9. The medical implant of claim 5 wherein the base material is selected from the group consisting of poly(L-lactide-co-D,L-lactide) 70:

30, poly(L-lactide-co-D,L-lactide) 80;

20, poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) 85;

15, and poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) 80;

20.

10. The medical implant of claim 5 wherein the copolymer additive is selected from the group consisting of poly(L-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate), poly(D,L-lactide-co trimethylene carbonate), poly(meso-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate), poly(glycolide-co-trimethylene carbonate), poly(L-lactide-co-dioxanone), poly(D,L-lactide-co-dioxanone), poly(meso-lactide-co-dioxanone), and poly(glycolide-co-dioxanone).

11. The medical implant of claim 5 wherein the copolymer additive is poly(L-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate).

12. The medical implant of claim 5 wherein the base material is present in an amount of between about 50% and 99% and the copolymer additive is present in an amount between 1% and 50%.