Diffusion-controllable coatings on medical device

• US 6,827,966 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2002
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Novartis Ag
• Inventors: Kotov, Nichola, Carney, Fiona Patricia, Morris, Carol Ann, Lally, John Martin, Winterton, Lynn Cook, Qiu, Yongxing
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Jennifer Kolb
• Application Number:
  US10/153,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20030039742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 427/372.2, 427/385.5, 427/2.1, 427/2.24, 427/2.31, 427/162, 427/164, 427/402, 427/407.1, 427/412.1, 427/414, 427/415, 427/421, 427/430.1
• US Class Current: 427/2.24
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/306 Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L27/303 - A61L27/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/34 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/088 Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L31/084 or A61L31/086
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/10 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/043 Contact lenses

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for forming on a medical device, preferably an ophthalmic lens, more preferably a contact lens, a diffusion-controllable coating capable of controlling the out-diffusion or release of guest materials from the medical device. The method of the invention comprises: (1) applying one layer of clay and optionally one or more layers of polyionic materials onto the medical device; or (2) applying alternatively a layer of a first polyionic material and a layer of a second polyionic material having charges opposite of the charges of the first polyionic material onto the medical device and releasing the coated medical device into a releasing medium having a composition capable of imparting a desired permeability to the diffusion-controllable coating on the medical device.

Claims

1. A method for forming a dense/compact coating on a medical device, comprising:

applying a layer of a first polyionic material and a layer of a second polyionic material having charges opposite of the charges of the first polyionic material onto the medical device;

releasing and storing the coated medical device in pure water; and

autoclaving the coated medical device in pure water to obtain the coating said coating, having a wettability characterized by a water contact angle of about 32 degrees or smaller.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the layer of the first polyionic material is applied onto the medical device by immersing said medical device in a first solution of the first polyionic material or by spraying said medical device with a second solution of the first polyionic material, and wherein the layer of the second polyionic materials is applied onto the medical device by immersing said medical device in a first solution of the second polyionic material or by spraying said medical device with a second solution of the second polyionic material.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein said first polyionic material is a weak polyacid having a relatively low molecular weight and the first and second solutions of the first polyionic material have a pH of from about 1.5 to about 8.5, wherein said second polyionic material is a weak polybase having a relatively low molecular weight and the first and second solutions of the second polyionic material have a pH of from about 1.5 to about 8.5.

4. A method of claim 2, wherein said medical device is an ophthalmic lens.

5. A method of claim 4, wherein said ophthalmic lens is a contact lens.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the layers of the first and second polyionic materials are formed by dipping said medical device in a solution containing the first polyionic material and the second polyionic material in an amount such that the molar charge ratio of said solution is from about 3:

1 to about 100;

1.

7. A method of claim 6, wherein said molar charge ratio of said solution is 10:

1.

8. A method of claim 7, wherein said medical device is an ophthalmic lens.

9. A method for manufacturing ophthalmic lenses without an extraction process, comprising:

(1) producing ophthalmic lenses by molding in molds; and

(2) forming a dense/compact coating on each of the ophthalmic lenses produced in step (1) by;

applying a layer of a first polyionic material and a layer of a second polyionic material having charges opposite of the charges of the first polyionic material onto the ophthalmic device;

releasing and storing the coated ophthalmic device in pure water; and

(3) autoclaving the coated ophthalmic device in pure water so as to impart to the dense/compact coating a wettability characterized by a water contact angle of about 32 degrees or smaller.

10. A method of claim 9, wherein the layer of the first polyionic materials is applied onto the medical device by immersing said medical device in a first solution of the first polyionic material or by spraying said medical device with a second solution of the first polyionic material, and wherein the layer of the second polyionic materials is applied onto the medical device by immersing said medical device in a first solution of the second polyionic material or by spraying said medical device with a second solution of the second polyionic material.

11. A method of claim 10, wherein said first polyionic material is a weak polyacid having a relatively low molecular weight and the first and second solutions of the first polyionic material have a pH of from about 1.5 to about 8.5, wherein said second polyionic material is a weak polybase having a relatively low molecular weight and the first and second solutions of the second polyionic material have a pH of from about 1.5 to about 8.5.