Porous hydrogels

• US 6,897,271 B1
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Novartis Ag
• Inventors: Francis, Vimala Mary, Domschke, Angelika Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalukaeva, Tatyana
• Application Number:
  US10/624,583
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 526/91, 526/258, 526/319, 526/320, 526/317.1, 526/359, 623/6.11, 524/91, 524/359
• US Class Current: 526/91
• 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: C08F 2/06 Organic solvent
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/44 Polymerisation in the presence of compounding ingredients, e.g. plasticisers, dyestuffs, fillers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2201/0462 using organic solvents
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2300/00 Characterised by the use of unspecified polymers
• 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: G02B 1/043 Contact lenses

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a porous polymer; wherein a composition comprising a polymerizable component, a porogen having an inverse temperature dependent solubility and a solvent are polymerized at a temperature around the cloud point temperature of the composition. The porous polymers obtainable according to the process of the invention are useful, for example, as materials for the manufacture of biomedical devices and prostheses, including ophthalmic devices such as contact lenses or artificial corneas.

Claims

1. A hydratable porous polymer molding comprising

a composition of at least one polymerizable hydrophilic monomer or macromer, an inert porogen having an inverse temperature-dependent solubility which can be retained in the composition, and a solvent;

wherein the molding is formed by

providing said composition at a temperature below the cloud point temperature of the composition,

subjecting the composition to a polymerization reaction at a temperature around the cloud point temperature of the composition, and

removing the porogen from the resulting porous polymer at a temperature below the cloud point temperature of the composition.

2. A molding according to claim 1, which is a biomedical device.

3. A molding according to claim 2, which is a medical implant.

4. A molding according to claim 2, which is an ocular prosthesis.

5. A molding according to claim 2, which is an implantable intraocular lens or artificial cornea.

6. A hydratable porous polymer material comprising

a composition of at least one polymerizable hydrophilic monomer or macromer, an inert porogen having an inverse temperature-dependent solubility which can be retained in the composition, and a solvent;

wherein the composition is

polymerized at a temperature around the cloud point temperature of the composition, and

the porogen is removed from the resulting porous polymer at a temperature below the cloud point temperature of the composition.

7. The hydratable porous polymer material of claim 6, wherein the composition is polymerized in a mold.