Porous polymer scaffolds, and methods of making and using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12421369-B2
Application number	US-201716309081-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2017
Priority date	Jun 14, 2016
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

Polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds having macropores interconnected with micorpores are provided. Tissue grafts that include the PCL scaffold having therapeutic cells encapsulated within the macropores are also provided. Also provided are methods of making the PCL scaffold and the tissue graft, and methods of transplanting cells into an individual using the tissue graft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold consisting of:
a monolithic, continuous structure comprising a plurality of pores, wherein the plurality of pores comprises macropores interconnected by struts containing micropores, wherein the macropores have an average diameter of from 50 μm to 500 μm and the micropores have an average diameter of 20 μm or less; and
wells that are distinct from the plurality of pores and that are arranged on the surface of the scaffold in a honeycomb pattern;

wherein the micropores and macropores are present on external surfaces of the PCL scaffold.

2. The PCL scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the average distance between the pores is less than about 10 μm.

3. The PCL scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the PCL scaffold has a bulk porosity of from about 50% to about 90% as measured by computed tomography scanning of the PCL scaffold.

4. The PCL scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the PCL scaffold has a surface porosity of about 75% or more as measured by segmentation of an image of the PCL scaffold surface.

5. The PCL scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the PCL scaffold is substantially flat.

6. The PCL scaffold of claim 5 , wherein the PCL scaffold has a thickness of from about 0.1 mm to about 25 mm.

7. The PCL scaffold of claim 5 , wherein the PCL scaffold has a lateral dimension of from about 1.0 cm to about 10 cm.

8. The PCL scaffold of claim 5 , wherein the scaffold is pliable and readily bends under constant stress.

9. The PCL scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the PCL scaffold is composed of a single material, wherein the single material is PCL.

10. The PCL scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the average diameter of the wells is 500 microns.

11. The PCL scaffold of claim 1 , wherein inter-well spacing is the distance between adjacent wells on the surface of the scaffold, and wherein each inter-well spacing varies by 20% or less from the average inter-well spacing.

12. A therapeutic scaffold comprising the PCL scaffold of claim 1 and a plurality of therapeutic cells encapsulated within the macropores of the PCL scaffold.

13. The PCL therapeutic scaffold of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of therapeutic cells comprises at least 10 5 cells.

14. The therapeutic scaffold of claim 12 , wherein the therapeutic cells comprise in vitro differentiated stem cells, insulin-secreting cells, human stem cell-derived insulin producing cells (SCIPCs), or lymphocytes.

15. The PCL scaffold of claim 13 , wherein the macropores comprise a diameter of 100-300 mm and the micropores comprise a diameter of 5-20 mm.

Assignees

• Univ California

Inventors

• Desai Tejal A
• Chang Ryan
• Williams Jasper Z

Classifications

• A61L27/56

  Porous materials, {e.g. foams or sponges} · CPC title

• A61L27/54

  Biologically active materials, e.g. therapeutic substances {(A61L27/227 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A61L27/3895

  using specific culture conditions, e.g. stimulating differentiation of stem cells, pulsatile flow conditions · CPC title

• A61L27/3804

  characterised by specific cells or progenitors thereof, e.g. fibroblasts, connective tissue cells, kidney cells · CPC title

• A61L27/3616

  Blood, e.g. platelet-rich plasma · CPC title