Drug loaded microfiber sutures for ophthalmic application

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017087271-A1
Application number	US-201615375472-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 12, 2016
Priority date	May 4, 2012
Publication date	Mar 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Ophthalmic suture materials made from biocompatible and biodegradable polymers with high tensile strength for use in drug delivery, methods of making them, and method of using them for ocular surgery and repair have been developed. The suture materials are made from a combination of a biodegradable, biocompatible polymer and a hydrophilic biocompatible polymer. In a preferred embodiment the suture materials are made from a poly(hydroxyl acid) such as poly(1-lactic acid) and a polyalkylene oxide such as poly(ethylene glycol) or a polyalkylene oxide block copolymer. The sutures entrap (e.g., encapsulate) one or more therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic agents and provide prolonged release over a period of at least a week, preferably a month.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A method of making a suture comprising one or more fibers, comprising
extruding a jet onto a spinning device, wherein the jet comprises an electrically charged solution comprising a polymer and optionally one or more therapeutic, diagnostic, or prophylactic agents in a solvent, and drying the jet to form fibers.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the spinning device contains another solvent capable of extracting the solvent of the jet upon contact.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the spinning device has an angular velocity in the range between 20 to 40 rotations per minute or permits a travel distance between 20 and 40 centimeters per second.

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the jet is dried by evaporating the solvent in a vacuum chamber.

25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the suture is in the form of a braided or multifiber suture.

26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the suture has a diameter between about 10 μm and 100 μm.

27 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the suture has a diameter between 20 tm and 60 μm.

28 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the suture has a tensile strength of at least 600 MPa.

29 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the suture has a tensile strength between 1.3 GPa and 2.3 GPa.

30 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the polymer comprises a biodegradable, biocompatible polymer selected from the group consisting of polyhydroxyacids, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polycaprolactones, polyanhydrides, polyesters, hydrophobic polyethers, and copolymers thereof.

31 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the electrically charged solution further comprises a hydrophilic polymer selected from the group consisting of a poly(alkylene glycol), a polysaccharide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polypyrrolidone, a polyoxyethylene block copolymer, or a copolymers thereof.

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the amount of the hydrophilic polymer is from about 1 to about 10% by weight of the finished fibers.

33 . The method of claim 21 , wherein solution comprises one or more therapeutic agents selected from the group consisting of anti-glaucoma agents, anti-angiogenesis agents, anti-infective agents, anti-inflammatory agents, growth factors, immunosuppressant agents, anti-allergic agents, and combinations thereof.

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the anti-infective agent is levofloxacin.

35 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the solution comprises one or more therapeutic, diagnostic, or prophylactic agents that are released at an effective amount from the suture for at least seven days after placement.

36 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the amount of the biodegradable, biocompatible polymer is from about 75 wt % to about 85% by weight of the finished fibers.

37 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the amount of the therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic agent is between about 0.1% and about 50% by weight of the finished fibers.

Assignees

• Univ Johns Hopkins

Inventors

• Kashiwabuchi Fabiana Kimie
• Hanes Justin
• Mao Hai-Quan
• Mcdonnell Peter John
• Xu Qingguo
• Zhang Shuming
• Parikh Kunal S

Classifications

• B29K2105/0035

  Medical or pharmaceutical agents · CPC title

• B29C48/142

  using force fields, e.g. gravity or electrical fields (B29C48/9165 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29K2995/0056

  Biocompatible, e.g. biopolymers or bioelastomers · CPC title

• B29C48/147

  after the die nozzle · CPC title

• A61L2430/16

  for reconstruction of eye parts, e.g. intraocular lens, cornea · CPC title