Micronized wharton's jelly
View Patent ↗The present invention provides compositions and formulations of micronized Wharton's jelly having a controlled viscosity such that when delivered to the injured region of a subject, it remains substantially localized with little or no migration out of the injured region for the repair and/or regeneration thereof. Micronized Wharton's Jelly can be suspended in a pharmaceutically acceptable aqueous carrier, such as saline, sterile water, or any suitable buffer, to form a suspension or a gelatinous gel composition, or it can be in the form of a paste, suitable for delivery into the space adjacent the articular surface cartilage injured region of a subject. The micronized Wharton's jelly when employed at sufficient concentrations can be hydrated into a gel or paste and administered topically, or it can be injected into the body through the use of a needle and syringe. Accordingly, micronized Wharton's Jelly, compositions, or formulations thereof, can be delivered in a manner that is more convenient than Wharton's jelly that has not been micronized in accordance with the present invention.
1. A method for inducing hyaline cartilage formation in a patient in need thereof, said method comprising introducing a composition comprising Wharton's jelly including one or more growth factors found in Wharton's jelly into a joint of said patient, wherein said composition is substantially free of umbilical cord tissue.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the growth factor is selected from the group consisting of fibroblast growth factor (FGF), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and epidermal growth factor (EGF).
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is selected from the group consisting of water, saline, and phosphate buffered saline.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a surfactant or an emulsifier.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a plasticizer.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is injectable.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the injectable composition further comprises one or more of an osmotic agent, a hydrophobic agent, and a surface active agent.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a liquid, a gel or a paste.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a biocompatible polymer.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the biocompatible polymer is a plasticizer.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plasticizer is cross-linked with a biocompatible cross-linking agent.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises amniotic membrane of an umbilical cord.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is substantially free of amniotic membrane of an umbilical cord.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said patient suffers from an articular surface defect.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the articular surface defect is localized at a joint of shoulder, elbows, knee, hip, feet, ankle, hand, and/or wrist of said patient.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the composition is administered to the site of the articular surface defect.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered to the patient during a micro-fracture procedure.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered to a drill fracture site during a micro-fracture procedure.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is added to an autogenous bone tissue.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered to a synovial joint of said patient.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Wharton's jelly is micronized.