Manufacturing process, such as three dimensional printing, including binding of water-soluble material followed by softening and flowing and forming films of organic-solvent-soluble material
The invention includes biostructures which may be characterized as having substantially all of the organic-solvent-soluble material in the form of a network of irregularly shaped perforated films. The biostructure may further include particles of a substantially-insoluble material, which may be a member of the calcium phosphate family. The biostructure may be osteoconductive. The biostructure may further contain an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient or other bioactive substance. The API may be a substance which stimulates the production of bone morphogenetic protein, such as Lovastatin or related substances, thereby making the biostructure effectively osteoinductive. One or more of the polymers may have a resorption rate in the human body such as to control the release of the API. Methods of manufacture are also disclosed.
1 . A biostructure which comprises an organic-solvent-soluble network comprising organic-solvent-soluble material at least some of which is in the form of irregularly shaped perforated films, and wherein the organic-solvent-soluble material comprises an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and an organic-solvent-soluble material which is not an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient.
2 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein the organic-solvent-soluble network defines pores which have a size scale less than approximately 1000 micrometers.
3 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein the organic-solvent-soluble network further defines macroscopic internal features which are free of the organic-solvent-soluble material, the macroscopic internal features having a cross-sectional dimension greater than approximately 100 micrometers.
4 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein all of the organic-solvent-soluble material is in the form of irregularly shaped perforated films.
5 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein the organic-solvent-soluble material which is not an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient comprises a polymer or copolymer or terpolymer, and wherein the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient is co-located with the polymer or copolymer or terpolymer, and wherein the polymer or copolymer or terpolymer has a resorption time in the bodily environment which provides a desired release characteristic for the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient.
6 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein the organic-solvent-soluble material comprises a copolymer or terpolymer comprising caprolactone and an appropriate number of additional monomers.
7 . The biostructure of claim 6 , wherein the additional monomer(s) are selected from the group consisting of glycolide, L-lactide, D-L-lactide, trimethylene carbonate and ethylene glycol.
8 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein the organic-solvent-soluble material comprises at least one substance selected from the group consisting of polylactones; polyamines; polymers and copolymers of trimethylene carbonate with any other monomer; vinyl polymers; acrylic acid copolymers; polyethylene glycols; polyethylenes; Polylactides; Polyglycolides; Epsilon-caprolactone; Polylacatones; Polydioxanones; other Poly(alpha-hydroxy acids); Polyhydroxyalkonates; Polyhydroxybutyrates; Polyhydroxyvalerates; Polycarbonates; Polyacetals; Polyorthoesters; Polyamino acids and their esters; Polyphosphoesters; Polyesteramides; Polyfumerates; Polyanhydrides; Polycyanoacrylates; Poloxamers; Polysaccharides; Polyurethanes; Polyesters; Polyphosphazenes; Polyacetals; Polyalkanoates; Polyurethanes; Poly(lactic acid) (PLA); Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA); Poly (DL-lactic acid); Poly-DL-lactide-co-glycolide (PDLGA); Poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLLGA); Polycaprolactone (PCL); Poly-epsilon-caprolactone; Polycarbonates; Polyglyconates; Polyanhydrides; PLLA-co-GA; PLLA-co-GA 82:18; Poly-DL-lactic acid (PDLLA); PLLA-co-DLLA; PLLA-co-DLLA 50:50; PGA-co-TMC (Maxon B); Polyglycolic acid (PGA); Poly-p-dioxanone (PDS); PDLLA-co-GA; PDLLA-co-GA (85:15); aliphatic polyester elastomeric copolymer; epsilon-caprolactone and glycolide in a mole ratio of from about 35:65 to about 65:35; epsilon-caprolactone and glycolide in a mole ratio of from about 45:55 to about 35:65; epsilon-caprolactone and lactide selected from the group consisting of L-lactide, D-lactide and lactic acid copolymers in a mole ratio of epsilon-caprolactone to lactide of from about 35:65 to about 65:35; Poly(L-lactide and caprolactone in a ratio of about 70:30); poly (DL-lactide and caprolactone in a ratio of about 85:15); poly(DL-lactide and caprolactone and glycolic acid in a ratio of about 80:10:10); poly(DL-lacticde and caprolactone in a ratio of about 75:25); poly(L-lactide and glycolic acid in a ratio of about 85:15); poly(L-lactide and trimethylene carbonate in a ratio of about 70:30); poly(L-lactide and glycolic acid in a ratio of about 75:25); Gelatin; Collagen; Elastin; Alginate; Chitin; Hyaluronic acid; Aliphatic polyesters; Poly(amino acids); Copoly(ether-esters); Polyalkylene oxalates; Polyamides; Poly(iminocarbonates); Polyoxaesters; Polyamidoesters; Polyoxaesters containing amine groups; Poly(anhydrides); and mixtures, copolymers, and terpolymers thereof.
9 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein the not-Active-Pharmaceutical-Ingredient has a solubility in at least one organic solvent of at least approximately one part in 100 by weight at room temperature.
10 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein the not-Active-Pharmaceutical-Ingredient has an aqueous solubility of less than approximately 1 part in 100 by weight at room temperature.
11 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient is capable of stimulating bone repair.
12 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient is capable of stimulating the production of bone morphogenetic proteins.
13 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor.
14 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein the Active: Pharmaceutical Ingredient is a member of the statin family.
15 . The biostructure of claim 1 , further comprising particles of tricalcium phosphate or another substantially-insoluble substance.
16 . The biostructure of claim 1 , wherein the biostructure further comprises, in at least some space not occupied by any other materials, a biologically useful material.
17 . A preform which comprises a water-soluble structure forming a network, and, partially attached to the water-soluble structure, particles of an organic-solvent-soluble material, the preform having macroscopic channels therethrough, wherein the organic-solvent-soluble material comprises an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient.
18 . The preform of claim 17 , wherein the preform further defines macroscopic internal features which are free of any material, the macroscopic internal features having a cross-sectional dimension greater than approximately 100 micrometers.
19 . A preform which comprises a water-soluble structure forming a network, and an irregularly-shaped perforated film of organic-solvent-soluble material conforming to surfaces of the water-soluble structure, wherein the organic-solvent-soluble material comprises an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient.
20 . The preform of claim 19 , wherein the preform further defines macroscopic internal features which are free of any material, the macroscopic internal features having a cross-sectional dimension greater than approximately 100 micrometers.
21 . A method of manufacturing a biostructure, the method comprising:
forming at least one powder mixture by mixing particles of an organic-solvent-soluble material and particles of a water-soluble material;
manufacturing a preform by causing particles of the water-soluble material in the powder mixture to join or adhere to other particles of the water-soluble material to form a water-soluble structure which also contains or holds particles of the organic-solvent-soluble material;
forming a film of the organic-solvent-soluble material by causing particles of the organic-solvent-soluble material to soften and at least partially flow to conform to surfaces of the water-soluble structure; and
causing or allowing the organic-solvent-soluble material to harden, wherein forming the film of the organic-solvent-soluble material comprises exposing the preform to a fluid in a supercritical or critical state or at a pressure greater than half the critical pressure of the fluid, under suitable conditions and for a suitable time duration to cause organic-solvent-soluble material in the preform to soften and at least partially flow.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the fluid comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of: carbon dioxide; nitrous oxide; sulfur hexafluoride; alkanes; hydrofluoroalkanes; and a mixture of carbon dioxide and an alcohol.
23 . (canceled)
24 . A method of manufacturing a biostructure, the method comprising:
forming at least one powder mixture by mixing particles of an organic-solvent-soluble material and particles of a water-soluble material;
manufacturing a preform by causing particles of the water-soluble material in the powder mixture to join or adhere to other particles of the water-soluble material to form a water-soluble structure which also contains or holds particles of the organic-solvent-soluble material;
forming a film of the organic-solvent-soluble material by exposing the preform to a vapor of an organic solvent in which the organic-solvent-soluble material is soluble, under suitable conditions and for a suitable time duration to cause organic-solvent-soluble material in the preform to soften and at least partially flow to conform to surfaces of the water-soluble structure;
causing or allowing enough of the organic solvent to escape from the preform so that the organic-solvent-soluble material hardens; and
exposing the preform to a clean-up solvent suitable to remove residual organic solvent,
wherein the clean-up solvent comprises carbon dioxide in a pressurized liquid, pressurized gas, critical or supercritical state.
25 . A method of manufacturing a biostructure, the method comprising:
forming at least one powder mixture by mixing particles of an organic-solvent-soluble material and particles of a water-soluble material;
manufacturing a preform by causing particles of the water-soluble material in the powder mixture to join or adhere to other particles of the water-soluble material to form a water-soluble structure which also contains or holds particles of the organic-solvent-soluble material;
forming a film of the organic-solvent-soluble material by causing particles of the organic-solvent-soluble material to soften and at least partially flow to conform to surfaces of the water-soluble structure; and
causing or allowing the organic-solvent-soluble material to harden, wherein the organic-solvent-soluble material comprises an Active Pharamaceutical Ingredient.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the particles of the organic-solvent-soluble material comprise discrete particles of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient.
27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the particles of the organic-solvent-soluble material comprise particles which contain, co-located with each other, both Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and a polymer or copolymer or terpolymer.
28 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the particles of the organic-solvent-soluble material comprise particles which contain, located in identifiable places within particles, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and a polymer or copolymer or terpolymer.
29 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising, after all of the above steps, infiltrating a biologically useful substance into the biostructure.
30 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the powder mixture further comprises particles of tricalcium phosphate or another substantially-insoluble substance.
31 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the particles of organic-solvent-soluble material contain an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient which is not soluble in an organic solvent.
32 . The method of claim 25 , wherein film-forming comprises exposing the preform to vapor of an organic solvent in the presence of air.
33 . The method of claim 25 , wherein film-forming comprises exposing the preform to vapor of an organic solvent substantially in the absence of air.
34 . The method of claim 25 , wherein film-forming comprises exposing to vapor of acetone, ethyl acetate, acrylonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, or another non-chlorinated organic solvent.
35 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the powder mixture further comprises particles which contain at least two out of the following three categories of substances: organic-solvent-soluble substances, water-soluble substances, and substantially-insoluble substances.
36 . The method of claim 25 , wherein manufacturing the preform comprises three dimensional printing.
37 . The method of claim 25 , wherein manufacturing the preform comprises manufacturing the preform containing empty macroscopic internal features having a cross-sectional dimension greater than approximately 100 micrometers.