Processes for the production of solid dressings for treating wounded tissue

1. A process for producing a solid dressing for treating wounded tissue in a mammal comprising: (a) forming a liquid aqueous mixture of a fibrinogen component selected from the group consisting of human fibrinogen and bovine fibrinogen, and a fibrinogen activator selected from the group consisting of human thrombin, bovine thrombin and recombinant human thrombin, at a temperature of 2° C. to 8° C., where said liquid aqueous mixture contains up to 9% γ-γ dimers; (b) reducing the temperature of said aqueous mixture to form a frozen aqueous mixture, wherein said frozen aqueous mixture contains up to 9% γ-γ dimers; and (c) reducing the moisture content of said frozen aqueous mixture to produce a solid dressing having a haemostatic layer consisting essentially of said fibrinogen component and said fibrinogen activator, wherein said haemostatic layer contains up to 9% γ-γ dimers.

2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising at least one support layer.

3. The process of claim 2 , wherein said support layer comprises a backing material.

4. The process of claim 2 , wherein said support layer comprises an internal support material.

5. The process of claim 2 , wherein said support layer comprises a resorbable material.

6. The process of claim 3 , wherein said solid dressing further comprising at least one physiologically acceptable adhesive between said haemostatic layer and said backing layer.

7. The process of claim 5 , wherein said resorbable materials is selected from the group consisting of proteinaceous materials and carbohydrate substances.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein said carbohydrate substance is selected from the group consisting of alginic acid and salts thereof, chitin, chitosan, cellulose, n-acetyl glucosamine, proteoglycans, glycolic acid polymers, lactic acid polymers, glycolic acid/lactic acid co-polymers and mixtures of two or more thereof.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein said haemostatic layer also contains a fibrin crosslinker and/or a source of calcium ions.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein said haemostatic layer also contains one or more of the following: at least one filler, at least one solubilizing agent, at least one foaming agent and at least one release agent.

11. The process of claim 10 , wherein said solubilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of sucrose, lactose, maltose, dextrose, mannose, trehalose, mannitol, sorbitol, albumin, sorbate, polysorbate, and mixtures of two or more thereof.

12. The process of claim 2 , wherein said haemostatic layer further contains at least one binding agent in an amount effective to improve the adherence of said haemostatic layer to said support layer.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein said binding agent is selected from the group consisting of sucrose, mannitol, sorbitol, gelatin, hyaluron, hyaluronic acid, maltose, povidone, chitosan and carboxymethylcellulose.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein said haemostatic layer is substantially homogeneous throughout.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein said haemostatic layer is a monolith.

16. The process of claim 1 , wherein said frozen aqueous mixture is lyophilized in (c).

17. The process of claim 1 , wherein said moisture content is at least 6%.

18. The process of claim 1 , wherein said moisture content is less than 6%.

19. The process of claim 2 , wherein said support layer comprises a front support material.

20. The process of claim 1 , wherein said temperature is reduced to between −10° C. to −196° C.

21. The process of claim 1 , wherein said temperature is reduced while said liquid aqueous mixture is frozen while in the horizontal or vertical orientation.