Drug-containing bioabsorbable fibers and implants

1. A method of treating a disease caused by cell over-proliferation in a subject, the method comprising providing a bioabsorbable drug delivery device that includes a drug-containing bioabsorbable fiber and implanting the bioabsorbable drug delivery device into the subject in need of treatment, wherein the disease caused by cell over-proliferation is a tumor, the bioabsorable fiber is produced by the steps of dissolving both a bioabsorbable polymer and a first drug in an organic solvent to form a solution, dispensing the solution onto a flat surface, evaporating the organic solvent to form a sheet of drug-containing bioabsorbable polymer having at least two edges, adding a second drug to a surface of the sheet of drug-containing bioabsorbable polymer, joining the at least two edges to form a drug-containing bioabsorbable tube, sealing each end of the drug-containing bioabsorbable tube, and drawing the sealed drug-containing bioabsorbable tube through a die to form the drug-containing bioabsorbable fiber such that the drug-containing bioabsorbable fiber has a uniform diameter, the steps for producing the bioabsorable fiber are carried out at a temperature of 5° C. to 800° C. and the first drug is an anti-proliferative drug selected from the group consisting of fulvestrant, goserelin, histrelin, leuprolide, triptorelin, lenalidomide, biolimus, crizotinib, dasatinib, erlotinib, imatinib, lapatinib, pazopanib, pimecrolimus, sirolimus, sorafenib, sunitinib, tacrolimus, temsirolimus, vandetanib, zotarolimus, azacitidine, bendamustine, bleomycin, cabazitaxel, carboplatin, carmustine, cisplatin, cytarabine, dacarbazine, dactinomycin, daunorubicin, docetaxek doxorubicin, epirubicin, eribulin, etoposide, floxuridine, fludarabine, fluorouracil, gemcitabine, idarubicin, ifosfamide, irinotecan, ixabepilone, mechlorethamine, melphalan, methotrexate, mitoxantrone, nelarabine, oxaliplatin, paclitaxel, pemetrexed, pentostatin, pralatrexate, thiotepa, topotecan, vinblastine, clofarabine, decitabine, procarbazine, romidepsin, and streptozocin.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bioabsorbable polymer is selected from the group consisting of polycaprolactone, polydioxanone, polyglycolide, polylactides, poly-L-lactide, poly-D,L-lactide, poly (L-lactide-co-glycolide), poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide), poly (L-lactide-co-D,L-lactide), poly (L-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate), polyhydroxyvalerate, and ethylvinylacetate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bioabsorbable drug delivery device is implanted in a blood vessel, the gastrointestinal tract, or a duct.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second drug is a cytoprotective drug and the bioabsorbable drug delivery device is implanted in an artery that supplies blood to the tumor.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the tumor is a gastrointestinal tumor or a gland tumor, the second drug is a cytoprotective drug, and the bioabsorbable drug delivery device is implanted in the gastrointestinal tract.

6. A method of treating a tumor in a subject, the method comprising the steps of forming a drug-containing bioabsorbable fiber by dissolving both a bioabsorbable polymer and a first drug in an organic solvent to form a solution, dispensing the solution onto a flat surface, evaporating the organic solvent to form a sheet of drug-containing bioabsorbable polymer having at least two edges, joining the at least two edges to form a drug-containing bioabsorbable tube, sealing each end of the drug-containing bioabsorbable tube, drawing the sealed drug-containing bioabsorbable tube through a die to form a drug-containing bioabsorbable fiber such that the drug-containing bioabsorbable fiber has a uniform diameter; and implanting the drug-containing bioabsorbable fiber into the subject in need of treatment, wherein the first drug is an anti-proliferative drug selected from the group consisting of fulvestrant, goserelin, histrelin, leuprolide, triptorelin, lenalidomide, biolimus, crizotinib, dasatinib, erlotinib, imatinib, lapatinib, pazopanib, pimecrolimus, sirolimus, sorafenib, sunitinib, tacrolimus, temsirolimus, vandetanib, zotarolimus, azacitidine, bendamustine, bleomycin, cabazitaxel, carboplatin, carmustine, cisplatin, cytarabine, dacarbazine, dactinomycin, daunorubicin, docetaxel, doxorubicin, epirubicin, eribulin, etoposide, floxuridine, fludarabine, fluorouracil, gemcitabine, idarubicin, ifosfamide, irinotecan, ixabepilone, mechlorethamine, melphalan, methotrexate, mitoxantrone, nelarabine, oxaliplatin, paclitaxel, pemetrexed, pentostatin, pralatrexate, thiotepa, topotecan, vinblastine, clofarabine, decitabine, procarbazine, romidepsin, and streptozocin.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising adding a second drug to a surface of the sheet of drug-containing bioabsorbable polymer, wherein the second drug is a cytoprotective drug and the drug-containing bioabsorbable fiber is implanted in an artery that supplies blood to the tumor.