High-molecular-weight fucans for treating fibrous adhesions and other diseases and conditions
High-molecular-weight fucan compositions comprising a therapeutically effective, medically acceptable fucan in a composition comprising wherein the fucan, for example, has a molecular weight distribution in which more than 60% w/w of the composition has a molecular weight above 100 kDa.
1. A high-molecular-weight fucan wherein the high-molecular-weight fucan consists essentially of a molecular weight distribution wherein at least 60% w/w of the molecular weight distribution of the fucan is greater than about 1600 kDa when measured using an aqueous gel permeation chromatography set up consisting essentially of:
one 300 mm analytical gel permeation chromatography column with a 7.8 mm inner diameter packed with hydroxylated polymethacrylate-based gel, having an effective molecular weight range of between about 50 kDa and about 5,000 kDa, one 300 mm analytical gel permeation chromatography column with a 7.8 mm inner diameter packed with hydroxylated polymethacrylate-based gel, having an effective molecular weight range of between about 1 kDa and about 6,000 kDa and one 40 mm guard column with a 6 mm inner diameter packed with hydroxylated polymethacrylate-based gel, the two analytical gel permeation chromatography columns and the one guard column contained in a column compartment at about 30° C.;
a refractive index detector at about 30° C.;
0.1M sodium nitrate mobile phase run at 0.6 mL/min; and
quantification against a peak molecular weight standard curve consisting essentially of a first dextran standard with a peak molecular weight of about 2,200 kDa, a second dextran standard with a peak molecular weight of between about 720 kDa and about 760 kDa, a third dextran standard with a peak molecular weight between about 470 kDa and about 510 kDa, a fourth dextran standard with a peak molecular weight between about 370 kDa and about 410 kDa, a fifth dextran standard with a peak molecular weight between about 180 kDa and about 220 kDa, and a sixth dextran standard with a peak molecular weight between about 40 kDa and 55 kDa.
2. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 1 , wherein the sulfate content is between about 20% w/w and 60% w/w.
3. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 1 , wherein the total carbohydrate content is between about 27% w/w and 80% w/w.
4. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 3 , wherein the total fucose content as a percentage of the total carbohydrate content is at least about 30% w/w.
5. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 3 , wherein the total galactose content as a percentage of the total carbohydrate content is below about 60% w/w.
6. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 3 , wherein the total of glucuronic acid, mannose, rhamnose, glucose and xylose content as a percentage of the total carbohydrate content is below about 30% w/w.
7. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 1 wherein the high-molecular-weight fucan when dissolved in water at a concentration of 50 mg/mL has a viscosity of between about 4 cP and 50 cP.
8. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 1 wherein the high-molecular-weight fucan is a white solid.
9. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 1 wherein the high-molecular-weight fucan when dissolved in water at a concentration from 1 mg/mL through 100 mg/mL forms a solution that is clear and colorless.
10. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 1 wherein the fucan comprises less than 5% w/w acetyl content.
11. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 1 wherein the fucan comprises an acetyl content of substantially 0% w/w when measured by 2D 1 H- 13 C heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence at 70° C. with solvent signal suppression on a 600 MHz spectrometer equipped with 5-mm cold probe, in the range from 10-30 ppm in the carbon dimension, in 8 increments of 256-512 scans each.
12. A medically acceptable fucan composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 1 in a medically acceptable buffer or diluent.
13. A medical composition comprising between about 0.02 mg/mL and 100 mg/mL of the high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 1 , wherein the medical composition is configured and composed to treat a disease or condition in an animal.
14. The medical composition of claim 13 wherein the disease or condition is a fibrous adhesion.
15. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 2 , wherein the total carbohydrate content is between about 27% w/w and 80% w/w.
16. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 2 wherein the fucan comprises less than 5% w/w acetyl content.
17. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 3 wherein the fucan comprises less than 5% w/w acetyl content.
18. The high-molecular-weight fucan of claim 15 wherein the fucan comprises less than 5% w/w acetyl content.