Granted Patent B2

US 12,589,182 · App. 18/400,466 · Granted Mar 31, 2026

Inventors: John C. Herr (Charlottesville, VA); Alexander L. Klibanov (Charlottesville, VA); Kevin Simon Eisenfrats (Charlottesville, VA)

Assignee: University of Virginia Patent Foundation

A61L24/06A61B8/0833A61B8/0841A61B8/085A61B17/12A61B17/12022A61B17/12186A61B17/3403A61F6/22A61K49/223A61K49/226A61L24/001A61L24/0015A61L24/0031A61L24/0036A61L27/52A61L27/54A61B8/0891A61B8/481A61B8/488A61B2017/3413A61B17/42A61L2300/626A61L2400/06A61L2430/36

Abstract

Claims (29)

1 . A composition comprising:

one or more species comprising poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in a solvent and capable of crosslinking to form a crosslinked network;

wherein the one or more species and/or the crosslinked network are capable of being injected into a vas deferens;

wherein the one or more species are present in the solvent at a concentration ranging from about 0.15 g/mL to about 0.5 g/mL; and

wherein the crosslinked network is capable of inducing azoospermia or severe oligospermia in vivo.

2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more species comprise a PEG-thiol and a PEG-maleimide capable of crosslinking.

3 . The composition of claim 2 , wherein the composition:

comprises pores sized to restrict passage of cells; and

is capable of absorbing and/or allowing passage of fluids.

4 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the species comprises one or more of natural or synthetic monomers, polymers, copolymers or block copolymers, biocompatible monomers, polymers, copolymers or block copolymers, polystyrene, neoprene, polyetherether ketone (PEEK), carbon reinforced PEEK, polyphenylene, polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyaryletherketone (PAEK), polyphenylsulphone, polysulphone, polyurethane, polyethylene, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), high-density polythylene (HDPE), polypropylene, polyetherketoneetherketoneketone (PEKEKK), nylon, fluoropolymers, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), TFE (tetrafluoroethylene), polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE), FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene), PFA (perfluoroalkoxy alkane), and/or polymethylpentene (PMP) styrene lameic anhydride, styrene maleic acid (SMA), polyurethane, silicone, polymethyl methacrylate, polyacrylonitrile, poly(carbonate-urethane), poly (vinyl acetate), nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, urethane, urethane/carbonate, polylactic acid, polyacrylamide (PAAM), poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), poly (vinylmethylether), poly (ethylene oxide), poly (ethyl (hydroxyethyl) cellulose), poly(2-ethyl oxazoline), polylactide (PLA), polyglycolide (PGA), poly(lactide-co-glycolide) PLGA, poly(ε-caprolactone), polydiaoxanone, polyanhydride, trimethylene carbonate, poly(β-hydroxybutyrate), poly(γ-ethyl gluamate), poly(DTH-iminocarbonate), poly(bisphenol A iminocarbonate), poly(orthoester) (POE), polycyanoacrylate (PCA), polyphosphazene, polyethyleneoxide (PEO), polyethyleneglycol (PEG), polyacrylacid (PAA), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyvinylacrylate (PVA), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyglycolic lactic acid (PGLA), poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylamide) (pHPMmA), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH), PEG diacrylate (PEGDA), poly(hydroxethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA), N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), poly(vinyl alcohol) poly(acrulic acid) (PVOH-PAA), collagen, silk, gelatin, hyaluron, cellulose, chitin, dextran, casein, albumin, ovalbumin, heparin sulfagte, starch, agar, heparin, alginate, fibronectin, fibrin, keratin, pectin, elastin, ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyethylene oxide, PLA or PLLA (poly(L-lactide) or pol(L-lactic acid)), poly(D,L-lactic acid), poly(D,L-lactide, polydimethylsiloxane or dimethicone (PDMS), poly(isopropyl acrylate) (PIPA), polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA), PEG styrene, polytetrafluorethylene RFE, fluorinated polyethylene (FLPE), RFE PFPE (perfluoropolyether), methyl palmitate, temperature responsive polymers, polycarbonate, polyethersulfone, polycaprolactone, polymethyl methacrylate, polyisobutylene, nitrocellulose, medical grade silicone, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, polyacrylonitrile, poly(lactide-co-caprolactone (PLCL), and/or chitosan.

5 . The composition of claim 1 , having a pH in the range of neutral to acidic.

6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherien the one or more species are capable of crosslinking during and/or after injectioninto the vas deferens.

7 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more species are present in the solvent at a concentration ranging from about 0.15 g/mL to about 0.4 g/mL.

8 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more species are present in the solvent at a concentration ranging from about 0.15 g/mL to about 0.3 g/mL.

9 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more species are present in the solvent at a concentration ranging from about 0.15 g/mL to about 0.25 g/mL.

10 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more species are present in the solvent at a concentration ranging from about 0.2 g/mL to about 0.3 g/mL.

11 . The composition of claim 1 wherein:

the one or more species comprise a first polymer solution and a second polymer solution;

wherein the crosslinked network comprises pores, and wherein no pores of the crosslinked network have a size exceeding 3 μm in diameter; and

wherein the crosslinked network is capable of providing permanent contraception or infertility.

12 . A pre-filled syringe comprising:

a composition comprising:

one or more species comprising poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in a solvent and capable of crosslinking to form a crosslinked network;

wherein the one or more species and/or the crosslinked network are capable of being injected into a vas deferens;

wherein the one or more species are present in the solvent at a concentration ranging from about 0.15 g/mL to about 0.5 g/mL and

wherein the crosslinked network is capable of inducing azoospermia or severe oligospermia in vivo.

13 . The syringe of claim 12 , wherein the syringe is a pressure-controlled syringe.

14 . The syringe of claim 12 , wherein the syringe comprises a double syringe system.

15 . The syringe of claim 12 , wherein the one or more species comprise a PEG-thiol and a PEG-maleimide capable of crosslinking.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (6)

References Cited (400)