Hemoactive compositions and methods for their manufacture and use
View Patent ↗Dried hemoactive materials comprise both a cross-linked biologically compatible polymer and a non-cross-linked biologically compatible polymer. The cross-linked polymer is selected to form a hydrogel when exposed to blood. The non-cross-linked polymer is chosen to solubilize relatively rapidly when exposed to blood. The non-cross-linked polymer serves as a binder for holding the materials in desired geometries, such as sheets, pellets, plugs, or the like. Usually, the cross-linked polymer will be present in a particulate or fragmented form. The materials are particularly suitable for hemostasis and drug delivery.
1. A dried hemoactive material for inhibiting bleeding or delivering an agent, comprising:
a cross-linked biologically compatible polymer which forms a hydrogel when exposed to blood; and
a non-cross-linked biologically compatible polymer which solubilizes when exposed to blood:
wherein the cross-linked polymer is dispersed in a dried matrix of the non-cross-linked polymer.
2. A material as in claim 1 , wherein the cross-linked polymer is a protein selected from the group consisting of gelatin, collagen, albumin, hemoglobin, fibrinogen, fibrin, fibronectin, elastin, keratin, laminin, and casein.
3. A material as in claim 1 , wherein the cross-linked polymer is a carbohydrate or carbohydrate derivative selected from the group consisting of glycosaminglycans, starches, celluloses, hemicelluloses, xylan, agarose, alginate, and chitosan.
4. A material as in claim 1 , wherein the cross-linked polymer is a non-biologic hydrogel-forming polymer or copolymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyacrylamides, polyvinyl polymers, polylactides-glycolides, polycaprolactones, polyoxyethelenes, and copolymers thereof.
5. A material as in claim 1 , wherein the non-cross-linked biologically compatible polymer is a protein selected from the group consisting of gelatin, collagen, albumin, elastin, and keratin.
6. A material as in claim 1 , wherein the non-cross-linked biologically compatible polymer is a carbohydrate or carbohydrate derivative selected from the group consisting of glycosaminoglycans, alginate, starch, cellulose, and derivatives thereof.
7. A dried hemoactive material for inhibiting bleeding or delivering an agent, comprising:
a non-cross-linked polymer comprising a dry gelatin matrix; and
dry, cross-linked gelatin polymer particles dispersed in the dry non-cross-linked gelatin matrix.
8. A material as in claim 1 or 7 , wherein the cross-linked polymer has a degradation time of at least one day.
9. A material as in claim 1 or 7 , wherein the non-cross-linked polymer solubilizes in 15 minutes or less when exposed to blood.
10. A material as in claim 1 or 7 , wherein the cross-linked polymer is fragmented so that, upon hydration in blood, the polymer will form a gel with a sub-unit size in the range from 0.01 mm to 5 mm.
11. A material as in claim 10 , wherein the cross-linked polymer has an equilibrium swell in the range from 400% to 5,000%.
12. A material as in claim 1 or 7 , in the form of a sheet having a thickness in the range from 1 mm to 75 mm.
13. A material as in claim 12 , wherein the sheet is packed in a sterile pack.
14. A kit comprising:
a sterile pack; a sterile sheet of material as in claim 12 , packaged in the sterile pack; and
instructions for use setting forth a method for inhibiting bleeding by placing the sterilized sheet of material over bleeding tissue.
15. A material as in claim 1 or 7 , wherein the cross-linked polymer is present at from 50 weight % to 95 weight % of the material and the non-cross-linked material is present at from 50 weight % to 1 weight % of the material.
16. A material as in claim 15 , further comprising a plasticizer present at from 1 weight % to 20 weight % of the material.
17. A material as in claim 16 , wherein the plasticizer is present in at least the non-cross-linked polymer.
18. A material as in claim 17 , wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, and glycerol.
19. A material as in claim 1 or 7 , further comprising an active agent.
20. A material as in claim 19 , wherein the active agent is present in at least the non-cross-linked polymer.
21. A material as in claim 19 , wherein the active agent is present in at least the cross-linked polymer.
22. A material as in claim 19 , wherein the active agent is present in both the non-cross-linked polymer and the cross-linked polymer.
23. A material as in claim 19 , wherein the active agent is selected from the group consisting of antibiotics, anti-neoplastic agents, bacteriostatic agents, bactericidal agents, antiviral agents, anesthetics, anti-inflammatory agents, hormones, anti-angiogenic agents, antibodies, enzymes, enzyme inhibitors, and neurotransmitters.
24. A method for delivering an active agent to a patient, said method comprising:
applying the material of claim 19 to or near a target region of the patient.
25. A material as in claim 19 , wherein the active agent is a hemostatic substance.
26. A method for inhibiting bleeding, said method comprising:
applying the material of claim 25 to a wound site.
27. A material as in claim 25 , wherein the hemostatic substance is a clotting factor.
28. A material as in claim 27 , wherein the clotting factor is thrombin.
29. A method for making a hemoactive material, said method comprising:
dissolving in an aqueous medium a non-cross-linked biologically compatible polymer which solubilizes when exposed to blood;
suspending in said aqueous medium containing the non-cross-linked polymer a cross-linked biologically compatible polymer which forms a hydrogel when exposed to blood; and
drying the resulting aqueous medium containing both polymers to form a solid phase comprising the cross-linked polymer in dry form dispersed in a dry matrix of the non-cross-linked polymer.