Foam carrier for bone grafting

1. An osteogenic composition for implantation at or near a target tissue site, the osteogenic composition having no demineralized bone particles and comprising:

polymeric beads comprising immediate release beads and sustained release beads for delivering an isolated osteoinductive agent comprising a sterile growth factor at or near the target tissue site, the polymeric beads being biodegradable and synthetic; the polymeric beads comprising the growth factor, mPEG as an excipient in an amount of from about 0.05 wt. % to about 85 wt. %, a viscosity enhancing agent, degradation/release modifiers and sterile preservative free material; and

a porous foam comprising layers for confining the polymeric beads at or near the target tissue site, wherein the immediate release beads and sustained release beads are disposed throughout the layers of the foam, the porous foam being biodegradable and containing a plurality of pores having a size between about 100 micrometers and about 350 micrometers at their widest points; and

wherein the growth factor comprises bone morphogenic protein;

wherein the amount of bone morphogenic protein is from 1 to 2 mg per cubic centimeter of said osteogenic composition;

wherein the foam has a density of between about 0.2 g/cm 3 to about 1.1 g/cm 3 ; and

wherein the porous foam comprises seeded hone cells or tissue.

2. An osteogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the porous foam comprises at least one of collagen, a resorbable polymer, gelatin, a resorbable ceramic or combinations thereof.

3. An osteogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the bone morphogenic protein is bone morphogenic protein-2 to promote bone growth in a cranial bone.

4. An osteogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric beads comprise poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA).

5. An osteogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein said beads have a diameter of 0.5 to 1.0 mm.

6. An osteogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein said beads have a diameter of 1.0 to 3.0 mm.

7. An osteogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein said beads have a diameter of 3.0 to 5.0 mm.

8. An osteogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric beads do not contain ceramic.

9. An osteogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the bone morphogenic protein is bone morphogenic protein-2 and the polymer beads are coated or impregnated with bone morphogenic protein-2.

10. An osteogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the foam has a porosity of at least about 50%.

11. An osteogenic composition of claim 10 , wherein the foam has a porosity of at least about 70%.

12. An osteogenic composition of claim 11 , wherein the foam has a porosity of at least about 90%.

13. A method for inducing bone formation, said method comprising the step of implanting at a target tissue site accessible to migrating progenitor cells, the osteogenic composition of claim 1 .

14. An osteogenic composition for implantation at or near a target tissue site, the osteogenic composition having no demineralized bone particles and comprising:

one or more polymeric beads comprising immediate release beads and sustained release beads containing: an effective amount of an isolated osteoinductive agent comprising a sterile growth factor comprising bone morphogenic protein, mPEG as an excipient in an amount of from about 0.05 wt. % to about 85 wt. %, a viscosity enhancing agent, degradation/release modifiers and sterile preservative free material, said one or more polymeric beads being synthetic, biodegradable and less than 3.0 mm in diameter and adapted to deliver the growth factor at or near the target tissue site; and

a porous foam comprising layers for confining the one or more polymeric beads at or near the target tissue site, wherein the immediate release beads and sustained release beads are disposed throughout the layers of the foam, the porous foam being biodegradable and containing a plurality of pores having a size of between about 100 micrometers and about 350 micrometers to allow tissue growth at the target tissue site; and

wherein the amount of bone morphogenic protein is from 1 to 2 mg per cubic centimeter of said osteogenic composition;

wherein the porous foam has a density of between about 0.2 g/cm 3 to about 1.1 g/cm 3 ; and

wherein the porous foam comprises seeded bone cells or tissue.

15. A method for inducing bone formation, said method comprising the step of implanting at a target tissue site accessible to migrating progenitor cells of said organism, the osteogenic composition of claim 14 .

16. An osteogenic composition for implantation at or near a target tissue site, the osteogenic composition having no demineralized bone particles and comprising:

one or more polymeric beads comprising immediate release beads and sustained release beads containing an effective amount of an isolated osteoinductive agent comprising a sterile growth factor comprising bone morphogenic protein, mPEG as an excipient in an amount of from about 0.05 wt. % to about 85 wt. %, a viscosity enhancing agent, degradation/release modifiers and sterile preservative free material, said one or more polymeric beads being synthetic, biodegradable and less than 3.0 mm in diameter and adapted to deliver the growth factor at or near the target tissue site; and

a porous foam comprising layers for confining the one or more polymeric beads at or near the target tissue site, wherein the immediate release beads and sustained release beads are disposed throughout the layers of the foam, the porous foam being biodegradable and containing a plurality of pores having a size of between about 100 micrometers and about 350 micrometers to allow tissue growth at the target tissue site; and

wherein the amount of bone morphogenic protein is from 1 to 2 mg per cubic centimeter of said osteogenic composition;

wherein the porous foam has a density of between about 0.2 g/cm 3 to about 1.1 g/cm 3 ;

wherein the porous foam has a thickness of between 0.25 mm to about 2 mm; and

wherein the porous foam comprises seeded bone cells or tissue.