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AssigneeTepha, Inc.
InventorsDavid P. Martin, Kai Guo, Said Rizk, Simon F. Williams
Estimating the term…
Methods to produce structures containing ultrafine fibers with average diameters from 10 nm to 10 μm and more preferably from 50 nm to 5 μm, have been developed. These methods produce ultrafine fibers without substantial loss of the polymer's weight average molecular weight. The ultrafine electrospun fibers have an unexpectedly higher degree of molecular orientation, and higher melt temperature than fibers derived by dry spinning. In the preferred embodiment, the polymer comprises 4-hydroxybutyrate. The ultrafine fibers are preferably derived by electrospinning. A solution of the polymer is dissolved in a solvent, pumped through a spinneret, subjected to an electric field, and ultrafine fibers with a high degree of molecular orientation are collected. These structures of ultrafine fibers can be used for a variety of purposes including fabrication of medical devices.
A structure comprising ultrafine fibers of poly-4-hydroxybutyrate or copolymer thereof, produced by electrospinning, and having an average diameter of from 10 nm to 10 μm wherein the weight average molecular weight of the poly-4-hydroxybutyrate or copolymer thereof decreases less than 10% during the processing of the polymer or copolymer into the electrospun ultrafine fibers.
The device of claim 20 selected from the group consisting of a stent, stent graft, drug delivery device, device for temporary wound or tissue support, device for soft or hard tissue repair or regeneration, repair patch, tissue engineering scaffolds, retention membranes, anti-adhesion membrane, tissue separation membrane, hernia repair device, cardiovascular patch, vascular closure device, sling, rotator cuff repair device, meniscus repair device, guided tissue repair/regeneration device, articular cartilage repair device, osteochondral repair device, bone void filler, nerve guide, tendon repair device, intracardiac septal defect repair device, atrial septal defect repair devices, patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure devices, left atrial appendage (LAA) closure device, pericardial patch, bulking and filling agent, vein valve, heart valve, bone marrow scaffold, meniscus regeneration device, ligament and tendon graft, spinal fusion device, skin substitute, wound healing device, dural substitute, bone graft substitute, wound dressing, ulcer repair device, a hemostat and a surgical mesh selected from the group consisting of a mesh for face lift, neck lift, eyebrow lift, breast lift and breast reconstruction.
A method of using a device formed of ultrafine fibers of poly-4-hydroxybutyrate or copolymer thereof, wherein the ultrafine fibers have an average fiber diameter of from 10 nm to 10 μm.
A medical device comprising electrospun ultrafine fibers of poly-4-hydroxybutyrate or copolymer thereof, wherein the ultrafine fibers are derived by preparing a spinning solution comprising poly-4-hydroxybutyrate or copolymer thereof by dissolving the polymer or copolymer in an organic solvent;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.