Soluble collagen sponge

Abstract

The invention concerns a collagen sponge which has a denaturation temperature of at least 37.degree. C., is not cross-linked and in one of its two embodiments forms an optically clear solution in aqueous medium. As compared with the collagen sponges previously known, it is particularly suitable as support material for pharmaceutical and cosmetic active substances since it has a higher denaturation temperature than the latter and dissolves again in contact with body fluid. The collagen sponge of the invention is prepared from an optically clear collagen solution by precipitation with neutral salts, dissolving and reprecipitation and then subjecting the collagen to freeze-drying without removal of the precipitation salt. Acid-swollen collagens and/or cellulose or cellulose derivatives can also be added to the solution, whereby the physical properties of the collagen sponge can be affected.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.