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AssigneeGliatech, Inc.
InventorsDikla Roufa, Adrian Harel, Robert C. A. Frederickson, George T. Coker, III
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The present invention relates to the discovery that biocompatible anionic polymers can effectively inhibit fibrosis, scar formation, and surgical adhesions. The invention is predicated on the discovery that anionic polymers effectively inhibit invasion of cells associated with detrimental healing processes, and in particular, that the effectiveness of an anionic polymer at inhibiting cell invasion correlates with the anionic charge density of the polymer. Thus the present invention provides a large number of materials for use in methods of inhibiting fibrosis and fibroblast invasion. Anionic polymers for use in the invention include but are not limited to natural proteoglycans, and the glycosaminoglycan moieties of proteoglycans. Additionally, anionic carbohydrates and other anionic polymers may be used. The anionic polymers dextran sulfate and pentosan polysulfate are preferred. In a more preferred embodiment, dextran sulfate, in which the sulfur content is greater than about 10% by weight, may be used. In a more preferred embodiment, the average molecular weight is about 40,000 to 500,000 Daltons. The present invention provides compositions and methods to inhibit fibrosis and scarring associated with surgery. The invention further provides compositions and methods to inhibit glial cell invasion, detrimental bone growth and neurite outgrowth. In a preferred embodiment, the inhibitory compositions further comprise an adhesive protein.
A composition comprising:
A method for inhibiting glial cell invasion in an animal comprising administering a composition to the site of a lesion in an animal, said composition comprising (a) an anionic polymer selected from the group consisting of dextran sulfate, pentosan polysulfate and alginate in an amount which is effective to inhibit said glial cell invasion;
A method for inhibiting undesirable bone growth in an animal comprising administering to the animal dextran sulfate in an amount which is effective to inhibit said undesirable bone growth.
A method for inhibiting undesirable bone growth in an animal comprising administering a composition to the site of a lesion in an animal, said composition comprising (a) dextran sulfate in an amount which is effective to inhibit said undesirable bone growth;
A method for inhibiting undesirable bone growth in an animal comprising administering a composition to the animal, said composition comprising a solution of about 2-20 mg/ml of dextran sulfate and denatured collagen.
A method for inhibiting undesirable bone growth in an animal comprising administering to the animal cross-linked dextran sulfate in an amount which is effective to inhibit said undesirable bone growth and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
The method according to 8, or 9 in which the animal is a human.
A method for inhibiting glial cell invasion in an animal comprising administering to the animal an anionic polymer selected from the group consisting of dextran sulfate, pentosan polysulfate, and alginate in an amount which is effective to inhibit said glial cell invasion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.