Biofunctional surface modified ocular implants, surgical instruments, medical devices, prostheses, contact lenses and the like

A composition of matter comprising a coating formed on a substrate adapted for contact with tissue of a human or non-human animal by a method comprising:

• (a) exposing said substrate to a solution comprising (1) an ethylenically unsaturated neutral or ionic, water-soluble, hydrophilic monomer, salt or mixture thereof capable, via said ethylenic unsaturation, of gamma irradiation or electron beam induced polymerization, and (2) at least one biofunctional agent, the concentration of said biofunctional agent in said solution being in the range of from about 0.001% to about 50%, by weight;
• and
• (b) irradiating said substrate with gamma or electron beam irradiation in the presence of said solution to thereby form on said substrate a graft polymerized coating, said coating having physically entrapped therein or chemically bonded thereto molecules of said at least one biofunctional agent which imparts biomimetic properties to said substrate;
• wherein said gamma or electron beam irradiation induced polymerization is conducted under the following conditions:
• (i) monomer and biofunctional molecules concentration in the solution in the range of from about 0.1% to about 50%, by weight;
• (ii) total gamma or electron beam dose in the range of from about 0.001 to less than about 0.50 Mrad;
• and
• (iii) gamma dose rate in the range of from about 10 to about 2,500 rads/min., or electron beam dose rate in the range of from about 10 to about 108 rads/min.;
• and
• wherein the biological properties of said biofunctional agent are substantially unaffected by said gamma or electron beam irradiation polymerization conditions.

An article comprised at least in part of a material produced by a method for modifying the surface of a material adapted for contact with tissue of a human or non-human animal to impart biofunctional, bioactive or biomimetic properties to said surface comprising:

• (a) exposing said surface to a solution comprising (1) a neutral or ionic water-soluble, hydrophilic, vinylic monomer, salt or mixture thereof, and (2) at least one biofunctional agent, the concentration of said biofunctional agent in said solution being in the range of from about 0.001% to about 50%, by weight;
• and
• (b) irradiating said surface with gamma or electron beam irradiation in the presence of said solution to thereby form on said surface a graft polymerized coating, said coating having physically entrapped therein or chemically bonded thereto molecules of said at least one biofunctional agent which imparts biofunctional properties to said surface;
• wherein said gamma or electron beam irradiation induced polymerization is conducted under the following conditions:
• (i) concentration of monomer and biofunctional molecules in the solution in the range of from about 0.1% to about 50%, by weight;
• (ii) total gamma or electron beam dose in the range of from about 0.001 to less than about 0.50 Mrad;
• and
• (iii) gamma dose rate in the range of from about 10 to about 2,500 rads/min., or electron beam dose rate in the range of from about 10 to about 108 rads/min.;
• and
• wherein the biological properties of said biofunctional agent are substantially retained under said gamma or electron beam irradiation polymerization conditions.