Polybifunctional reagent having a polymeric backbone and latent reactive moieties and bioactive groups

A polybifunctional reagent comprising a synthetic polymeric backbone bearing

• (a) a plurality of pendent photoreactive moieties in the form of photoactivatable ketones capable of being activated by exposure to a suitable energy source, and
• (b) two or more pendent bioactive groups capable of specific, noncovalent interactions with complementary groups and selected from the group consisting of proteins, peptides, amino acids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids,
• wherein the polymeric backbone comprises a synthetic polymer or copolymer selected from the group consisting of acrylics, vinyls, nylons, polyurethanes, and polyethers, and biodegradable polymers selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polydioxanones, polyanhydrides, and polyorthoesters, and
• wherein the pendent photoreactive moieties and pendent bioactive groups are each coupled to the backbone via covalent bonds resulting from thermochemical reactions, such that said photoreactive moieties and said bioactive groups are provided along the length of the polymeric backbone.

A coated biomaterial surface, comprising the surface coated with the bound residues of an activated polybifunctional reagent comprising a polymeric backbone bearing

• (a) a plurality of pendent latent reactive moieties capable of being activated by exposure to a suitable energy source, and
• (b) two or more pendent bioactive groups capable of specific, noncovalent interactions with complementary groups,
• wherein the polymeric backbone comprises a synthetic polymer or copolymer selected from the group consisting of acrylics, vinyls, nylons, polyurethanes, and polyethers, and biodegradable polymers selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polydioxanones, polyanhydrides, and polyorthoesters, and
• wherein the pendent latent reactive moieties and pendent bioactive groups are each coupled to the backbone via covalent bonds resulting from thermochemical reactions, such that said latent reactive moieties and said bioactive groups are provided along the length of the polymeric backbone.

A crosslinked material comprising the bound residues of an activated polybifunctional reagent that initially comprised a polymeric backbone bearing

• (a) a plurality of pendent latent reactive moieties capable of being activated by exposure to a suitable energy source, and
• (b) two or more pendent bioactive groups capable of specific, noncovalent interactions with complementary groups,
• wherein the polymeric backbone comprises a synthetic polymer or copolymer selected from the group consisting of acrylics, vinyls, nylons, polyurethanes, and polyethers, and biodegradable polymers selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polydioxanones, polyanhydrides, and polyorthoesters, and
• wherein the pendent latent reactive moieties and pendent bioactive groups are each coupled to the backbone via covalent bonds resulting from thermochemical reactions, such that said latent reactive moieties and said bioactive groups are provided along the length of the polymeric backbone.

A method of coating a biomaterial surface, the method comprising the steps of

• (a) providing on the surface a polybifunctional reagent comprising a polymeric backbone bearing
• (i) a plurality of pendent latent reactive moieties capable of being activated by exposure to a suitable energy source, and
• (ii) two or more pendent bioactive groups capable of specific, noncovalent interactions with complementary groups, and
• (b) activating the latent reactive moieties in order to crosslink molecules of the polybifunctional reagent to themselves and/or to the surface,
• wherein the polymeric backbone comprises a synthetic polymer or copolymer selected from the group consisting of acrylics, vinyls, nylons, polyurethanes, and polyethers, and biodegradable polymers selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polydioxanones, polyanhydrides, and polyorthoesters, and
• wherein the pendent latent reactive moieties and pendent bioactive groups are each coupled to the backbone via covalent bonds resulting from thermochemical reactions, such that said latent reactive moieties and said bioactive groups are provided alone the length of the polymeric backbone.

A method of coating a biomaterial surface, the method comprising the steps of

• (a) providing a polybifunctional reagent comprising a polymeric backbone bearing
• (i) a plurality of pendent latent reactive moieties capable of being activated by exposure to a suitable energy source, and
• (ii) two or more pendent thermoreactive groups adapted to attach bioactive groups capable of specific, noncovalent interactions with complementary groups,
• (b) contacting the surface with the reagent,
• (c) activating the latent reactive moieties in order to crosslink molecules of the polybifunctional reagent to themselves and/or to the surface, and
• (d) contacting thermoreactive groups of the reagent with the bioactive groups in order to covalently attach the bioactive groups to the reagent,
• wherein the polymeric backbone comprises a synthetic polymer or copolymer selected from the group consisting of acrylics, vinyls, nylons, polyurethanes, and polyethers, and biodegradable polymers selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polydioxanones, polyanhydrides, and polyorthoesters, and
• wherein the pendent latent reactive moieties and pendent thermoreactive groups are each coupled to the backbone via covalent bonds resulting from thermochemical reactions, such that said latent reactive moieties and said thermoreactive groups are provided along the length of the polymeric backbone.

A method for forming a crosslinked biomaterial, the method comprising the steps of

• (a) providing a polybifunctional reagent comprising a polymeric backbone bearing
• (i) a plurality of pendent latent reactive moieties capable of being activated by exposure to a suitable energy source, and
• (ii) two or more pendent bioactive groups capable of specific, noncovalent interactions with complementary groups, and
• b) activating the latent reactive moieties to form intermolecular covalent bonds between adjacent molecules of the polybifunctional reagent in order to form a crosslinked biomaterial,
• wherein the polymeric backbone comprises a synthetic polymer or copolymer selected from the group consisting of acrylics, vinyls, nylons, polyurethanes, and polyethers, and biodegradable polymers selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polydioxanones, polyanhydrides, and polyorthoesters, and
• wherein the pendent latent reactive moieties and pendent bioactive groups are each coupled to the backbone via covalent bonds resulting from thermochemical reactions, such that said latent reactive moieties and said bioactive groups are provided along the length of the polymeric backbone.