The invention broadly provides an implantable medical device comprising a liquid rope coil scaffold. The implant may consist essentially of the scaffold, where the scaffold is the implant and pores in the scaffold may incorporates one or more agents (i.e. drugs, growth factors), or the scaffold may comprise only part of the medical device, for example an implant that is partly or fully covered with a layer of the scaffold. The porosity of the scaffold may be tailored to suit the application, for example a porosity that is tailored to hold and release drug or biological molecules in vivo, a porosity to provide a surface roughness that is conducive to promotion of in-vivo bio-integration (for example vascularisation) or prevention of fibrosis, or a porosity that provides structural strength. The scaffold may be essentially tubular, or may be provided as a planar structure, or may be any shape and can be used to coat, fully or partially any shape or size of medical implant.

A method for treating the gastro-intestinal or a urogenital system of a subject with prebiotic nutrients and probiotic bacteria is provided. Multi-chamber products are described which include at least two chambers wherein probiotic bacteria or human microbiome transplants are contained in one or more inner chambers and wherein prebiotic nutrients are contained in an outer chamber, the outer chamber completely enclosing the inner chamber(s). One or both chambers may contain a pharmaceutically acceptable material that is solid outside the human body when in a dry environment, but that melts at internal body temperature. The products may be administered by oral, rectal, vaginal, or urethral routes.

A method for treating the gastro-intestinal or a urogenital system of a subject with prebiotic nutrients and probiotic bacteria is provided. Multi-chamber products are described which include at least two chambers wherein probiotic bacteria or human microbiome transplants are contained in one or more inner chambers and wherein prebiotic nutrients are contained in an outer chamber, the outer chamber completely enclosing the inner chamber(s). One or both chambers may contain a pharmaceutically acceptable material that is solid outside the human body when in a dry environment, but that melts at internal body temperature. The products may be administered by oral, rectal, vaginal, or urethral routes.

The present invention relates to methods for encapsulating pancreatic progenitors in a biocompatible semi-permeable encapsulating device. The present invention also relates to production of human insulin in a mammal in response to glucose stimulation.

Provided herein are methods of producing ? cells and precursors thereof utilizing a Wnt signaling inhibitor or PKC activator, or both. Also provided herein are in vitro cultures comprising said cells, methods of treating a subject with a disease characterized by high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period of time by administering said cells, and devices for encapsulating said cells.

The present invention relates to a perforated semi-permeable device comprising, human pancreatic endocrine cells or human PDX1-positive pancreatic endoderm cells contained within a semi-permeable membrane comprising a synthetic material, wherein the synthetic material is polysulfone (PSF), nano-fiber mats, polyimide, tetrafluoroethylene/polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), polyacrylonitrile, polyethersulfone, acrylic resin, cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, polyamide, or hydroxylpropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), a cell encapsulation chamber, and at least one seal that is within the cell encapsulation chamber.

Biomedical devices for implantation with decreased pericapsular fibrotic overgrowth are disclosed. The device includes biocompatible materials and has specific characteristics that allow the device to elicit less of a fibrotic reaction after implantation than the same device lacking one or more of these characteristic that are present on the device. Biocompatible hydrogel capsules encapsulating mammalian cells having a diameter of greater than 1 mm, and optionally a cell free core, are disclosed which have reduced fibrotic overgrowth after implantation in a subject. Methods of treating a disease in a subject are also disclosed that involve administering a therapeutically effective amount of the disclosed encapsulated cells to the subject.

Biomedical devices for implantation with decreased pericapsular fibrotic overgrowth are disclosed. The device includes biocompatible materials and has specific characteristics that allow the device to elicit less of a fibrotic reaction after implantation than the same device lacking one or more of these characteristic that are present on the device. Biocompatible hydrogel capsules encapsulating mammalian cells having a diameter of greater than 1 mm, and optionally a cell free core, are disclosed which have reduced fibrotic overgrowth after implantation in a subject. Methods of treating a disease in a subject are also disclosed that involve administering a therapeutically effective amount of the disclosed encapsulated cells to the subject.

A therapeutic composition comprising a purified fraction of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells encapsulated in a three-dimensional biocompatible gel matrix, and methods, and systems for preparing and using encapsulated adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Hydrogel microbeads encapsulating stem cells maintain the viability and location of the stem cells for an extended period as compared to stem cells in suspension. The gel matrix allows the release of cellular factors from the encapsulated stem cells to surrounding tissues to achieve desired therapeutic results.

The invention broadly provides an implantable medical device comprising a liquid rope coil scaffold. The implant may consist essentially of the scaffold, where the scaffold is the implant and pores in the scaffold may incorporates one or more agents (i.e. drugs, growth factors), or the scaffold may comprise only part of the medical device, for example an implant that is partly or fully covered with a layer of the scaffold. The porosity of the scaffold may be tailored to suit the application, for example a porosity that is tailored to hold and release drug or biological molecules in vivo, a porosity to provide a surface roughness that is conducive to promotion of in-vivo bio-integration (for example vascularisation) or prevention of fibrosis, or a porosity that provides structural strength. The scaffold may be essentially tubular, or may be provided as a planar structure, or may be any shape and can be used to coat, fully or partially any shape or size of medical implant.