Systems featuring two or more encapsulation devices stacked together. The encapsulation devices house cells, such as but not limited to islet cells or stem cell derived beta cells or the like. e.g., for regulating blood glucose, or other cells or spheroids that can produce and release a therapeutic agent that is useful in the body, etc. The system may feature oxygen delivery, or in some cases no exogenous oxygen is delivered and vascularization of the device can help provide oxygen and other needed nutrient to the cells. The system of the present invention may be used in conjunction with other therapies such as an artificial pancreas. Stacking the devices with blood vessel formation around and in between them may allow for a decrease in the footprint that would be needed for implantation.

Systems featuring two or more encapsulation devices stacked together. The encapsulation devices house cells, such as but not limited to islet cells or stem cell derived beta cells or the like. e.g., for regulating blood glucose, or other cells or spheroids that can produce and release a therapeutic agent that is useful in the body, etc. The system may feature oxygen delivery, or in some cases no exogenous oxygen is delivered and vascularization of the device can help provide oxygen and other needed nutrient to the cells. The system of the present invention may be used in conjunction with other therapies such as an artificial pancreas. Stacking the devices with blood vessel formation around and in between them may allow for a decrease in the footprint that would be needed for implantation.

A process for producing a composition comprising a crosslinked hydrogel is proposed. The process comprises providing a container body (2), wherein the container body (2) has a body inner wall (21) and a body outer wall (22), wherein the body inner (21) wall is configured to be tempered, filling of a fluid (7) comprising at least a mixture of a polymer and water into the container body (2), and agitating the fluid. For crosslinking of the fluid (7), a container insert (3) is provided, the container insert (3) having an insert outer wall (32) which is configured to be tempered and a container assembly (1) is formed by inserting the container insert (3) into the container body (2) so that the insert outer wall (32) of the container insert (3) and the body inner wall (21) of the container body (2) are separated by a gap (9) of constant width and define a volume (6) for receiving the fluid (7). Crosslinking of the fluid (7) is then performed while tempering the insert outer wall (32) and the body inner wall (21) to form a crosslinked hydrogel.

A process for producing a composition comprising a crosslinked hydrogel is proposed. The process comprises providing a container body (2), wherein the container body (2) has a body inner wall (21) and a body outer wall (22), wherein the body inner (21) wall is configured to be tempered, filling of a fluid (7) comprising at least a mixture of a polymer and water into the container body (2), and agitating the fluid. For crosslinking of the fluid (7), a container insert (3) is provided, the container insert (3) having an insert outer wall (32) which is configured to be tempered and a container assembly (1) is formed by inserting the container insert (3) into the container body (2) so that the insert outer wall (32) of the container insert (3) and the body inner wall (21) of the container body (2) are separated by a gap (9) of constant width and define a volume (6) for receiving the fluid (7). Crosslinking of the fluid (7) is then performed while tempering the insert outer wall (32) and the body inner wall (21) to form a crosslinked hydrogel.

A demineralized bone matrix (DBM) scaffold product comprising a plurality of elongate demineralised bone fibres mechanically interconnected with one another in a regular and repeating pattern.

The present invention provides a polyethylene glycol derivative comprising a repeat unit having the structure of Formula (I) and a terminal group having the structure of Formula (II). The polyethylene glycol derivative provided by the present invention has good biocompatibility, due to the repeat unit having the structure of Formula (I); and can react with various groups such as amino, (acyl)hydrazino, and aminooxy with a fast reaction rate under mild reaction conditions, due to the o-phthalaldehyde terminal group having the structure of Formula (II). The polyethylene glycol derivative provided by the present invention is mixed with polyethylene glycol having an amino-containing terminal group in an aqueous medium, to rapidly form a chemically cross-linked hydrogel material. The hydrogel material has mild preparation conditions, fast gel-forming speed, high mechanical strength, and good stability. This polyethylene glycol hydrogel can be applied as drug sustained-release carrier, tissue engineering scaffold, etc. in the field of biomedical materials.

The present invention discloses bioengineered corneal grafts for treating either or both Keratoconus and visual impairment, selected from (i) a corneal Onlay comprises or coated by at least one member of Group A, consisting of biocompatible synthetic materials; at least one member of Group B, consisting of at least one type of biological polymer and optionally, at least one member of Group C, consisting of at least one type of protein and (ii) An intrastromal corneal lenticule graft, configured to mimic native corneal stroma tissue by means of its optical properties, mechanical properties, permeability and interaction with corneal stromal cells; wherein at least one portion of said lenticule comprises or coated by at least one member of Group D, consisting of transparent crosslinked hydrogel; at least one member of Group E, consisting of collagen; collagen methacrylate, recombinant mammal collagen, mammal-sourced collagen; and optionally, at least one member of Group F, consisting of Keratocytes and/or stem cells and any combination thereof. The present invention further discloses compositions, methods for production, implementation and treatment of medical indications by aforesaid corneal graft.

The present invention discloses bioengineered corneal grafts for treating either or both Keratoconus and visual impairment, selected from (i) a corneal Onlay comprises or coated by at least one member of Group A, consisting of biocompatible synthetic materials; at least one member of Group B, consisting of at least one type of biological polymer and optionally, at least one member of Group C, consisting of at least one type of protein and (ii) An intrastromal corneal lenticule graft, configured to mimic native corneal stroma tissue by means of its optical properties, mechanical properties, permeability and interaction with corneal stromal cells; wherein at least one portion of said lenticule comprises or coated by at least one member of Group D, consisting of transparent crosslinked hydrogel; at least one member of Group E, consisting of collagen; collagen methacrylate, recombinant mammal collagen, mammal-sourced collagen; and optionally, at least one member of Group F, consisting of Keratocytes and/or stem cells and any combination thereof. The present invention further discloses compositions, methods for production, implementation and treatment of medical indications by aforesaid corneal graft.

Provided are compositions that can be employed for generating microporous gel systems. In some embodiments, the compositions include at least one sub-population of soft hydrogel microparticles with a Youngs modulus of less than 50 kPa and at least one sub-population of stiff hydrogel microparticles with a Young's modulus of greater than 90 kPa. Also provided are methods for generating the compositions, methods for treating bone and/or cartilage defects in subject using the disclosed compositions, methods for treating osteoarthritis using the disclosed compositions, and methods for providing orthopedic implants to subjects.

Provided are compositions that can be employed for generating microporous gel systems. In some embodiments, the compositions include at least one sub-population of soft hydrogel microparticles with a Youngs modulus of less than 50 kPa and at least one sub-population of stiff hydrogel microparticles with a Young's modulus of greater than 90 kPa. Also provided are methods for generating the compositions, methods for treating bone and/or cartilage defects in subject using the disclosed compositions, methods for treating osteoarthritis using the disclosed compositions, and methods for providing orthopedic implants to subjects.