The subject invention provides materials methods for reducing infections in subjects. The materials methods utilize chlorhexidine, which has been found to be surprisingly non-toxic. The lack of toxicity facilitates the use of chlorhexidine in contexts that were not previously thought to be possible.

The disclosed technology provides thermoplastic polyurethane compositions having antimicrobial properties while still maintaining good physical properties and good non-fouling properties, methods of making the same, and articles, including medical devices, made from such compositions. The disclosed technology includes a process of making an antimicrobial polymer composition, where the process includes mixing an antimicrobial additive into a base polymer and further includes mixing in a non-fouling additive, where the antimicrobial additive is chemically held in the composition and the antimicrobial and non-fouling additives do not negatively impact each other's effectiveness.

An implantable mesh device includes a surface layer on at least a portion thereof. The surface layer includes a plurality of extending members that mechanically interact with microbiota to disable the microbiota.

The subject invention provides materials methods for reducing infections in subjects. The materials methods utilize chlorhexidine, which has been found to be surprisingly non-toxic. The lack of toxicity facilitates the use of chlorhexidine in contexts that were not previously thought to be possible.

The present invention provides peptidic TGF-β antagonists capable of inhibiting TGF-β signaling and disrupting the biochemical events that promote fibrosis and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The peptidic TGF-β antagonist may contain from 11 to 28 amino acid residues (for instance, may consist of from 12 to 16 amino acid residues) and may have the following structure (II):

NH.sub.2′ETWIWLDTNMG-Xaa.sub.1-Y′COON  (II)

wherein Xaa.sub.1 is any amino acid and Y is a peptide having from 0 to 9 amino acids.

The peptidic TGF-β antagonists can advantageously be used for the prevention, treatment, and/or alleviation of the symptoms of a condition associated with an increase in TGF-β activity, including fibrosis (such as fibrosis of the skin, liver, lungs, and heart, among others) and cancer (including various carcinomas, such as squamous cell carcinoma, sarcomas, and metastatic cancers).

A medical polymer device comprising a biodegradable polymer is provided, wherein the biodegradable polymer has a crystallinity of about 10% to about 80%, and preferably from about 20% to about 60%, wherein the medical polymer device comprises a small molecule organic compound which diffuses into the biodegradable polymer, the small molecule organic compound has a molecular weight of from about 100 to about 1000 Daltons, preferably from about 150 to about 500 Daltons, and more preferably from about 150 to about 250 Daltons, and the small molecule organic compound is non-evaporating or low-evaporating. The present invention also provides a method for preparing a medical polymer device according to the present invention as well as a method for modifying a medical polymer device made from a biodegradable polymer.

The disclosure provides a hemostatic fabric containing trypsin, wherein the hemostatic fabric comprises molecular sieve/fiber composite and trypsin; molecular sieve/fiber composite comprises molecular sieves and a fiber; the molecular sieves are independently dispersed on a fiber surface of the fiber without agglomeration and directly contact the fiber surface; a surface of the molecular sieve contacted with the fiber is an inner surface, and a surface of the molecular sieve uncontacted with the fiber is an outer surface; growth-matched coupling is formed between the molecular sieves and the fiber on the inner surface of the molecular sieves; the inner surface and outer surface are composed of molecular sieve nanoparticles. In the present disclosure, trypsin is specifically combined with the molecular sieve/fiber composite, which maintains a high procoagulant activity, thereby obtaining a hemostatic fabric with excellent coagulation effect.

Absorbable composite medical devices such as surgical meshes and braided sutures, which display two or more absorption/biodegradation and breaking strength retention profiles and exhibit unique properties in different clinical settings, are made using combinations of at least two types of yarns having distinctly different physicochemical and biological properties and incorporate in the subject construct special designs to provide a range of unique properties as clinically useful implants.

A composition comprising a plurality of electrospun fiber fragments comprising at least one polymer, a plurality of electrospun fiber fragment clusters comprising at least one polymer, and, optionally, a carrier medium, is disclosed. Also disclosed is a kit comprising a first component of a plurality of electrospun fiber fragments, and a second component of a carrier medium. Also disclosed is a composition comprising a plurality of micronized electrospun fiber fragments, a carrier medium, and, optionally, a plurality of cells. Also disclosed is a biocompatible textile comprising a plurality of micronized electrospun fiber fragments. Also disclosed is a biocompatible suture comprising at least one electrospun fiber. Also disclosed is a method for making a biocompatible suture, comprising electrospinning a polymer solution onto a receiving surface, forming one or more non-overlapping nanofiber threads, removing the nanofiber threads from the receiving surface, and cutting the nanofiber threads into one or more biocompatible sutures.

A drug-eluting self-retaining suture comprises a filament, a plurality of retainers, and a drug impregnated in or coated on the filament. The shape and distribution of retainers modifies the in vivo release kinetics of the drug. The drug release kinetics may be modified uniformly or region by region. The self-retaining suture may for example be used for reattaching severed nerves and release nerve growth factor or other regeneration accelerating agents into the region of the nerve injury.