Described herein is a degradable linking agent of formula Photo.sup.1-LG-Photo.sup.2, wherein Photo.sup.1 and Photo.sup.2 independently represent at least one photoreactive group and LG represents a linking group comprising one or more silicon atoms or one or more phosphorous atoms. The degradable linking agent includes a covalent linkage between at least one photoreactive group and the linking group, wherein the covalent linkage between at least one photoreactive group and the linking group is interrupted by at least one heteroatom. A method for coating a support surface with the degradable linking agent, coated support surfaces and medical devices are also described.

A braided structure that includes a core and a sheath is provided. The core includes a yarn formed at least in part from an aromatic polymer (e.g., an aromatic polyester/liquid crystalline polymer or an aramid polymer), and the sheath, which includes a plurality of ultra high molecular weight polyolefin yarns, is braided around the core. The sheath has an overall diameter ranging from about 60 micrometers to about 650 micrometers. Despite its small diameter, the braided structure can be creep resistant and abrasion resistant while at the same time exhibiting low elongation, a high load at break, and high stiffness. The braided structure can be used in medical applications such as sutures, load bearing orthopedic applications, artificial tendons/ligaments, fixation devices, actuation cables, components for tissue repair, etc.

A biopolymer fiber containing collagen. The biopolymer fiber has excellent ultimate tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and strain at break comparable to native human tendons and ligaments. The fiber may substantially circular, ovoid, square, rectangular, ribbon-like, triangular, or irregularly shaped. The fiber exhibits an ordered, longitudinally-oriented structure, and the fiber allows infiltration of cellular growth. Implantable biopolymer scaffolds and sutures containing the fibers are provided as well as microfluidic and extrusion methods for producing the biopolymer fibers.

A biopolymer fiber containing collagen. The biopolymer fiber has excellent ultimate tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and strain at break comparable to native human tendons and ligaments. The fiber may substantially circular, ovoid, square, rectangular, ribbon-like, triangular, or irregularly shaped. The fiber exhibits an ordered, longitudinally-oriented structure, and the fiber allows infiltration of cellular growth. Implantable biopolymer scaffolds and sutures containing the fibers are provided as well as microfluidic and extrusion methods for producing the biopolymer fibers.

The present invention relates to the use of nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel in cell culture and medical applications. The invention relates to a composition comprising nanofibrillar cellulose, cross linkable polymer and at least one bioactive agent. The invention also provides methods for producing the composition and uses thereof. The present invention further relates to the use of said composition for manufacturing of a shaped matrix, the method of preparing said matrix, the matrix and the use of said matrix in various applications.

Disclosed herein are compositions to use in biofouling-resistant coatings, biofouling-resistant coatings, methods of making biofouling-resistant coatings, biofouling-resistant devices, and methods of making biofouling-resistant devices.

A solid-state drawing method for preparing a surgical suture or a biodegradable stent having improved flexibility and mechanical strength. The method for preparing a biodegradable stent includes (a) providing a biodegradable filament that comprises a material which is biodegradable; (b) solid-state drawing the biodegradable filament to provide a drawn biodegradable filament; (c) shaping the drawn biodegradable filament to provide a shaped biodegradable filament; and (d) annealing the shaped biodegradable filament to provide the biodegradable stent, wherein the biodegradable filament has a draw ratio that ranges from 1.1 to 5.0; and wherein the draw ratio is calculated by Equation 1 below:
Draw ratio=(L.sub.SSD/L.sub.O).sup.2, where L.sub.O is length of the biodegradable filament before the solid-state drawing, and L.sub.SSD is the length of the biodegradable filament after the solid-state drawing.

A solid-state drawing method for preparing a surgical suture or a biodegradable stent having improved flexibility and mechanical strength. The method for preparing a biodegradable stent includes (a) providing a biodegradable filament that comprises a material which is biodegradable; (b) solid-state drawing the biodegradable filament to provide a drawn biodegradable filament; (c) shaping the drawn biodegradable filament to provide a shaped biodegradable filament; and (d) annealing the shaped biodegradable filament to provide the biodegradable stent, wherein the biodegradable filament has a draw ratio that ranges from 1.1 to 5.0; and wherein the draw ratio is calculated by Equation 1 below:
Draw ratio=(L.sub.SSD/L.sub.O).sup.2, where L.sub.O is length of the biodegradable filament before the solid-state drawing, and L.sub.SSD is the length of the biodegradable filament after the solid-state drawing.

An embodiment includes a system comprising: a substrate of a medical device; an un-foamed polyurethane coating directly contacting the substrate and fixedly attached to the substrate; a thermoset polyurethane shape memory polymer (SMP) foam, having first and second states, which directly contacts the polyurethane coating and fixedly attaches to the polyurethane coating; wherein the polyurethane coating fixedly attaches the SMP foam to the substrate. Other embodiments are described herein.

The present invention relates to biomaterials coated with an active agent eluting coating, wherein implantation of the coated biomaterial results in reduced implant-related complications and/or improved integration of the biomaterial into the host tissue and further relates to kits containing the coated biomaterial. The present invention also relates to methods and kits for coating the biomaterial. It is based, at least in part, on the discovery that biomaterial coated with a cytokine eluting coating resulted in the shift of early stage macrophage polarization that were associated with positive long-term effects such as minimized capsule formation and improved tissue quality and composition as compared to uncoated biomaterials.