Method of preparing a keratin-based biomaterial is provided. The method comprises a) reacting keratin with a polymer having at least one of an amine and carboxylic functional group in the presence of a carbodiimide cross-linking agent to form a cross-linked keratin-polymer material; and b) freeze drying the cross-linked keratin-polymer material to form the keratin-based bio-material. A keratin-based biomaterial thus prepared is also provided.

A turkey collagen hydrolysate composition is prepared from turkey collagen sources, wherein the composition has: a protein concentration of from about 80 wt % to 100 wt %; a protein molecular weight distribution wherein from about 80% to 100% of the protein in the turkey collagen hydrolysate composition has a molecular weight of from about 500 to about 15,000 Daltons; a protein solubility of from about 97% to 100% at a pH selected from the group consisting of pH 7.0, pH 3.4, pH 5, and all of pH 7.0, pH 5, and pH 3.4; and a protein amino acid content of 3 to 25 glycine (g/100 g sample), 0.5 to 15 hydroxyproline (g/100 g sample), 1 to 18 proline (g/100 g sample), 0.02 to 4 taurine (g/100 g sample), and 0.05 to 3 tryptophan (g/100 g sample). Methods of preparing turkey collagen hydrolysate compositions are described.

A process for preparing a powder of a material of natural origin, which comprises a step of treating a substance containing at least 70% by weight of one or more leather wastes in particle form in a twin-screw extruder, wherein a temperature profile is applied that increases from an initial temperature of between 10 and 40° C. up to a maximum temperature of between 60 and 120° C., in the presence of water in an amount such that the weight ratio of water to said substance is between 0.20 and 6.

A modified gelatin comprising:

(a) lysine residues; and

(b) lysine residues comprising a pendent side chain carrying a thiol group;

wherein the modified gelatin comprises at least 50μmoles/g of component (b) and at least 450μmoles/g in total components (a) and (b). Also claimed are hydrogels, a process for making modified gelatins and kits comprising the modified gelatins and a crosslinking agent.

The present invention relates to methacryloyl-gelatin and acryloyl-gelatin with low pyrogenic activity, in particular with low lipopolysaccharide content. The (meth)acryloyl-gelatin is further characterized by low (meth)acrylic acid content. The invention further relates to methods for preparing said (meth)acryloyl-gelatin, which do not require a dialysis step. The invention further relates to hydrogels comprising this (meth)acryloyl-gelatin, as well as uses thereof for tissue-engineering applications, and as bio-ink or bio-resin.

The present disclosure relates to glycosaminoglycan-collagen copolymer compositions (such as hyaluronic acid-collagen copolymers and heparosan-collagen copolymer compositions) and medical applications thereof for augmenting soft tissue defects. The copolymer composition may be injected into tissues to correct defects or deficiencies, such as skin wrinkles, scars, and folds in dermal tissues.

The method of the invention comprises the production of highly digestible hydrolysed keratinaceous material comprising the steps of (i) partly hydrolysing keratinaceous material with heat and pressure and (ii) optionally drying the resultant partly hydrolysed material comprising at least partly insoluble material and (iii) subjecting the optionally dried partly hydrolysed keratinaceous material to a chemical hydrolysis step with acid or base to obtain a highly digestible hydrolysed material, and (iv) purifying the highly digestible material. The invention further provides highly digestible keratinaceous material with an amino acid composition reflecting the amino acid composition of the raw material, wherein the amount of de-carboxylated amino acids is less than 500 ppm. Preferably all of the highly digestible material has a molecular weight lower than 10000 dalton, and preferably more than 95 wt % of the highly digestible keratinaceous material has a molecular weight of less than 5000 dalton.

The method of the invention comprises the production of highly digestible hydrolysed keratinaceous material comprising the steps of (i) partly hydrolysing keratinaceous material with heat and pressure and (ii) optionally drying the resultant partly hydrolysed material comprising at least partly insoluble material and (iii) subjecting the optionally dried partly hydrolysed keratinaceous material to a chemical hydrolysis step with acid or base to obtain a highly digestible hydrolysed material, and (iv) purifying the highly digestible material. The invention further provides highly digestible keratinaceous material with an amino acid composition reflecting the amino acid composition of the raw material, wherein the amount of de-carboxylated amino acids is less than 500 ppm. Preferably all of the highly digestible material has a molecular weight lower than 10000 dalton, and preferably more than 95 wt % of the highly digestible keratinaceous material has a molecular weight of less than 5000 dalton.

The present invention is directed to a process for making a tissue regeneration matrix. The process comprises providing a collagen-tropoelastin dispersion; freeze-drying the dispersion to provide a porous freeze-dried matrix; and then crosslinking the porous freeze-dried matrix. The present invention is also directed to a tissue regeneration matrix prepared by the process.

The present invention is directed to a process for making a tissue regeneration matrix. The process comprises providing a collagen-tropoelastin dispersion; freeze-drying the dispersion to provide a porous freeze-dried matrix; and then crosslinking the porous freeze-dried matrix. The present invention is also directed to a tissue regeneration matrix prepared by the process.