The present invention concerns methods and compositions for gene therapy, in particular in vivo gene therapy for delivery of bioactive glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease. The invention also concerns mammalian cells capable of producing GDNF in increased amounts as well as the use of these cells for recombinant production of bioactive GDNF and for therapeutic use. The invention also includes a device that may be implanted in the cochlear of a patient that is capable of secreting GDNF.

The present invention relates to a catheter device comprising at least one pharmaceutically active compound, wherein the device is capable of releasing said pharmaceutically active compound such as angiogenesis promoting factors, inhibitors of an angiogenesis inhibiting factor or antibiotics over an extended period. It is preferred that the device is tubular and longitudinally extending device assembly with an intraluminal and an extraluminal segment and a proximal and a distal end, wherein the intraluminal segment comprises at least one reversibly expandable portion. Also envisaged is a catheter device for use in preventing a slow-healing or non-healing wound, diabetic foot or intoxication with bacterial toxins, or for treating or preventing bacterial or virus infections and/or medical complications during transplantation.

The invention is directed to compositions comprising a modified dextran and to uses thereof for the treatment of wounds in a subject or for delivering a protein, an olignonucleotide, a pharmaceutical agent, or a mixture thereof to a subject. The modified dextran in the compositions can form hydrogels via crosslinking.

Embodiments of the present disclosure encompass systems and methods for in-situ/in vivo, bottom-up tissue generation for wound repair, repair of tissue defects, and the like. Embodiments of the systems of the present disclosure include modular scaffolds seeded with cells (modular tissue forming units (MTFUs)) for packing a tissue defect, such that these MTFUs are able to fill the wound bed with cells of one or more needed tissue types supported by the modular scaffolding particles.

A polyelectrolyte complex includes nanofibers. The nanofibers include at least one polycationic component and at least one polyanionic component. The nanofibers have a diameter in a range of 20-100 nm. A process for preparing the complex, a method of using the complex, a kit which includes the complex, and a method of inhibiting loss of blood from a wound site by applying the complex to the wound site are also provided.

The present invention relates to large scale manufacture of nanoscale microsheets for use in applications such as wound healing or modification of a biological or medical surface.

A bioscaffold comprising a graphene matrix for use in cellular therapy is disclosed. In particular, a bioscaffold having a coating of dexamethasone on a three-dimensional graphene matrix is provided, wherein the bioscaffold elutes dexamethasone to reduce inflammatory responses following implantation of the bioscaffold in a subject. Having the dexamethasone released locally in the vicinity of the bioscaffold avoids the systemic side effects from conventional intravenous delivery while allowing the dexamethasone to modulate the inflammatory milieu within the transplantation microenvironment.

A method for fabricating a collagen bio-ink includes steps as follows. A first component is provided, wherein the first component is to fill a collagen powder to a first syringe. A second component is provided, wherein the second component is to fill a neutral solution or an acid solution to a second syringe. A mixing step is performed, wherein the first syringe is connected to the second syringe with a Lure lock connector and pushing back and forth to mix the first component and the second component to form a hydrogel and become a collagen bio-ink.

A barrier layer and corresponding method of making provide anti-inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and anti-adhesion functionality for a medical device implantable in a patient. The barrier layer can be combined with a medical device structure to provide anti-adhesion characteristics, in addition to improved healing, non-inflammatory, and anti-inflammatory response. The barrier layer is generally formed of a naturally occurring oil, or an oil composition formed in part of a naturally occurring oil, that is at least partially cured forming a cross-linked gel. In addition, the oil composition can include a therapeutic agent component, such as a drug or other bioactive agent.

Materials and methods for immobilizing bioactive molecules, stem and other precursor cells, and other agents of therapeutic value in surgical sutures and other tissue scaffold devices are described herein. Broadly drawn to the integration and incorporation of bioactive materials into suture constructs, tissue scaffolds and medical devices, the present invention has particular utility in the development of novel systems that enable medical personnel performing surgical and other medical procedures to utilize and subsequently reintroduce bioactive materials extracted from a patient (or their allogenic equivalents) to a wound or target surgical site.