A hybrid composite and method for producing a polymer network are provided. The hybrid composite includes nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (nHA) and polyurethane. The method for producing a polymer network includes reacting nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (nHA) particles with lysine derived triisocyanate (LTI) to form a nHA/LTI hybrid prepolymer and reacting the prepolymer with a thioketal (TK) diol to form a nHA/poly(thioketal urethane) (PTKUR) hybrid polymer network.

The present disclosure provides copolymers useful in medical devices. For example, the disclosure provides copolymers comprising the polymerization product ester block, ether blocks and diisocyanates. In certain embodiments, the disclosure provides a medical copolymer for implantation comprising ester blocks and ether blocks, wherein: the ester blocks comprise a negative free energy transfer and the ether blocks comprise a positive free energy transfer, the ether and ester blocks are less than 1/10 the length of said copolymer, and, the blocks are distributed such that no domain of contiguous blocks possessing the same polarity of free energy transfer are less than ⅓ of the molecular weight of the copolymer. The disclosure further provides methods of making the aforementioned polymers, and medical devices comprising the polymers.

Compositions may include a therapeutic that is released from the composition to treat any number of ailments or conditions (e.g., pain, infection, cancer, osteoporosis) or to help accelerate local tissue regeneration (e.g., growth hormone, bone morphogenic protein) or to assist with surgical or therapeutic treatment (e.g., imaging modality), or any of a combination thereof.

Compositions and methods are provided for improved wound healing. In particular, provided herein are compositions and methods for the direct delivery of Sirtuin-1 (Sirt1) or vectors encoding Sirt1 to the wounds (e.g., of diabetic patients).

Disclosed herein are compounds of formula (I)

##STR00001##

and therapeutic methods of treatment with compounds of formula (I), wherein L.sup.1, L.sup.2, L.sup.4, R.sup.1, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, and s are as defined in the specification. Compounds of formula (I) are EP4 agonists useful in the treatment of glaucoma, neuropathic pain, and related disorders.

A biomimetic tissue scaffold for repairing an elongated tissue in need of repair can comprise a plurality of coiled flexible polymeric ribbons having a surface on which is formed an array of nanofibers, the ribbons forming a tubular body defining a first open end in which a first end of the elongated tissue is receivable, a second open end in which a second end of the elongated tissue is receivable, and a lumen extending between the first and second open ends.

Some embodiments described herein are directed to non-woven graft materials for use in specialized surgical procedures such as neurosurgical procedures, methods for making the non-woven graft materials, and methods for repairing tissue such as neurological tissue using the non-woven graft materials.

A hyperbranched polymer includes a hyperbranched, hydrophobic molecular core, respective low molecular weight polyethyleneimine chains attached to at least three branches of the hyperbranched, hydrophobic molecular core, and respective polyethylene glycol chains attached to at least two other branches of the hyperbranched, hydrophobic molecular core. Examples of the hyperbranched polymer may be used to form hyperbranched polyplexes, and may be included in DNA or RNA delivery systems.

A collagen-based therapeutic delivery device includes an insoluble synthetic collagen-fibril matrix comprising a polymerization product of soluble oligomeric collagen or a polymerization product of a mixture of soluble oligomeric collagen with one or more type of non-oligomeric soluble collagen molecules, such as, for example, soluble telocollagen and/or soluble atelocollagen, and an active agent dispersed throughout the collagen-fibril matrix or within a portion of the collagen-fibril matrix. A pre-mat rix composition includes an aqueous solution including soluble collagen-fibril building blocks and an active agent in the aqueous solution. The soluble collagen-fibril building blocks include soluble oligomeric collagen or a mixture of soluble oligomeric collagen with non-oligomeric soluble collagen molecules. The building blocks are operable to self-assemble into a macromolecular synthetic collagen-fibril matrix in the absence of an exogenous cross-linking agent. Methods of making and using the pre-matrix composition and the device are also provided.

The present invention discloses either or both in situ and a priori generated hydrogel wound dressings comprise one or more RTR components in low viscosity aqueous solution and one or more non-RTR components. A dressing, comprising at least one first RTR and an active component (AC) integrated within the RTR is also disclosed. The invention further discloses a method of treating a medical or cosmetic indication by a wound dressing, comprising either or both in situ and a priori generating hydrogel wound dressings by providing one or more RTR components in low viscosity aqueous solution and one or more non-RTR components. it and methods for treating a medical or cosmetic indication by providing a dressing with at least one first RTR and with at least one active component (AC) integrated within the RTR are also disclosed.