Novel Polymers for Cell Encapsulation

描述(申请人提供)：成人糖尿病的发病率在全球范围内呈上升趋势，并构成一个主要的健康问题。我们建议开发一种新的微囊化葡萄糖响应型胰岛素分泌细胞植入物，用于治疗I型糖尿病，使用聚伽马谷氨酸(Gamma-PGA)。以前无法获得的超高相对分子质量的伽马-PGA将使用专有工艺进行制备。来自试点研究的初步数据表明，伽玛-PGA是一种有希望的材料和可行的方法，用于治疗用途的有效和长期的胰岛素输送。 建议的商业应用： 糖尿病是一个主要的健康问题。糖尿病可导致许多并发症，例如，下肢溃疡、视力障碍和伤口愈合受阻。大约90%的糖尿病治疗费用花在糖尿病的沟通上。仅在终末期肾病治疗上就花费了超过110亿美元。胰岛素-PGA给药系统的成功开发将对糖尿病的治疗产生重大影响。实现生物相容性PGA的制备将成为生物聚合物应用的一个重要里程碑。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The incidence of diabetes mellitus in adults is on the rise globally and constitutes a major health problem. We are proposing the development of a new encapsulated glucose-responsive insulin secreting cell implants for the treatment of type I diabetes, using poly(gamma-glutamic acid) (gamma-PGA). Previously unavailable, very high molecular weight gamma-PGA will be prepared, using a proprietary process. Preliminary data from pilot studies indicate that gamma-PGA constitutes a promising material and viable approach for efficacious and prolonged insulin delivery in therapeutic uses. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: Diabetes mellitus constitutes a major health problem. Diabetes can lead to many complications, e.g., lower extremity ulcers, visual dysfunctions, and impaired wound healing. About 90% of the costs of diabetes therapy are spent on diabetes communications. Over $11 billion is spend on end-stage renal disease treatment alone. Successful development of insulin-PGA delivery systems will have a major impact on diabetes therapy. Achieving the preparation of biocompatible PGA for cell encapsulation will constitute a major milestone in the use of biopolymers.