Synthesis and Processing of Sulfonated Block Copolymer Biomaterials

描述（由申请人提供）：Aegis生物科学公司开发了一种新型的多功能阴离子纳米结构水凝胶材料，在伤口护理、抗血栓形成涂层和药物输送方面具有广阔的应用前景。这些多相嵌段共聚物来源于廉价的、市售的材料，这些材料随后被磺化。事实上，对这些材料日益增长的兴趣要求注意大规模和有效的合成和加工，这是本建议的重点。潜在的技术创新包括(1)新的和有效的磺化方法，以获得具有广泛功能和低总体制造成本的生物材料，(2)用于将这些材料加工成薄膜和涂层的新溶剂组合，以及(3)开发用于加工的水基分散体的潜力。我们认为，鉴于第一阶段努力的资源，这些创新中的每一项都是可以实现的。这些改进的制造工艺所产生的材料的真正商业应用是药物洗脱支架涂层，潜在的应用包括伤口处理的敷料和粘膜给药的基质。目前迫切需要具有广泛功能的生物材料（例如，药物输送、低凝血倾向、促进伤口愈合），并且原材料成本低。Aegis的生物材料满足了这一需求，而日益增长的商业利益正在推动人们关注制造问题，关注材料制备和制造的经济过程。第一阶段提案解决了Aegis材料扩展到不断增长的医疗保健市场的关键需求。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Aegis BioSciences has developed a new and versatile class of anionic, nanostructured hydrogel materials with promising applications in wound care, anti-thrombogenic coatings, and drug delivery. These multi-phase block copolymers are derived from inexpensive, commercially available materials which are subsequently sulfonated. Indeed, growing interest in these materials demands attention to larger-scale and efficient synthesis and processing which is the focus of this proposal. Potential technological innovations include (1) new and efficient methods of sulfonation to achieve biomaterials with broad functionality and low overall manufacturing cost, (2) new solvent combinations of for processing of these materials into films and coatings, and (3) the potential for the development of water-based dispersions for processing. We believe that each of these innovations are realizable given the resources of a Phase I effort. A real commercial application of materials resulting from these improved manufacturing processes is a drug-eluting stent coating, and potential applications include dressings for wound management and matrices for mucosal delivery of drugs. There is an urgent need for biomaterials with a broad range of functionality (e.g., drug delivery, low tendency to induce clotting, facilitation of wound healing) that have low raw materials costs. Aegis' biomaterials meets this need, and increased commercial interest is driving a desire to focus on manufacturing issues with attention to economical processes for material preparation and fabrication. This Phase I proposal addresses key needs for the expansion of Aegis' materials into a growing healthcare marketplace.