The Polymer Technology Group Licenses Novel Heparin-Binding Technology for Use in Medical Devices and Artificial Organs
Berkeley, CA - April 10, 2002 - The Polymer Technology Group, Inc. (PTG) has licensed the exclusive rights to a new technology (developed by Dr. Maria Christina Tanzi of Politecnico di Milano in Milan, Italy) for manufacturing polyurethane biomaterials that bind heparin. By incorporating a reactive chain extender or end group ("PIME") into the polyurethane during synthesis, the resulting polymer readily forms stable complexes with the anticoagulant heparin. This is accomplished without the harsh and expensive pre-treatments that are used with conventional methods of surface heparinization. PTG plans to offer inherent heparin binding as an optional feature in its entire line of biomedical polyurethanes and device components.
Blood contact with the foreign material, in a medical device or prosthesis can trigger coagulation mechanisms. Blood clots that form on the device surface may detach to create emboli in the flowing blood. Emboli can lodge in blood vessels blocking blood flow to tissue, causing strokes, heart attacks, pulmonary complications and other circulation problems. The use of oral or injected systemic anticoagulant therapy carries the risk of significant bleeding and slower healing after surgical procedures. One means of reducing the need for systemic anticoagulation is to utilize biomaterials that have anti-thrombogenic surfaces.
To create polymers that have "built-in" heparin binding capability, scientists synthesized the PIME molecule-a diamine-diamide-diol that contains a piperazine ring-for use as a polyurethane chain extender. The ability of polyurethanes synthesized with PIME to form stable bonds with heparin results from ionic attraction between the negative charges of heparin and the positively-charged protonated nitrogen atoms of PIME at physiological pH. Hydrophobic interactions within the ionic bond further improve stability.
Heparin is an anticoagulant that consists of a mixture of mucopolysaccharides that occur naturally in the human body. Polymers incorporating the PIME linkage will bind heparin by simply being immersed in a dilute heparin solution. This is a much simpler approach than current methods of surface heparinization, which require multi-step surface treatments to permit binding to standard biomaterials. These pre-treatments add expense and can actually damage the polymer being heparinized. PTG's new technology promises to extend the use of heparin binding to new applications that are impractical or too expensive to justify conventional surface heparinization. This can significantly reduce the rate of complications from a wide range of medical procedures that require blood contact with biomaterials.
The Polymer Technology Group was founded in 1989 by Robert Ward, who is a recognized pioneer in the field of biomaterials and the company's CEO. PTG specializes in the research, development, scale-up, and manufacture of new polymers, medical devices, and components. PTG's commercial product portfolio includes two of the world's most extensively tested biomaterials in clinical use today, BioSpan® segmented polyurethane and Bionate® polycarbonate urethane. In addition, PTG offers Elasthane™ polyether urethane, as well as custom-fabricated components from our patented PurSil® silicone polyether urethane and CarboSil® silicone polycarbonate urethane. PTG's 32,000 square-foot facility houses the equipment and expertise to support production-scale polymer synthesis through contract medical device manufacturing.
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