Prefabricated alginate-drug bandages

Abstract

The invention provides a solution to the drawbacks associated with conventional alginate dressings. This invention features improved alginate dressings or bandages as well as a fabrication process that results in an alginate sheet that is preloaded with drug, can be stored in a freeze-dried state, and is compliant and ready to use at the time of administration.

1 . A composition comprising a cryo-organized, crosslinked alginate structure comprising a therapeutic agent, wherein said composition comprises a Young's modulus of 10 kiloPascals to 10,000 kiloPascals at room temperature. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a Young's modulus of 100 kiloPascals to 10,000 kiloPascals at room temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said cryo-organized structure comprises a network of interconnected crosslinked pores. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said therapeutic agent comprises substance P. 
     
     
         5 . A method of promoting wound healing or tissue repair, comprising contacting a bodily tissue of a subject with the composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said therapeutic agent comprises substance P. 
     
     
         7 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the wound is a diabetic wound. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the diabetic wound comprises an ischemic wound, optionally wherein the ischemic wound comprises a neuroischemic wound. 
     
     
         13 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said structure comprises a Young's modulus of 1,000 kiloPascals to 10,000 kiloPascals at room temperature. 
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said structure comprises a Young's modulus of 1,000 kiloPascals to 5,000 kiloPascals at room temperature. 
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said composition is 0.1 mm-10 mm. 
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said alginate comprises non-oxidized alginate. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said alginate comprises oxidized alginate. 
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said therapeutic agent is a wound-healing or tissue repair compound. 
     
     
         30 . The composition of  claim 29 , wherein said therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of substance P, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor, Stromal cell-Derived Factor, Epidermal Growth Factor, Transforming Growth Factor, Granulocyte Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factor, and Fibroblast Growth Factor. 
     
     
         31 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein said substance P is selected from the group consisting of a SP peptide, a SP-related molecule, a SP fragment, and a SP peptide derivative. 
     
     
         32 . The composition of  claim 31 , wherein said substance P comprises:
 (i) an amino acid sequence that is at least 50% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2;   (ii) an amino acid sequence that is at least residues 1-8 of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2;   (iii) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1;   (iv) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; or   (v) a consensus amino acid sequence, wherein the consensus amino acid sequence comprises Xaa 1 -Pro-Xaa 2 -Pro-Xaa 3 -Xaa 4 -Xaa 5 -Xaa 6  (SEQ ID NO: 12).   
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein said pores have a diameter of 10 μm-800 μm, 10 μm-100 μm, 100 μm-200 μm, 100 μm-400 μm, or 300 μm-800 μm. 
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 33 , wherein the alginate is crosslinked ionically. 
     
     
         35 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a woven mesh. 
     
     
         36 . The composition of  claim 35 , wherein said woven mesh is a gauze. 
     
     
         37 . The composition of  claim 35 , wherein said woven mesh is interspersed within the alginate structure. 
     
     
         38 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a backing material. 
     
     
         39 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a cell. 
     
     
         40 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said structure comprises a Young's modulus of 10 kiloPascals to 500 kiloPascals at room temperature. 
     
     
         41 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said structure comprises a Young's modulus of 100 kiloPascals to 500 kiloPascals at room temperature.