Biodegradable Elastomeric Polymers with Controlled Degradation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biopolymers used in tissue engineering and wound healing lack biodegradability, which limits their application as they persist in the body long after tissue reconstruction, necessitating the development of polymers that can degrade naturally once their function is no longer needed.
Innovation Solution
The creation of biocompatible polymers comprising ECM-mimetic peptides and biodegradable moieties that do not include amino acids, with controlled degradation properties, allowing for tailored half-lives from days to years, enabling their use in tissue engineering, wound healing, and drug delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If naturally-occurring ECM proteins are used for tissue engineering and wound healing, then biocompatibility and functionality are improved, but biodegradability deteriorates as they persist in the body for decades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ECM protein structure by identifying and isolating specific functional peptide sequences (such as the VPGVG elastin motif) from the complete protein. These peptide segments retain the essential biological functionality while being incorporated into synthetic polymer backbones that enable controlled biodegradation, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining biocompatibility and achieving biodegradability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates composite materials by combining synthetic polymer backbones with naturally-derived ECM-mimetic peptide sequences. This composite approach allows the material to exhibit both the biocompatibility of natural proteins and the tunable biodegradability of synthetic polymers, directly addressing the technical contradiction.
2Stability of the object's composition
If ECM proteins with long biological half-life are used, then structural stability and functionality are improved, but the need for surgical removal deteriorates as they persist long after tissue reconstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the polymer backbone composition and crosslinking density to control the degradation rate. By adjusting parameters such as ester bond content, molecular weight, and hydrophilicity, the material maintains structural stability during the healing process while ensuring complete biodegradation within a desired timeframe, eliminating the need for surgical removal.
3Adaptability or versatility
If polymers with controlled degradation rates are developed, then application versatility is improved, but manufacturing complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses parameter changes in the polymer synthesis process to control degradation rates. By varying monomer composition, molecular weight, and crosslinking density during manufacturing, different degradation profiles can be achieved for different applications without requiring fundamentally different manufacturing processes, thus balancing versatility with manufacturing feasibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
These polymers provide biocompatible and biodegradable solutions for tissue engineering and wound healing by degrading naturally after tissue reconstruction, ensuring safety and efficacy in medical applications.
Implementation Method 1
biodegradable moieties
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are biocompatible and biodegradable polymers which are useful in tissue engineering, wound healing, coatings, and drug delivery, the polymers comprising one or more ECM-mimetic peptides and one or more biodegradable moieties, wherein the moieties do not comprise an amino acid or residue thereof. Further disclosed herein are methods for making and using the disclosed biocompatible polymers.