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Multimodal Peptide Release from PEGylated Fibrin

Project ID: 1840-AL
Available for licensing

Background

Tissue regeneration is an emerging biomedical field that has potential in several areas of medicine and research. This novel technology in particular enhances regeneration in cardiac, dermal, and skeletal muscle applications by locally delivering multiple growth factors to the target site.

Previous studies on direct injections of growth factors to treat disorders such as lower-limb ischemia have shown issues in stability, maturation, regression of newly formed capillaries, and full recapitation of the angiogenesis cascade, resulting in unsuccessful treatments. This invention could be a suitable alternative to direct injections of growth factors.

Furthermore, data from recent work indicate that synergism between multiple growth factors may better induce angiogenesis and facilitate maturation of newly formed capillaries. It was observed that temporal control of dual growth factor release has led to increased vessel density and larger, more mature vessels in a synergistic manner. A closer approximation to the normal wound healing response may lead to more mature and less leaky vasculature.

Invention Description

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a novel technology that consists of an injectable, biocompatible, and biodegradable hydrogel matrix based on PEGylated fibrin. This structure is able to carry and locally deliver multiple growth factors utilizing different modalities and with different release kinetics to the target area

Numerous growth factors have affinity for fibrin including VEGF, TGFbeta, and FGF. Depending on their level of affinity, these growth factors may be associated with the PEGylated fibrin for varying periods of time and differ in their modes of release. Diffusion controlled is for early release and low affinity growth factors, sustained controlled is for medium release and covalently linked growth factors, and degradation controlled is for slow release and high affinity growth factors.

Benefits

Matrices can be easily processed without organic solvents and high temperatures (which are common for typical processing techniques combining drug delivery and tissue engineering techniques and may inactivate sensitive peptide molecules).
System is amenable towards multiple types of growth factors and other peptide molecules.

Features

Individual growth factor incorporation demonstrates high retained protein activity.
System can be engineered to release multiple growth factors with different kinetics for each growth factor from the same matrix.
System is injectable and degradable with proven compatibility.

Market Potential/Applications

Drug delivery
Tissue regeneration (cardiac, dermal, and skeletal muscle)

Development Stage

Proof of concept

IP Status

One U.S. patent application filed

UT Researcher

Laura Suggs, Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
Ge Zhang, Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
Charles Drinnan, Bio Medical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin

OTC Contact Information

Ray Atilano, Licensing Specialist
ratilano@otc.utexas.edu
512-471-4919