Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
A method of bio-oncotic tissue-specific delivery of therapeutic agents, comprising the steps of: (a) furnishing an implantable element that is biodegradable in situ within human tissue, said implantable element defining a series of respectively concentric shells having said therapeutic agents incorporated upon or within each of said shells such that the outermost shell and said agents associated therewith will be delivered earliest while the innermost shell and its agents will be delivered last within said human tissue, said agents to be delivered selected from the group consisting essentially of chemotherapeutics, analgesics, hormones, enzymes, anesthetics, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, and immunoglobulins, and the material of said biodegradable element selected from the group consisting essentially of processed sheep dermal collagen, Hench's bioglass, fibrinogen, polyimino-carbonates, and polylactic acid; (b) integrating into a surface of said element a vaso-inductive agent selected from the group consisting essentially of vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet growth factor, vascular permeability growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor beta; and (c) subcutaneously implanting and securing said element into said tissue, whereby, following implantation of said element into said tissue, said vaso-inductive agent will stimulate capillary growth thereby facilitating delivery of said therapeutic agents to said tissue.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
197 words
A method of bio-oncotic tissue-specific delivery of therapeutic agents, comprising the steps of: (a) furnishing an implantable element that is biodegradable in situ within human tissue, said implantable element defining a series of respectively concentric shells having said therapeutic agents incorporated upon or within each of said shells such that the outermost shell and said agents associated therewith will be delivered earliest while the innermost shell and its agents will be delivered last within said human tissue, said agents to be delivered selected from the group consisting essentially of chemotherapeutics, analgesics, hormones, enzymes, anesthetics, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, and immunoglobulins, and the material of said biodegradable element selected from the group consisting essentially of processed sheep dermal collagen, Hench's bioglass, fibrinogen, polyimino-carbonates, and polylactic acid; (b) integrating into a surface of said element a vaso-inductive agent selected from the group consisting essentially of vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet growth factor, vascular permeability growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor beta; and (c) subcutaneously implanting and securing said element into said tissue, whereby, following implantation of said element into said tissue, said vaso-inductive agent will stimulate capillary growth thereby facilitating delivery of said therapeutic agents to said tissue.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as recited in claim 1, in which said implantable element furnishing step (a) comprises: providing a planar substrate rolled spirally upon an axis thereof to approximate the external geometry of a cylinder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method as recited in claim 1 in which said implantable element furnishing Step (a) comprises: furnishing a series of respectively concentric shells having different therapeutic agents disposed upon each of said shells such that the outermost shell and associated agents will be delivered earliest while the innermost shell and its agents will be delivered last to the human tissue.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the step of: (e) providing further vasoinductive agents disposed between each of said concentric shells.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as recited in claim 3, in which said step of furnishing concentric shells comprises the step of: furnishing concentric tubules.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising the step of: (f) providing further vasoinductive agents disposed between each of said concentric tubules.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as recited in claim 1, in which said integrating Step (b) comprises: use of an angiogenic agent as said vasoinductive agent.