NEW MEDICAMENTS CONTAINING GELATIN CROSS-LINKED WITH OXIDIZED POLYSACCHARIDES

摘要

The present invention relates to a medicament comprising a biopolymer matrix comprising gelatin cross-linked with an oxidized polysaccharide. Preferably said oxidized polysaccharide comprises an oxidized dextran or an oxidized xanthan. Preferably said medicament is a wound dressing. Preferably said matrix is in the form of a hydrated film, a hydrated or dry foam, dry fibres which may be fabricated into a woven or non-woven tissue, hydrated or dry micro beads, dry powder; or said matrix is covered with a semipermeable film, so as to control the humidity of the wound covered with the dressing, with the permeability chosen so as to maintain this humidity within a therapeutically optimal window. The invention also relates to a controlled release device comprising a biopolymer matrix comprising gelatin cross-linked with an oxidized polysaccharide into which a therapeutically effective amount of a drug is non-covalently incorporated. Preferably also additional compounds are immobilized, said compounds having substantial affinity for the incorporated drug, so as to slow down the release of the drug from the matrix and/or stabilizing the drug. The present invention also relates to a wound dressing comprising such a slow or controlled release device. Preferably said matrix is covered with a semipermeable film, with a permeability chosen so as to control the humidity of the wound covered with the dressing, and to maintain the humidity within a therapeutically optimal window. Preferably multiple forms of said matrix are combined to form a wound dressing, each form having different properties with respect to chemical composition and physical and controlled release characteristics. Preferably into each of the multiple forms one or more different active factors are non-covalently incorporated. Preferably, the invention relates to a wound dressing wherein one or more of the active factors belong to any of the following groups: EGF-like factors, FGF-like factors, TGF- beta -like factors, IGF-like factors, PDGF-like factors, keratinocyte cell lysate. The invention further relates to methods of producing and using said wound dressings or said controlled or slow release devices as defined above.