Delivery of compounds with rehydrated blood cells

Abstract

Fixed-dried blood cells carrying an active agent are described, along with methods of making the same, methods of using the same, and compositions containing the same. The blood cells may be red blood cells or blood platelets.

1 - 48 . (canceled)  
     
     
         49 . A method of delivering an active agent to a site of interest, comprising: 
 providing fixed-dried blood cells carrying said active agent, said fixed-dried blood cells selected from the group consisting of fixed-dried red blood cells, fixed-dried blood platelets, and combinations thereof;    rehydrating said fixed-dried blood cells in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to provide a pharmaceuticaly acceptable composition comprising rehydrated fixed-dried blood cells carrying said active agent; and then    administering said pharmaceutical composition to a subject so that an effective amount of said active agent is delivered to said site of interest;    
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said fixed-dried blood cells comprise mammalian fixed-dried blood cells.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said fixed-dried blood cells comprise human fixed-dried blood cells.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said subject is a mammalian subject.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said subject is a human subject.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said active agent is coupled to said fixed-dried blood cells.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said active agent is contained within said fixed-dried blood cells.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said fixed-dried blood cells comprise aldehyde-fixed dried blood cells, and wherein said site of interest is a vascular injury.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said rehydrated fixed-dried blood cells are rehydrated fixed-dried blood platelets which: 
 adhere to thrombogenic surfaces;    undergo shape change upon adhering to a thrombogenic surface;    lead to the formation of a hemostatic plug upon adhering to a thrombogenic surface; and    release their granular contents.    
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said fixed-dried blood cells are fixed-dried red blood cells.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said active agent comprises an antiviral agent.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said active agent comprises a blood coagulation protein.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said active agent comprises a blood anti-coagulation protein.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said active agent comprises a nucleic acid.