Bioresorbable wound dressing

Abstract

The present invention is directed to novel non-woven fabrics containing growth and differentiation factor proteins. Said fabrics are specifically designed to accelerate tissue regeneration and wound healing processes of mammalian tissues. Furthermore, the invention provides wound dressings, pads or implants comprising the novel non-woven fabrics.

1 . A non-woven fabric comprising:
 fibres of a fibre raw material comprising bioresorbable and/or biocompatible polymers, the fibres including at least one biologically active substance, which is distributed in the fibres, wherein the biologically active substance is a GDF-5-related protein.   
     
     
         2 . The non-woven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the biologically active protein is additionally distributed on the fibres. 
     
     
         3 . The non-woven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the GDF-5-related protein comprises a cystine-knot-domain with an amino acid identity of at least 60% to the 102 aa-cystine-knot-domain of human GDF-5 according to amino acids 400-501 of SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
         4 . The non-woven fabric of  claim 3 , wherein the GDF-5-related protein comprises a cystine-knot-domain with an amino acid identity of at least 70%, 80%, 90% or 95% to the 102 aa cystine-knot-domain of human GDF-5. 
     
     
         5 . The non-woven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fibre raw material is selected from the group consisting of natural polymers, synthetic polymers, and polymers derived from fossile raw materials, each of which may be modified or unmodified, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The non-woven fabric of  claim 5 , wherein the natural polymers are selected from the group consisting of polypeptides such as collagen, gelatin, fibrin, and casein, polysaccharides such as dextran, cellulose, starch, chitin, chitosan, alginate and hyaluronic acid, polynucleotides, and synthetic polymers such as polylactide (PLA), polyglycolide (PGA), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyvinlypyrrolidon (PVP), polyethylene oxide (PEO), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and polyhydroxyesters, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The non-woven fabric of  claim 1 , comprising another substance dispersed into the fibres. 
     
     
         8 . The non-woven fabric of  claim 7 , wherein the dispersed substance is selected from the group of inorganic substances like hydroxylapatite and/or β-tricalcium phosphate. 
     
     
         9 . The non-woven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the non-woven fabric is producable or produced by a rotation spinning method. 
     
     
         10 . The non-woven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the fibres are one of twisted with one another, interlaced with one another, and have a twisted structure, preferably wherein at least some of the fibres are interlaced with one another and form at least one fibre bundle. 
     
     
         11 . The non-woven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the fibres are nanofibres. 
     
     
         12 . The non-woven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric comprises an open pore structure having an air permeability between 0.01 and 100 l/min*cm. 
     
     
         13 . The non-woven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein at least 10% of the biologically active substance is eluted within 3 to 7 days under physiological conditions (PBS buffer, 10% Fetal Calf Serum, 37° C.). 
     
     
         14 . A method of improving healing of wounds including diabetic and other ulcers, burns, skin injuries and/or skin grafts, for inducing nerve growth or preventing neuronal death, for promoting angiogenesis, for inducing proliferation of progenitor cells and/or bone marrow cells; for maintaining a state of proliferation or differentiation for treatment or preservation of tissue or cells for organ or tissue transplantation; for treating degenerative disorders concerning the joints to skeletal elements and/or for meniscus and/or spinal/intervertebral disk repair comprising application of the non-woven fabric of  claim 1  to a desired location. 
     
     
         15 . A method for providing tissue regeneration, said tissue being selected from the group consisting of skin tissue, connective tissue, bone, cartilage, connective tissue attachment, tendon, ligament, spinal/intervertebral disk, meniscus, dental tissue, dentin, periodontal ligament, hair, tissues of the sensory system, liver, pancreas, cardiac, blood vessel, renal, uterine and thyroid tissue, mucous membranes, endothelium, epithelium or neural tissue comprising application of the non-woven fabric of  claim 1  to the tissue. 
     
     
         16 . A wound dressing, wound pad or implant, comprising the non-woven fabric of  claim 1 .