Abstract: Disclosed herein is an implant for use in stimulating tissue growth. The implant comprises a body with a body core and a body surface. The body is made from a non-hydrogel polymer material. A tissue growth stimulating material is disposed within the body core or deposited onto the body surface, in an amount which is sufficient to stimulate tissue growth within the body core or adjacent to the body surface. Also disclosed are implant bodies made from ceramic, metallic materials, and non-copper containing hydrogels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of peroxometallic compounds, such peroxovanadium compounds, to prevent angiogenesis, restenosis and the production of endothelins, as immunomodulators and as antitumorigenic agents. Peroxometallic compounds are preferred since they are more potent, and less toxic, than their “oxo” counterparts, as exemplified by specific peroxovanadium compounds. Anti-angiogenic activity was verified in vitro against human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) as well as ex ovo using the chicken chorioallantoic assay membrane and in the rat aortic ring model and a Matrigel assay in vivo. Peroxovanadium compounds also decrease basal levels and inhibit the increase in plasma endothelins occurring following insulin induction in rats.

Abstract: The use of collagen as a biomedical implant raises safety issues towards viruses and prions. The physicochemical changes and the in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of collagen treated with heat, and by formic acid (FA), trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), tetrafluoroethanol (TFE) and hexafluoroiso-propanol (HFIP) were investigated. FA and TFA resulted in extensive depurination of nucleic acids while HFIP and TFE did so to a lesser degree. The molecules of FA, and most importantly of TFA, remained within collagen. Although these two acids induced modification in the secondary structure of collagen, resistance to collagenase was not affected and, in vitro, cell growth was not impaired. Severe dehydrothermal treatment, for example 110° C. for 1-3 days under high vacuum, also succeeded in removing completely nucleic acids. Since this treatment also leads to slight cross-linking, it could be advantageously used to eliminate prion and to stabilize gelatin products.