Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic injectable collagen for implantation into humans. The invention further provides methods for preparing injectable collagen material by removing collagen-containing material from a non-human animal; washing in saline and alcohol; subjecting material to cellular disruption treatment; and digesting the material with a proteoglycan-depleting factor and/or glycosidase and optionally following with a capping treatment. The invention also provides an article of manufacture produced by the method. The injectable collagen material of the invention are substantially non-immunogenic and have substantially the same mechanical properties as a corresponding native soft tissue.

Abstract: A method for preparing a soft tissue xenograft includes the steps of removing at least a portion of a soft tissue from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to cellular disruption treatment; and either digesting the xenograft with a glycosidase or glycosidase digestion followed by treatment for sialylation. A soft tissue xenograft for implantation into a human includes a portion of a soft tissue from a non-human animal, wherein the portion has extracellular matrix and substantially only dead cells. The matrix and dead cells have substantially no surface &agr;-galactosyl moieties and have sialic acid molecules linked to at least a portion of surface carbohydrate moieties. Each of the xenografts of the invention has substantially the same mechanical properties as a corresponding native soft tissue.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic bone xenograft (X) for implantation into a defect (D) located in a bone portion (10) of a human. The invention further provides methods for preparing a bone xenograft (X) by removing at least a portion of bone from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft (X); washing the xenograft (X) in saline and alcohol; and subjecting the xenograft (X) to at least one of the treatments including exposure to ultraviolet radiation, immersion in alcohol, ozonic, and freeze/thaw cycling. In addition to or in lieu of the above treatments, the methods include a cellular disruption treatment, and digestion of the carbohydrate moieties of the xenograft (X) with a glycosidase followed by treatment for sialylation.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic ligament or tendon xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides a method for preparing a ligament xenograft by removing at least a portion of a ligament from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to at least one treatment selected from the group consisting of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, immersion in alcohol, ozonation, freeze/thaw cycling, and optionally chemical crosslinking. In addition to or in lieu of the above treatments, the methods include a cellular disruption treatment and either digestion of the carbohydrate moieties of the xenograft with a glycosidase in a range of about 1 mU/ml to about 1000 U/ml or glycosidase digestion followed by treatment for sialylation. The invention also provides articles of manufacture produced by one or more of the above-identified methods of the invention.

Abstract: A food supplement, either in the form of a snack bar or a beverage, which contains one or more cartilage enhancing supplements is provided. The cartilage supplements include chondroitin, glucosamine, and hyaluronic acid. The food supplement may additionally be fortified with cetyl myristoleate. The beverage is a mixture of a juice drink base which may include a water-based fruit flavored juice prepared using a pasteurization process at a relatively high temperature and a cartilage supplement solution which includes a cartilage supplement prepared at a relatively low temperature. The beverage may be carbonated, non-carbonated or concentrated. The preferred cartilage supplement is glucosamine, preferably associated with a counter ion, more preferably as glucosamine HCl. The supplement also contains vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and calcium hydroxide powder.

Abstract: A food supplement, either in the form of a snack bar or a beverage, which contains one or more cartilage enhancing supplements and sucralose is provided. The cartilage supplements include chondroitin, glucosamine, and hyaluronic acid. The food supplement may additionally be fortified with cetyl myristoleate. The beverage is a mixture of a juice drink base which may include a water-based fruit flavored juice prepared using a pasteurization process at a relatively high temperature and a cartilage supplement solution which includes a cartilage supplement prepared at a relatively low temperature. The beverage may be carbonated, non-carbonated or concentrated. The preferred cartilage supplement is glucosamine, preferably associated with a counter ion, more preferably as glucosamine hydrochloride.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic bone xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides a method for preparing a bone xenograft by removing at least a portion of a bone from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft (X); washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to a cellular disruption treatment; and treating the xenograft with a glycosidase to remove surface carbohydrate moieties. The invention also provides an article of manufacture produced by the above identified method of invention. The invention further provides a bone xenograft for implantation into a human including a portion (10) of a bone from a nonhuman animal, wherein the portion has substantially no surface carbohydrate moieties which are susceptible to glycosidase digestion. Each xenograft of the invention has substantially the same mechanical properties as a corresponding native bone.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention also provides methods for preparing a xenograft by removing at least a portion of a soft tissue from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to cellular disruption treatment; treating the xenograft with crosslinking agents, and digesting the xenograft with a proteoglycan-depleting factor and/or glycosidase. The invention further provides a method for sterilizing xenograft material, having the steps of obtaining substantially non-immunogenic xenograft material; treating the xenograft material with at least one crosslinking agent; and subjecting the crosslinked xenograft material to radiation treatment.

Abstract: The invention provides for the use of an improved xenograft bone particulate with respect to osteo-integration and bone remodeling, while diminishing the primate-to-pig immunological response using established bone-processing technique. Work was carried out using undecalcified bone to determine immunocompatibilty and bone remodeling potential of processed porcine bone struts following onlay graft implantation. New bone formation was evident, including the infiltration of cellular materials responsible for fusion and bone reconstruction.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic soft tissue xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides methods for preparing a soft tissue xenograft by removing at least a portion of a soft tissue from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to cellular disruption treatment; and digesting the xenograft with a proteoglycan-depleting factor and/or glycosidase and optionally following with a capping treatment. The invention also provides an article of manufacture produced by the above-identified method of the invention. The invention further provides a soft tissue xenograft for implantation into a human including a portion of a soft tissue from a non-human animal, wherein the portion has extracellular components and substantially only dead cells. The extracellular components have reduced proteoglycan molecules.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic heart valve xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides methods for preparing a heart valve xenograft by removing at least a portion of a soft tissue from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to cellular disruption treatment; treating the xenograft with crosslinking agents, and digesting the xenograft with a proteoglycan-depleting factor and/or glycosidase. The invention also provides an article of manufacture produced by the above-identified method of the invention. The invention further provides a heart valve xenograft for implantation into a human including a portion of a heart valve from a non-human animal, wherein the portion has extracellular components and substantially only dead cells. The extracellular components have reduced proteoglycan molecules.

Abstract: A food supplement, either in the form of a snack bar or a beverage, which contains one or more cartilage enhancing supplements is provided. The cartilage supplements include chondroitin, glucosamine, and hyaluronic acid. The food supplement may additionally be fortified with cetyl myristoleate. The beverage is a mixture of a juice drink base which may include a water-based fruit flavored juice prepared using a pasteurization process at a relatively high temperature and a cartilage supplement solution which includes a cartilage supplement prepared at a relatively low temperature. The beverage may be carbonated, non-carbonated or concentrated. The preferred cartilage supplement is glucosamine, preferably associated with a counter ion, more preferably as glucosamine HCl.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic ligament or tendon xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides a method for preparing a ligament xenograft by removing at least a portion of a ligament from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to at least one treatment selected from the group consisting of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, immersion in alcohol, ozonation, freeze/thaw cycling, and optionally chemical crosslinking. In addition to or in lieu of the above treatments, the methods include a cellular disruption treatment and either digestion of the carbohydrate moieties of the xenograft with a glycosidase in a range of about 1 mU/ml to about 1000 U/ml or glycosidase digestion followed by treatment for sialylation. The invention also provides articles of manufacture produced by one or more of the above-identified methods of the invention.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic ligament or tendon xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides a method for preparing a ligament xenograft by removing at least a portion of an ligament from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to at least one treatment selected from the group consisting of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, immersion in alcohol, ozonation, freeze/thaw cycling, and optionally chemical crosslinking. In addition to or in lieu of the above treatments, the methods include a cellular disruption treatment and glycosidase digestion of carbohydrate moieties of the xenograft followed by treatment of carbohydrate moieties of the xenograft with capping molecules. The invention also provides articles of manufacture produced by one or more of the above-identified methods of the invention.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic heart valve xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides methods for preparing a heart valve xenograft by removing at least a portion of a soft tissue from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to cellular disruption treatment; treating the xenograft with crosslinking agents, and digesting the xenograft with a proteoglycan-depleting factor and/or glycosidase. The invention also provides an article of manufacture produced by the above-identified method of the invention. The invention further provides a heart valve xenograft for implantation into a human including a portion of a heart valve from a non-human animal, wherein the portion has extracellular components and substantially only dead cells. The extracellular components have reduced proteoglycan molecules.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic ligament or tendon xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides a method for preparing a ligament xenograft by removing at least a portion of a ligament from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to at least one treatment selected from the group consisting of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, immersion in alcohol, ozonation, freeze/thaw cycling, and optionally chemical crosslinking. In addition to or in lieu of the above treatments, the methods include a cellular disruption treatment and either digestion of the carbohydrate moieties of the xenograft with a glycosidase in a range of about 1 mU/ml to about 1000 U/ml or glycosidase digestion followed by treatment for sialylation. The invention also provides articles of manufacture produced by one or more of the above-identified methods of the invention.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic soft tissue xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides methods for preparing a soft tissue xenograft by removing at least a portion of a soft tissue from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to cellular disruption treatment; and digesting the xenograft with a proteoglycan-depleting factor and/or glycosidase and optionally following with a capping treatment. The invention also provides an article of manufacture produced by the above-identified method of the invention. The invention further provides a soft tissue xenograft for implantation into a human including a portion of a soft tissue from a non-human animal, wherein the portion has extracellular components and substantially only dead cells. The extracellular components have reduced proteoglycan molecules.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic soft tissue xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides methods for preparing a soft tissue xenograft by removing at least a portion of a soft tissue from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to cellular disruption treatment; and digesting the xenograft with a proteoglycan-depleting factor and/or glycosidase and optionally following with a capping treatment. The invention also provides an article of manufacture produced by the above-identified method of the invention. The invention further provides a soft tissue xenograft for implantation into a human including a portion of a soft tissue from a non-human animal, wherein the portion has extracellular components and substantially only dead cells. The extracellular components have reduced proteoglycan molecules.

Abstract: The invention provides articles of manufacture comprising substantially non-immunogenic soft and bone tissue xenografts for implantation into humans. The invention further provides methods for preparing soft and bone tissue xenografts by removing at least a portion of a soft or bone tissue from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to cellular disruption treatment; exposing the xenograft to an aldehyde in an amount ranging from about 0.01% to about 0.10%; and digesting the xenograft with a glycosidase and optionally following with a capping treatment. The invention also provides an article of manufacture produced by the above-identified method of the invention. The invention further provides a soft or bone tissue xenograft for implantation into a human including a portion of a soft or bone tissue from a non-human animal, wherein the portion has extracellular components and substantially only dead cells.

Abstract: The invention provides a substantially non-immunogenic ligament or tendon xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides a method for preparing a ligament xenograft by removing at least a portion of a ligament from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft cellular disruption treatment, such as exposure to ultraviolet radiation, immersion in alcohol, ozonation, freeze/thaw cycling, and optionally chemical crosslinking. In addition to or in lieu of the above treatments, the methods include digestion of the carbohydrate moieties of the xenograft with a glycosidase, preferably in a range of about 1 mU/ml to about 1000 U/ml, followed by treatment for sialylation. The invention also provides articles of manufacture produced by one or more of the above-identified methods of the invention.