Abstract: A method of treating the surface of a medical device with a biomolecule comprising the steps of: providing a polyolefin substrate forming a medical device; cleaning the polyolefin substrate; exposing the polyolefin substrate to a reactive gas containing acrylic acid and to plasma energy to yield a plasma-deposited polyacrylic acid coating on the polyolefin substrate; and attaching a biomolecule, such as heparin, to the polyolefin substrate following formation of the plasma-deposited polyacrylic acid coating on the polyolefin substrate.

Abstract: Processes are provided for preparing a substrate coated with a biomolecule, comprising: a) providing a substrate; b) coating the substrate with a polysiloxane, typically by exposing the substrate to a reactive gas containing siloxane functional groups and to plasma energy to yield a plasma-deposited polysiloxane surface on the substrate; c) rendering the polysiloxane surface amino functional; and d) contacting the amino-functional polysiloxane surface with a biomolecule under conditions effective to attach the biomolecule to the substrate. The coated substrate may be a medical device that demonstrates an ability to maintain gas permeability when in contact with blood or blood components, compared to a substantially identical medical device that has not been coated with a biomolecule using this process.

Abstract: Processes are provided for preparing a substrate coated with a biomolecule, comprising: a) providing a substrate; b) coating the substrate with a polysiloxane, typically by exposing the substrate to a reactive gas containing siloxane functional groups and to plasma energy to yield a plasma-deposited polysiloxane surface on the substrate; c) rendering the polysiloxane surface amino functional; and d) contacting the amino-functional polysiloxane surface with a biomolecule under conditions effective to attach the biomolecule to the substrate. The coated substrate may be a medical device that demonstrates an ability to maintain gas permeability when in contact with blood or blood components, compared to a substantially identical medical device that has not been coated with a biomolecule using this process.

Abstract: Radially expandable stents having hydrogel coating layers thereon, and methods of preparing such stents are disclosed. The methods include coating a wire with a solution that includes a solvent and a water soluble polymer in the solvent, evaporating the solvent to provide a polymeric coating on the wire, and crosslinking the polymeric coating to provide a hydrogel coating layer on the wire. The coated wire can be fabricated into stents, which preferably have substantially uniform coatings with low surface roughness. Preferably the coatings have hydrophilic properties and provide a biocompatible surface. The coatings may also provide for the delivery of biologically active agents into the body.

Abstract: An implantable device for reducing restenosis includes a structure including a polyamino acid component, wherein the polyamino acid component can be in the form of a coating or a film on the structure or it can be an integral part of the structure.

Abstract: A method of modifying the surface characteristics of a substrate having a surface with an amide-functional polymer thereon. The method involves contacting the amide-functional polymer with a source of hydroxide ions and a source of hypohalite ions at a temperature of at least about 20° C. for a time effective to convert at least a portion of the amide-functional groups to amine-functional groups to form a substrate surface comprising an amine-functional polymer, wherein the hydroxide ions are present in a molar excess relative to the hypohalite ions and at a concentration of no more than about 0.1 M, based on the total volume of the reaction mixture. A biomolecule is attached to the resultant amine-functional polymer.

Abstract: Methods for making bioprosthetic devices made of collagen-based material having collagen amine groups and collagen carboxyl groups are provided. The methods include blocking at least a portion of the collagen amine groups with a blocking agent, activating at least a portion of the collagen carboxyl groups after blocking at least a portion of the collagen amine groups to form activated carboxyl groups, and contacting the activated collagen carboxyl groups with a polyfunctional spacer to crosslink the collagen-based material.

Abstract: A method of modifying the surface characteristics of a substrate, particularly a polymeric material. The method involves grafting ethylenically unsaturated monomers and attaching biomolecules, such as heparin, to the surface of the substrate, such as a polymeric material, in one step using an oxidizing metal, such as ceric ions.

Abstract: A method for making a medical device having a biomolecule immobilized on a substrate surface is provided. The method includes coating the substrate surface with an amino-functional polysiloxane; and contacting the amino-functional polysiloxane coated surface with a biomolecule under conditions effective to immobilize the biomolecule.

Abstract: A method of treating a patient with a medical device having immobilized heparin on a blood-contacting surface in which the covalently attached heparinized surface is provided with an adsorbed protein which may be activated by the immobilized heparin to block the coagulation of fibrinogen. Antithrombin III is the preferred adsorbed protein. The adsorbed protein is maintained on the immobilized heparin surface until the medical device is placed into contact with the patient's blood. When in contact with the patient's blood, the adsorbed protein will prevent initial thrombin formation at the biomaterial-blood interface. The preadsorption of ATIII is accomplished under conditions advantageous to maximum heparin/ATIII binding. When the preadsorbed surface comes in contact with whole blood, the maximum advantage of prophlactic properties of ATIII/heparin are obtained.

Abstract: An improved spacer material for improving the biocompatibility of a biomaterial and a method for making it in which a polyalkylimine is covalently attached to an aminated substrate and combined with a crosslinking agent which is at least difunctional in aldehyde groups. The polyalkylimine can be for example, polyethyleneimine and the crosslinking agent can be, for example, glutaraldehyde. Preferably, the crosslinking agent is applied in dilute solution and at a pH suitable to accomplish light crosslinking of the polyalkylimine and also provide aldehyde linkages at the interface between the biomolecule and the spacer.

Abstract: An improved spacer material for improving the biocompatibility of a biomaterial and a method for making it in which a polyalkylimine is covalently attached to an aminated substrate and combined with a crosslinking agent which is at least difunctional in aldehyde groups. The polyalkylimine can be, for example, polyethyleneimine and the crosslinking agent can be, for example, glutaraldehyde. Preferably, the crosslinking agent is applied in dilute solution and at a pH suitable to accomplish light crosslinking of the polyalkyaimine and also provide aldehyde linkages at the interface between the biomolecule and the spacer.

Abstract: A method for attaching a biomolecule having a plurality of carboxyl groups to an aminated solid surface by reacting the biomolecule with a carbodiimide to effect an activation of the carboxyl groups of the biomolecule, reacting the carbodiimide activated biomolecule with the solid surface to covalently bind the biomolecule to the aminated solid surface, and then selectively restoring carboxyl groups to the biomolecule. The selective restoration of carboxyl groups can be carried out by mild hydrolysis and restores the functionality of the biomolecule. The method is "selective" since the bonds between the biomolecule and the aminated solid surface remain intact.

Abstract: An improved spacer material for improving the biocompatibility of a biomaterial and a method for making it in which a polyalkylimine is covalently attached to an aminated substrate and combined with a crosslinking agent which is at least difunctional in aldehyde groups. The polyalkylizine can be, for example, polyethyleneimine and the crosslinking agent can be, for example, glutaraldehyde. Preferably, the crosslinking agent is applied in dilute solution and at a pH suitable to accomplish light crosslinking of the polyalkylimine and also provide aldehyde linkages at the interface between the biomolecule and the spacer.

Abstract: An improved pH probe based on fiber optics and a unique cross-linked terpolymer of methacrylamidopropyl-trimethyl ammonium chloride, sodium acrylamidopropane sulfonate, and acrylamide, the terpolymer having bound thereto an indicator dye.