Patents by Inventor Nathan Z. DREGER

Nathan Z. DREGER has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11771543
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present invention is directed to a degradable poly(ester urea) (PEU)-based adhesion barrier, particularly suitable for use in connection with surgical mesh repair in the treatment of hernias and other soft tissue injuries comprising an amino acid based poly(ester urea) backbone and one or more zwitterionic side chains connected to the amino acid based poly(ester urea) backbone through a sulfide bond. In some other embodiments, the present invention is directed to method of making the PEU-based adhesion barriers comprising: preparing an amino acid based PEU polymer or terpolymer having one or more allyl functional groups; preparing a thiol functionalized zwitterionic compound; and reacting the allyl functionalized PEU polymer or terpolymer with the thiol functionalized zwitterionic compound to form a degradable PEU-based adhesion barrier having an amino acid based PEU backbone having zwitterionic side chains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignees: The University of Akron, Cook Medical Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Becker, Nathan Z. Dreger, Zachary K. Zander, Trenton Parsell, Michael Hiles
  • Publication number: 20210212807
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present invention is directed to a degradable poly(ester urea) (PEU)-based adhesion barrier, particularly suitable for use in connection with surgical mesh repair in the treatment of hernias and other soft tissue injuries comprising an amino acid based poly(ester urea) backbone and one or more zwitterionic side chains connected to the amino acid based poly(ester urea) backbone through a sulfide bond. In some other embodiments, the present invention is directed to method of making the PEU-based adhesion barriers comprising: preparing an amino acid based PEU polymer or terpolymer having one or more allyl functional groups; preparing a thiol functionalized zwitterionic compound; and reacting the allyl functionalized PEU polymer or terpolymer with the thiol functionalized zwitterionic compound to form a degradable PEU-based adhesion barrier having an amino acid based PEU backbone having zwitterionic side chains.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Matthew BECKER, Nathan Z. DREGER, Zachary K. ZANDER, Trenton PARSELL, Michael HILES
  • Publication number: 20200276363
    Abstract: In one or more embodiments, the present invention is directed to a implantable polymer mesh for use in hernia and other soft tissue repair made using amino acid based poly(ester urea) (PEU) polymers. In some embodiments, the implantable polymer mesh is made using linear or branched L-valine based PEUs and displays mechanical properties similar to poly(propylene) (PP), but with significantly less fibrous capsule formation. In some embodiments, the implantable polymer mesh is made using L-valine-co-L-phenylalanine PEUs. In some embodiments, the implantable polymer mesh is made using these PEUs in a composite with an extracellular matrix (ECM). In various embodiments, these amino acid-based PEU materials can be formed into implantable polymer mesh having a conventional size and shape by a wide variety of techniques including conventional compression molding, vacuum molding, blade coating, flow coating, and/or solvent casting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Matthew BECKER, Nathan Z. DREGER, Chinnapatch TANTISUWANNO, Claus SOENDERGAARD, Mary WADE