Compositions and methods for coating medical implants

Abstract

Medical implants are provided which release an anthracycline, fluoropyrimidine, folic acid antagonist, podophylotoxin, camptothecin, hydroxyurea, and / or platinum complex, thereby inhibiting or reducing the incidence of infection associated with the implant.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 447,309, filed May 27, 2003, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 383,419, filed May 24, 2002, which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.BACKGROUND [0002] 1. Technical Field [0003] The present invention relates generally to pharmaceutical compositions, methods, and devices, and more specifically, to compositions and methods which reduce the likelihood of an infection associated with a medical implant. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Infections associated with medical implants represent a major healthcare problem. For example, 5% of patients admitted to an acute care facility develop a hospital acquired infection. Hospital acquired infections (nosocomial infections) are the 11th leading cause of death in the US and cost over $2 billion annually. Nosocomial inf...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides methods and compositions for preventing infections associated with medical implants. The invention involves releasing a chemotherapeutic agent from the implant, which reduces or inhibits the growth or transmission of foreign organisms. The released chemotherapeutic agent can be an anthracycline, fluoropyrimidine, folic acid antagonist, podophylotoxin, camptothecin, hydroxyurea, or platinum complex. The invention can be applied to a wide variety of medical implants, such as catheters, heart valves, cardiac pacemakers, and ocular implants. The released chemotherapeutic agent can be present on the implant at a concentration lower than the typical dosage used in cancer treatment. The invention helps to prevent infections and improve the safety and effectiveness of medical implants."

Problems solved by technology

Infections associated with medical implants represent a major healthcare problem.

Hospital acquired infections (nosocomial infections) are the 11th leading cause of death in the US and cost over $2 billion annually.

Once a medical implant becomes colonized by bacteria, it must frequently be replaced resulting in increased morbidity for the patient and increased cost to the healthcare system.

Often the infected device serves as a source for a disseminated infection which can lead to significant morbidity or even death.

One difficulty with these devices, however, is that they can become colonized by bacteria resistant to the antibiotic coating.

This can result in at least two distinct clinical problems.

First, the device serves as a source of infection in the body with the resulting development of a local or disseminated infection.

Secondly, if an infection develops, it cannot be treated with the antibiotic(s) used in the device coating.

The development of antibiotic-resistant strains of microbes remains a significant healthcare problem, not just for the infected patient, but also for the healthcare institution in which it develops.

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