Re: Intergel

From: Sue Ann Murray (murraysa@penn.com)
Fri Oct 22 14:19:57 1999


>If Intergel has been available for a few years in some European
>countries, then there must be some statistics on its performance for
>those years. Does anyone know how its working out?
>
>Chris S.

This is from lifecore's website with links to other articles. I had only checked the site for "intergel" before and just noticed today the link to their "hyaluronan" division which is the chemical name and there is a lot more information about exactly what it is and how it works in addition to this page that I've copied. (only the last article discusses the first human trial, the rest are animal studies). There may be more on their site that I haven't found yet, however, if anyone wants to look.

Sue Ann

http://www.lifecore.com

LIFECORE HYALURONAN LIFECORE® Hyaluronan is a high molecular weight polymer made up of repeating disaccharide units of N-acetyl glucosamine and sodium glucuronate linked by B1-3 and B1-4 glycosidic bonds. Hyaluronan is a physiological substance that is widely distributed in the extracellular matrix of animal and human connective tissues. For example, it is present in the vitreous and aqueous humor of the eye, the synovial fluid, the skin and the umbilical cord. There is no chemical difference between hyaluronan prepared from animal tissues or microbes. LIFECORE Hyaluronan is derived through a highly efficient patented microbial fermentation process.

The viscous and elastic rheological properties of LIFECORE Hyaluronan combined with its well-documented biocompatibility, make it a useful tool for internal surgical applications where a gel-like "viscoelastic" substance is needed.

Hyaluronan has been shown to enhance the clinical outcome of several ophthalmic surgical procedures by protecting the corneal endothelium from damage and maintaining the depth of the anterior chamber during surgery.

The first viscoelastic material used in ophthalmology was hyaluronan isolated from rooster combs. The product is commercially available today as Healon® (Upjohn-Pharmacia). Other currently available hyaluronate viscoelastics include Viscoat ®and Provisc® (Alcon Laboratories), Healon® GV (Upjohn-Pharmacia), Amvisc® and Amvisc Plus® (Bausch & Lomb) and Vitrax® (Allergan). Alcon and Bausch & Lomb use LIFECORE Hyaluronan in Viscoat® Viscoelastic Solution, Amvisc® and Amvisc Plus®, respectively.

New LIFECORE Hyaluronan applications under investigation include use as a topical and intravenous drug delivery vehicle, and use as a surgical adhesion prevention solutions.

Lifecore and its marketing partner, Ethicon (Johnson & Johnson), have developed a cross-linked, hyaluronate gel that entered clinical trials as an adhesion prevention surgical adjunct in 1995. The product, INTERGELTM Adhesion Prevention Solution, has demonstrated outstanding pre-clinical and pilot results.

For more information on hyaluronate adhesion prevention, note the following articles:

Reduction of adhesion formation with hyaluronic acid after peritoneal surgery in rabbits. http://www.lifecore.com/hy/adhesion1.htm

Reduction of adhesion formation by postoperative administration of ionically cross-linked hyaluronic acid. http://www.lifecore.com/hy/adhesion2.htm

Clinical evaluation of 0.5% ferric hyaluronate adhesion prevention gel for the reduction of adhesions following peritoneal cavity surgery: open-label pilot study http://www.lifecore.com/hy/adhesion3.htm

Clinical evaluation of INTERGELTM Adhesion Prevention Solution for the reduction of adhesions following peritoneal cavity surgery: an international multicenter study of safety and efficacy http://www.lifecore.com/hy/adhesion4.htm

Lifecore Biomedical has a long history of supplying its hyaluronan to companies in the medical industry. Lifecore is interested in providing your development project with a reliable, time-proven source of hyaluronan and the aseptic processing services required to make a finished product. For more information, contact the New Business Development Department.


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