Columbia Technology Ventures

Biocompatible polymer to prevent degeneration of bioprosthetic heart valves

This technology is a method to attenuate the uptake of serum proteins and advanced glycan-end products by bioprosthetic heart valves in order to prevent structural valve leaflet degeneration.

Unmet Need: Method to protect bioprosthetic tissue against advanced glycation end-products

Bioprosthetic heart valves (BHV) made from crosslinked bovine or porcine tissue are commonly used as replacement valves. However, these transplanted biomaterials tend to degrade over time due to calcification and accumulation of advanced glycosylation end-products (AGE). The buildup of AGE and serum proteins results in increased cross-linking and leaflet stiffening and can lead to elevated levels of receptors for AGE (RAGE), resulting in problematic activation of inflammatory responses. Thus, there is a need for a method to overcome serum protein and AGE-mediated degeneration of BHVs.

The Technology: Polymer-functionalized bioprosthetic heart valves

This technology is a method of modifying bioprosthetic tissue with poly(2-oxaline) (POV), a biocompatible polymer, to prevent the accumulation of serum proteins and subsequent prosthesis dysfunction. When covalently attached to BVH leaflets, POZ prevents tissue oxidation, uptake of serum proteins, and general inflammation. As such, this modification is likely to prevent accumulation of AGE in vivo and could greatly reduce the need for BHV replacement in patients with heart valve disorders.

Applications:

  • Protection of bioprosthetic heart valves
  • Protection of other bioprosthetic tissues, protein-based prosthetics, implants, and scaffolds
  • Tissue preservation for biological research

Advantages:

  • Utilizes an easy-to-synthesize, biocompatible polymer
  • Prevents adsorption of ADE and serum proteins
  • Mitigates the contribution of ADE and serum proteins to heart valve degeneration
  • Applicable to multiple types of prosthetic tissue

Lead Inventor:

Giovanni Ferrari, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending

Tech Ventures Reference: