	US 11,857,632 B1
	Nanocellulose as an embedding matrix and applications thereof
Anamika Ray, Torrance (CA); Cheyann Wetteland, Madison, WI (US); Harini Madakashira, Allen, TX (US); Joseph Kessler, Fullerton, CA (US); and Uma Sampathkumaran, Torrance, CA (US)
Assigned to INNOSENSE LLC, Torrance, CA (US)
Filed by INNOSENSE LLC, Torrance, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 24, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/663,335.
Int. Cl. A61K 47/38 (2006.01); A61L 27/20 (2006.01); A61L 27/52 (2006.01); A61K 47/40 (2006.01); B82Y 5/00 (2011.01); B82Y 30/00 (2011.01); B82Y 40/00 (2011.01)

CPC A61K 47/38 (2013.01) [A61K 47/40 (2013.01); A61L 27/20 (2013.01); A61L 27/52 (2013.01); B82Y 5/00 (2013.01); B82Y 30/00 (2013.01); B82Y 40/00 (2013.01)]

9 Claims

1. A method of forming hydrogels containing a biologically active drug compound or therapeutic agent encapsulated therein for delivery to a patient,

the hydrogels formed from cellulose-based materials selected from the group consisting of sulfated crystalline nano cellulose (CNC) and TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical) cellulose nanofibers (CNF) comprising

i) forming cross-linked sulfated crystalline nanocellulose (CNC) using a basic solution and one or more chemical crosslinking agents, and

ii) forming hydrogels with TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical) cellulose nanofibers (CNF) using an aqueous solution containing ionic crosslinking agents,

said hydrogels formed by

iii) hydrating the nano cellulose (CNC) or TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-1-oxyl radical) cellulose nanofibers (CNF) under high-powered sonication to form a clear solution followed by

iv) adding the chemical or ionic crosslinking agents to form a crosslinked hydrogel, comprising a fibrous network with an internal surface having pore sizes and permeability for encapsulation of the biologically active drug compound or therapeutic agent

wherein the biologically active drug compound encapsulated is insulin and wherein the therapeutic agent encapsulated is pyridostigmine bromide, the insulin exhibiting controlled release from the crosslinked hydrogel of at least 48.5% of the encapsulated insulin over a 150 hour period and the pyridostigmine bromide exhibiting controlled release of 100% from the crosslinked hydrogel in a 24 hour period,

said crosslinked hydrogels containing the insulin or pyridostigmine bromide formed by adding the insulin or pyridostigmine bromide to the crosslinked hydrogels.