Combination of polymer therapeutics

This chapter will focus on fundamental concepts related to surface modification of materials utilized within polymeric biocomposites for orthopedic applications. For this chapter, orthopedic applications are defined as medical indications or procedures that benefit from utilization of polymeric biocomposites and/or additional implanted therapeutic material to aid in bone regeneration at a localized site. The term surface modification refers to the physical attachment of molecules, predominantly silanes and/or polymers, to the surface of a solid-phase material. Polymeric biocomposites are a class of biomaterials that comprises a biocompatible bulk polymer and a particulated solid phase, often referred to as a binder and a filler, respectively. As there are vast combinations of polymers and solid materials that fit this definition, this chapter highlights solely those combinations that have been utilized for orthopedic applications, in either the acadenuc or the medical industry settings. 

Ionotropic gelation process presents numerous advantages along with few major demerits for controlled protein delivery, where the matrix and membrane formed is not capable of controlling the release rate for a long period of time. It does not matter in cell encapsulation, where the membrane should provide sufficient permeability for the cell products such as therapeutic protein. However, for controlled delivery of protein entities, biodegradable polymers that can produce dense membrane, preferably capable of controlling the release rate, should be incorporated or alternative combinations of polyelectrolytes should be explored to control the permeability of membrane, so that the release rate may be controlled over the desired span. ... 

The combination of cells and new encapsulation techniques, in association with micro-reactor devices, will continue to offer great promise for biomedical materials and applications. The first steps towards bio(medical) systems should be especially interesting, as polymers and polymeric systems begin to play a dominant role in applications such as drug release, therapeutic methods, and imaging techniques. 

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