TephaFLEX

When 1,4-butanediol is supplied in different amormts as a carbon source, P(3HB-co-4HB) is biosynthesized with 4HB contents of 5-40mol.%. This copolymer has excellent elongation to break and thermal properties for various applications. Metabolix, USA, and Tianjin Green Bioscience, China, together with DSM, The Netherlands, announced plans to produce 50 000 and 10 000 tons per year, respectively.On the other hand, Tepha, USA, produces P(4HB) (TephaFLEX) for medical applications as absorbable sutures and srugical meshes. 

With the wide variety of applications of PHA, medical applications of PHA seem to be the most economically practical area. It Is vital to exploit and develop the application of PH As in the medical field. Most of the PHAs available in sufficient quantities, including PHB, PHBV, PHBHHx, P4HB, P3HB4HB, and PHO, have been studied for bio-implant applications. All of them showed good biocompatibility and some bio degradability. Of these, P4HB has been approved by the FDA for suture application with the trade name TephaFLEX marketed by Tepha Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., USA. Future efforts have been directed to develop more medical applications for PHA, mostly, three-dimensional scaffolds for implant purposes. 

Reinforced with bioabsorbable polymer film, TephaFLEX... 

The chemical structures of these five basic building blocks and commercial absorbable sutures are shown in Fig. 11.1a and 11.1b, respectively. Very recently, 4-hydroxybutyrate-based absorbable suture (TephaFlex) was approved by the FDA. TephaFlex is bioengineered from bacteria rather... 

The latest addition to the synthetic absorbable suture materials is TephaFLEX which is thermally melt-spun from poly-4-hydroxybutyrate, a member of the class of absorbable biomaterials known as polydroxyal-kanoates, or PHA (FDA, 2007 Martin and Williams, 2003). Studies have shown that TephaFLEX is both biocompatible and noninflammatory. Their biodegradation occurs through normal processes and the products of the breakdown are metabolites that already exist in the body. 

Po ly-4- hyd roxy buytrate Nonabsorbable Sutures Silk family TephaFlex (MonoMax) Monofilament... 

Teflene, 302 Teflon, 25,258,438 Teflon-impregnated polyester, 346 temporary vena cava Alters, 530-1 schematic diagram, 531 tenadty, 28-9 tensile breaking stress, 240 tensile strength, 76 TephaFlex, 236,237,278,289-92 Terylene, 295... 

---