Enzyme Immobilization for Extracorporeal Detoxification

Successful photoimmobilization of active, stable heparinase on surface modified polymeric microsphean important technology for removal from blood of heparin required during hemodialysis. cardiopulmonvascular surgery. The availability of this technology for heparin removal would eliminate the requirof heparin by the addition of a compound which has deleterious side effects (protamine). The improvethe successful execution of this project will be the combined advantages of rigid polymeric supportby photoimmobilized hydrophilic polymer spacers and reactive functions to achieve highly efficient hThe use of photochemistry for the proposed surface modification and immobilization will eliminate thtoxic activating chemistry which is currently used for enzyme immobilization. Development of these pchemistries has more universal significance for enzyme deficiency diseases. This technology can be adevice formats for enzyme replacement therapies which require covalent coupling and stabilization ofterm in vivo placement. The Phase I project is designed to demonstrate feasibility for photoimmobilimodified microspheres and is expected to provide the basis for continuation in the development of hiand immune-masked therapeutic enzymes immobilized firmly to blood-compatible biomaterial surfaces.