title: Injectable biomaterials: a perspective on the next wave of injectable therapeutics.
abstract: We are experiencing a new wave of injectable therapeutics (namely/injectable biomaterials) to complement injectable drugs and injectable biologics, and to serve as the basis for injectable combinatorial therapeutics. Injectable biomaterials contribute to the treatment of the fluid-filled defects which often result from disease and injury, by providing the missing physical framework (i.e. the stroma). However, while injectable matrices may be necessary for the successful treatment of certain lesions, they will not likely be sufficient. Chemoattractants for select endogenous cells, or cells themselves, may need to be incorporated into the matrix prior to its injection to ensure the necessary cellular repopulation of the cavitary defect. These agents and others (drugs and biologics) delivered by the matrix represent the new category of injectable combinatorial therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Tissue Engineering, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA. Department of Orthopedics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Myron
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spector
authors.forename: Teck Chuan
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry*; D007267:Injections / Q000379:methods*; D008422:Materials Testing; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials