Patent ID: 7713542

Claim:
A moldable implant material for implantation of living cells, comprising: (a) at least one living cell; (b) a cell protector material, characterized in that the cell protector material is biocompatible with said at least one living cell, biodegradable in situ subsequent to implantation,-in the form of rods or tubes having a diameter in the range of about 0.001 mm to 10 mm and a length in the range of about 10 mm to 1 mm, and the rods or tubes interconnect to form a three-dimensional, interconnected structure; and (c) a matrix material, characterized in that the matrix material is, at least in part, biocompatible in vivo, hardenable in situ subsequent to implantation, and comprises a calcium and phosphorous compound selected from the group consisting of tetracalcium phosphate (Ca 4 [PO 4 ] 2 O, TTCP) based self-hardening calcium phosphate cements, alpha-tricalcium phosphate (alpha-TCP, α-Ca 3 [PO 4 ] 2 ) based self-hardening calcium phosphate cements, beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP, β-Ca 3 [PO 4 ] 2 ) based self-hardening calcium phosphate cements, dicalcium phosphate anhydrous (DCPA, CaHPO 4 ) based self-hardening calcium phosphate cements, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD, CaHPO 4 ·2H 2 O) based self-hardening calcium phosphate materials, amorphous calcium phosphate-based self-hardening, calcium phosphate materials, and combinations thereof; wherein the cell protector material substantially encapsulates the at least one living cell; and wherein the cell protector material, comprising the at least one living cell, is contained, at least in part, within the matrix material.