IN VIVO DEGRADABLE AND ABSORBABLE POLYMER, HAVING LOW METAL CATALYST CONTENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an in vivo degradable and absorbable polymer, which has an extremely low metal catalyst content and is safe while maintaining desired properties suitable for medical implants or the like and to provide a method for reducing a metal catalyst content in the in vivo degradable and absorbable polymer usable on an industrial scale.

SOLUTION: The in vivo degradable and absorbable polymer has <1 ppm calculated as metal of a metal catalyst content contained in the polymer. The method for reducing a metal catalyst content in the in vivo degradable and absorbable polymer comprises cleaning the in vivo degradable and absorbable polymer, containing a metal catalyst with a solution containing an organic acid. The method for producing the in vivo degradable and absorbable polymer, having a reduced metal catalyst content, comprises copolymerizing a lactide with ε-caprolactone in the presence of a metal catalyst to produce the in vivo degradable and absorbable polymer and cleaning the in vivo degradable and absorbable polymer with a solution containing an organic acid.

COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI