Bioswellable, crystalline, amphiphilic, block/graft polymers and applications thereof

摘要

Absorbable, essentially non-absorbable, and non-absorbable crystalline, amphiphilic, block/graft copolymeric compositions exhibit an inherent viscosity of at least 0.5 dL/g, a heat of fusion of at least 10 J/g and undergo swelling in the biological environment due to a water up-take of at least 10 percent of original dry mass. These compositions are designed for use in swellable surgical sutures, coatings of medical devices, and carriers for the delivery of bioactive agents.

主权项

1. A bioswellable, high molecular weight, crystalline, amphiphilic, block copolymeric composition comprising a crystalline hydrophilic component comprising polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of at least 35 kDa, the crystalline hydrophilic component covalently linked to a crystalline hydrophobic polyester component via a flexible chain segment to form a pentablock copolymer, said crystalline hydrophobic component being a member selected from the group consisting of poly-l-lactide, polycaprolactone, and 1-lactide copolymers with caprolactone, glycolide, or trimethylene carbonate in which 1-lactide represents 90 to 95 mole %, the ratio of crystalline hydrophilic component to crystalline hydrophobic component being from 10/90 to 50/50 weight %, the composition exhibiting two distinct melting temperatures, having an inherent viscosity of at least 0.5 dL/g, heat of fusion of at least 10 J/g and is capable of absorbing at least 10% of its dry mass of water when present in the biological environment.