# US 11,028,264 B2 · Polylysine polymers with antimicrobial and/or anticancer activity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,028,264 B2 - Document ID: US11028264B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/531,432 - Filed: 2019-08-05 - Published: 2021-02-11 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-05 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation; Agency for Science, Technology and Research - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation; Agency For Science, Technology And Research - Inventors: Nathaniel H. Park; James L. Hedrick; Victoria A. Piunova; Gavin Jones; Yi Yan Yang; Pang Kern Jeremy Tan; Chuan Yang; Cherylette Anne Alexander - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028264B2 ## CPC - C08L 79/02: Polyamines - A61K 31/785: Polymers containing nitrogen - C08G 69/48: Polymers modified by chemical after-treatment - C08L 77/04: Polyamides derived from alpha-amino carboxylic acids (C08L77/10 takes precedence) - A61K 45/06: Mixtures of active ingredients without chemical characterisation, e.g. antiphlogistics and cardiaca - C08G 69/10: Alpha-amino-carboxylic acids {(polysuccinimides C08G73/1092)} - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS ## Abstract Techniques regarding guanidinium functionalized polylysine polymers that can have antimicrobial and/or anticancer activity are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can comprise a chemical composition, which can comprise a polymer comprising a molecular backbone covalently bonded to a pendent guanidinium functional group, wherein the molecular backbone can comprise a polylysine structure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A chemical composition, comprising: a polymer comprising a molecular backbone covalently bonded to a pendent guanidinium functional group, wherein the molecular backbone comprises a polylysine structure, wherein the polymer exhibits antimicrobial activity against a pathogen, and wherein the polymer comprises 70% or greater functionalization with the pendent guanidium functional group. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the pendent guanidinium functional group replaces a primary amine of the polylysine structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The chemical composition of claim 2, wherein the polylysine structure is selected from the group consisting of: ε-poly-L-lysine, and ε-poly-D-lysine. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the pathogen is selected from the group consisting of: a Gram-negative microbe, a Gram-positive microbe, a fungus, and yeast. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The chemical composition of claim 1, further comprising: a therapeutic agent, wherein the polymer enhances an activity of the therapeutic agent by interacting with a cytosolic member of a cell targeted by the activity, and wherein the therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of an antibacterial agent and an anticancer agent. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the polymer is chemically compatible with an anionic surfactant. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The chemical composition of claim 1, further comprising: a second polymer comprising a second molecular backbone covalently bonded to a pendent anionic functional group, wherein the second molecular backbone comprises another polylysine structure, and wherein the pendent anionic functional group is selected from the group consisting of: a sulfonate group, a carboxylate group, a boronate group, and a phosphate group. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the polymer is characterized by a chemical formula: wherein “m” is a first number greater than or equal to 5 and less than or equal to 30; and wherein “n” is a second number greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 25. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises 90% or greater functionalization with the pendent guanidium functional group. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The chemical composition of claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial activity comprises translocating through a membrane of a target pathogen cell and precipitating a biomacromolecule within a cytosol of the target pathogen cell. ### Claim 11 A method, comprising: inhibiting a pathogen by contacting a cell of the pathogen with an antimicrobial polymer, wherein the antimicrobial polymer comprises a polylysine structure functionalized with a pendent guanidinium functional group, and wherein the polymer exhibits antimicrobial activity against a pathogen, and wherein the polymer comprises 70% or greater functionalization with the pendent guanidium functional group. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the inhibiting is facilitated by the antimicrobial polymer via a translocation mechanism that comprises translocating the antimicrobial polymer through a membrane of the cell and precipitating a biomacromolecule within a cytosol of the cell. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the antimicrobial polymer is comprised within a coacervate complex that further comprises an anionic polymer, wherein the anionic polymer comprises another polylysine structure functionalized with a pendent anionic functional group, and wherein the pendent anionic functional group is selected from the group consisting of: a sulfonate group, a carboxylate group, a boronate group, and a phosphate group. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the antimicrobial polymer is comprised within a combination therapy with an antimicrobial agent, wherein the antimicrobial polymer enhances an antimicrobial activity of the antimicrobial agent. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the pathogen is selected from a group consisting of: a Gram-negative bacterium, a Gram-positive bacterium, a fungus, and yeast. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the antimicrobial polymer is characterized by a chemical formula: wherein “m” is a first number greater than or equal to 5 and less than or equal to 30; and wherein “n” is a second number greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 25. ### Claim 17 An anticancer chemical composition, comprising: a polymer comprising a molecular backbone covalently bonded to a pendent guanidinium functional group, wherein the molecular backbone comprises a polylysine structure, wherein the polymer exhibits anticancer activity, and wherein the polymer comprises 70% or greater functionalization with the pendent guanidium functional group. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The anticancer chemical composition of claim 17, wherein the polymer is characterized by a chemical formula: wherein “m” is a first number greater than or equal to 5 and less than or equal to 30; and wherein “n” is a second number greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 25. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The anticancer chemical composition of claim 18, wherein the polymer comprises 90% or greater functionalization with the pendent guanidium functional group. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The anticancer chemical composition of claim 18, wherein the anticancer activity comprises translocating through a membrane of a target cancer cell and precipitating a biomacromolecule within a cytosol of the target cancer cell.