# US 12,551,429 B2 · Oral care complexes and compositions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,551,429 B2 - Document ID: US12551429B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/068,421 - Filed: 2022-12-19 - Published: 2023-06-29 - Granted: 2026-02-17 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-23 - Assignees: Colgate-Palmolive Company - Applicants: Colgate-Palmolive Company - Inventors: Qichao Ruan; Stacey Lavender - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12551429B2 ## CPC - A61K 8/88: Polyamides - A61K 8/365: Hydroxycarboxylic acids; Ketocarboxylic acids - A61K 8/84: obtained by reactions otherwise than those involving only carbon-carbon unsaturated bonds - A61P 43/00: Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00 - A61Q 11/00: Preparations for care of the teeth, of the oral cavity or of dentures; Dentifrices, e.g. toothpastes; Mouth rinses - A61K 2800/5424: anionic - A61K 2800/5426: cationic - A61K 2800/594: Mixtures of polymers - 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) - A61P: SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS - A61Q: SPECIFIC USE OF COSMETICS OR SIMILAR TOILETRY PREPARATIONS ## Abstract The present invention relates to a polyelectrolyte complex, and compositions thereof, for use in the treatment or prevention of dental caries, early erosive damage, and enamel demineralization, and the promotion of enamel repair and remineralization. This oral care composition comprises polyelectrolyte complexes comprising cationic polymers and anionic carboxylates. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An oral care composition, comprising: a polyelectrolyte complex comprising a cationic polymer and an anionic polymer or anionic carboxylate; and one or more orally acceptable solvents or vehicles, wherein the cationic polymer is a polyamino acid comprising one or more basic amino acid residues, and wherein the polyelectrolyte complex comprises a molar ratio of cationic polymer amino groups to anionic polymer or anionic carboxylate groups of 1:0.01 to 1:0.9. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The oral care composition of claim 1, wherein the polyamino acid comprising one or more basic amino acid residues is selected from lysine, arginine, and/or histidine. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The oral care composition of claim 1, wherein the polyamino acid is a homopolymer consisting of basic amino acid residues. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The oral care composition of claim 1, wherein the polyamino acid is a polylysine homopolymer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The oral care composition of claim 4, wherein the polylysine homopolymer consists of D-lysine residues (DLL) or L-lysine residues (PDL). ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The oral care composition of claim 4, wherein the polylysine homopolymer is epsilon-polylysine, optionally consisting of D-lysine residues or L-lysine residues. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The oral care composition of claim 5, wherein the polylysine homopolymer is selected from: alpha-poly-D-lysine having a molecular weight of 150,000-300,000 Da, and/or 700-1500 D-lysine residues, optionally as a hydrobromide salt; alpha-poly-L-lysine having a molecular weight of 30,000-60,000 Da, and/or 30-60 L-lysine residues, optionally as a hydrochloride salt; and epsilon-poly-L-lysine (ePL) having a molecular weight of 3000-5000, and/or 25-35 L-lysine residues, optionally in the form of a free base. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The oral care composition of claim 1, wherein the anionic carboxylate is an organic monocarboxylic, dicarboxylic, or tricarboxylic acid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The oral care composition of claim 8, wherein the anionic carboxylate is malic acid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The oral care composition of claim 1, wherein the polyelectrolyte complex comprises a cationic polymer selected from poly-D-lysine, poly-L-lysine and epsilon-poly-L-lysine and wherein the anionic carboxylate is an organic monocarboxylic, dicarboxylic, or tricarboxylic acid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The oral care composition of claim 10, wherein the anionic carboxylate is malic acid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The oral care composition of claim 8, wherein the oral care composition comprises the polyelectrolyte complex in an amount of 0.01% to 5%, or 0.05% to 5%, or 0.1% to 5%, or 0.5% to 3%, or 0.5% to 2.5%, or 0.5% to 2%, or 0.5% to 1.5%, or 0.75% to 1.25%, or 1% to 5%, or 1% to 4%, or 1% to 3% or 1% to 2%, or 1.5% to 3%, or 2% to 3%, or 1% to 2%, or 1% to 1.5%, or 1% to 1.25%, or 1% to 1.1%, by weight of the composition, optionally wherein said amount is calculated by combining the individual amounts of the cationic polymer and the anionic polymer or anionic carboxylate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method of treatment or prevention of dental caries, enamel erosion, early erosive damage, and/or enamel demineralization (including preventing pre-carious lesions from forming or progressing to caries), the method comprising the application to the oral cavity of a person in need thereof an oral care composition according to claim 1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method for repairing enamel and/or remineralizing enamel, the method comprising the application to the oral cavity of a person in need thereof an oral care composition according to claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the method provides an increase in enamel hardness, enamel smoothness, and/or enamel glossiness. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A method for cosmetically repairing the enamel surface of the teeth, the method comprising the application to the oral cavity of a person in need thereof an oral care composition according to claim 1.