Hydrolytically degradable alkylene oxide based polymers

An in-vivo gel-forming composition comprising a polymer having the formula:

• X—O—[(—CH2CH2—O—)n—(CHR1CHR2—O—)q—(CH2CH2—O)r—CO2—]m—(CH2CH2O)n—(CHR3CHR4—O—)q—(CH2CH2—O)r—Y,
• wherein:
• n is an integer of from about 5 to about 500,
• q and r are integers each independently ranging from about 2 to about 2,000,
• m is an integer ranging from 1 to about 20,
• R1, R2, R3, and R4 are independently selected from alkyl or H, where
• R1 is H when R2 is alkyl or R1 is alkyl when R2 is H,
• R3 is H when R4 is alkyl or R3 is alkyl when R4 is H, and
• X and Y are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkenyl and aryl,
• in aqueous solution, wherein the polymer is not covalently crosslinked, and the composition (i) is a liquid at ambient temperatures and (ii) forms a hydrolytically degradable gel at temperatures ranging from about 25° C. to about 70° C.