Method for the preparation of degradable microgel particles, and microgel compositions thereof
AssigneeMcMaster University
InventorsTodd Hoare, Daryl Sivakumaran, Madeline Simpson, Eva Mueller
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Abstract
The present application relates to an aqueous method for the preparation of microgel particles using a stimuli-responsive prepolymer
Claims18
1) A method for the preparation of microgel particles, the method comprising:
- (a) dissolving a stimuli-responsive pre-polymer in an aqueous solvent to form an aqueous solution,
- (b) applying a stimulus to the aqueous solution to form nanoaggregate pre-polymer;
- and
- (c) adding a cross-linking agent to the aqueous solution to crosslink the nanoaggregate pre-polymer to form the microgel particles,
- wherein the stimuli-responsive pre-polymer is functionalized with cross-linkable moieties.
4) The method of claim 4, wherein the stimuli-responsive pre-polymer is functionalized with a hydrazide moiety or an aldehyde moiety.
5) The method of claim 5, wherein the stimuli-responsive pre-polymer is a copolymer of
- a. N-isopropylacrylamide, poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate) or polyvinylcaprolactam;
- and
- b. a second monomer which can be functionalized with a hydrazide moiety or an aldehyde moiety.
16) A composition comprising microgel particles, wherein the microgel particles comprise:
- a. discrete nanoaggregate particles comprised of stimuli-responsive pre-polymers, wherein the nanoaggregate particles are cross-linked with a cross-linking polymer;
- wherein the microgel particles are biodegradable in vivo to reform the stimuli-responsive pre-polymers;
- wherein the stimuli-responsive pre-polymers have a molecular weight lower than the renal clearance cut-off, and
- wherein the composition is substantially free of organic solvents.
18) The composition according to claim 16, wherein the stimuli-responsive pre-polymer is a copolymer of
- a. N-isopropylacrylamide, poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate) or polyvinylcaprolactam;
- and
- b. a second monomer which can be functionalized with a hydrazide moiety or an aldehyde moiety.
- The composition of claim 18, wherein the second monomer is acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, vinylacetic acid, or a derivative thereof or N-(2,2-dimethoxyethyl)methacrylamide (DMEMAm) or a derivative thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.