Conjugates comprising a temperature-responsive polymer and a ligand capable of binding ergosterol
AssigneesHyderabad Eye Institute, University of Bradford, The University of Sheffield
InventorsPrashant Garg, Stephen Rimmer, Charles William Ian Douglas
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Abstract
The present invention relates to polymer conjugates. More specifically, the present invention relates to polymer conjugates capable of binding to fungi, to compositions comprising these conjugates and to the use of these conjugates for detecting the presence of fungi in a sample such as, for example, a biological sample. The present invention also provides for the use of said polymer conjugates in the treatment of a fungal infection.
Claims44
A polymer conjugate, or a salt thereof, having the general formula:
- P-[Q]x
- wherein:
- P is a branched temperature-responsive polymer comprising a plurality of functional groups, wherein one or more of said functional groups are covalently attached to a ligand capable of binding to ergosterol;
- Q is a ligand capable of binding to ergosterol;
- and
- x is the percentage of functional groups on the branched temperature-responsive polymer, P, that are attached to Q, wherein x is greater than or equal to 10%.
A polymer conjugate according to any one of the preceding claims, or a salt thereof, wherein the functional groups are terminal functional groups located at the end of each branch of the branched temperature-responsive polymer, P.
A polymer conjugate according to any one of the preceding claims, or a salt thereof, wherein the branched temperature-responsive polymer, P, is a homopolymer, co-polymer or graft co-polymer.
A polymer conjugate according to any one of the preceding claims, or a salt thereof, wherein the branched temperature-responsive polymer, P, is a temperature-responsive polymer having branches occurring at every 1 to 40 monomer units.
A polymer conjugate according to any one of the preceding claims, or a salt thereof, wherein the branched temperature-responsive polymer, P, is a temperature-responsive polymer having branches occurring at every 15 to 25 monomer units.
A polymer conjugate according to any one of the preceding claims, or a salt thereof, wherein the branched temperature-responsive polymer, P is a temperature-responsive polymer having branches occurring at every 15 to 25 monomer units.
A polymer conjugate according to any one of the preceding claims, or a salt thereof, wherein the branched temperature-responsive polymer, P, is formed from:
- a) temperature-responsive monomers selected from the group consisting of N-substituted alkyl acrylamides and N-substituted alkyl methacrylamides (such as, for example, N-isopropylacrylamide and N-isopropylmethacrylamide), N,N-di-substituted alkyl acrylamide and N,N-di-substituted alkyl methacrylamides (such as, for example, N,N-isopropylacrylamide and N,N-isopropylmethacrylamide), methyl vinyl ethers, vinyl caprolactam, PEG acrylates, and amino acids (that form temperature-responsive peptides) or mixtures thereof;
- and b) optionally, one or more branching agents.
A polymer conjugate according to any one of the preceding claims, or a salt thereof, wherein the branched temperature-responsive polymer, P, is formed from:
- a) temperature-responsive monomers selected from the group consisting of N-alkyl substituted acrylamides and N-alkyl substituted methacrylamides (such as, for example, N-isopropylacrylamide and N-isopropylmethacrylamide), N,N-di-alkyl substituted acrylamides and N,N-di-alkyl substituted methacrylamides (such as, for example, N,N-isopropylacrylamide and N,N-isopropylmethacrylamide), methyl vinyl ether, vinyl caprolactam, PEG acrylates or mixtures thereof;
- and b) optionally, one or more branching agents.
A polymer conjugate according to any one of the preceding claims, or a salt thereof, wherein the branched temperature-responsive polymer, P, is formed from:
- a) temperature-responsive monomers selected from the group consisting of N-isopropylacrylamide and N-isopropylmethacrylamide, methyl vinyl ether, vinyl caprolactam, PEG acrylates or mixtures thereof;
- and b) optionally, one or more branching agents.
A polymer conjugate according to any one of the preceding claims, or a salt thereof, wherein the branched temperature-responsive polymer, P, is formed from:
- a)N-isopropylacrylamide (i.e. the polymer is poly(N-isopropylacrylamide));
- and b) optionally, one or more branching agents.
A polymer conjugate according to any one of the preceding claims, or a salt thereof, wherein the branched temperature-responsive polymer, P, is branched poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and the ligand capable of binding to ergosterol, Q, is amphotericin B.
A polymer conjugate according to any one the preceding claims, or a salt thereof, for use in therapy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.