Synthesis of polysaccharide covered superparamagnetic oxide colloids
AssigneeAdvanced Magnetics, Inc.
InventorsStephen Palmacci, Lee Josephson
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Abstract
In a method for the synthesis of a colloid including a superparamagnetic metal oxide coated with a polymer, an acidic solution of a metal salt and a polymer may be cooled, and then neutralized by the controlled addition of a cool solution of a base, and may then be converted, by the application of heat, to a homogenous superparamagnetic metal oxide colloid. According to a preferred embodiment, the polymer may be a polysaccharide. In a further embodiment of the invention, the polysaccharide may be dextran and the metal salt may be ferrous and ferric salts, which produces, according to the methods of the invention, a superparamagnetic iron oxide colloid with an extended plasma half-life.
Claims44
An improved method for obtaining an in vivo MR image of an organ or tissue of a human or animal subject, of the type including administering to such subject as a contrast agent to enhance such MR image an effective amount of a colloid including homogeneous superparamagnetic metal oxide particles dispersed in a physiologically acceptable carrier, wherein the colloid is synthesized by associating superparamagnetic metal oxide particles with a polymer in such a way that the polymer covers the superparamagnetic metal oxide particles and the polymer covering blocks opsominzation.
A superparamagnetic metal oxide colloid comprising:
- a superparamagnetic metal oxide associated with a polymer in such a way that the polymer covers the superparamagnetic metal oxide and the polymer covering blocks opsominzation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.