Multiblock biodegradable hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue treatment
AssigneeFocal, Inc.
InventorsChandrashekhar P. Pathak, Shikha P. Barman, C. Michael Philbrook, Amarpreet S. Sawhney, Arthur J. Coury, Luis Z. Avila, Mark T. Kieras
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Abstract
Gel-forming macromers including at least four polymeric blocks, at least two of which are hydrophobic and at least one of which is hydrophilic, and including a crosslinkable group are provided. The macromers can be covalently crosslinked to form a gel on a tissue surface in vivo. The gels formed from the macromers have a combination of properties including thermosensitivity and lipophilicity, and are useful in a variety of medical applications including drug delivery and tissue coating.
Claims15
A composition formed from an aqueous solution of a macromer or mixtures thereof, wherein the macromer comprises a total of five or ten covalently linked polymeric blocks, wherein:
- a) at least one block is hydrophilic and each hydrophilic block individually has a water solubility of at least 1 gram/liter;
- b) at least two blocks are sufficiently hydrophobic to cause the macromer to aggregate to form micelles in art aqueous continuous phase;
- c) the macromer comprises at least one crosslinkable group;
- and
- d) the macromer comprises at least one thermally sensitive region,
- wherein the crosslinkable groups are covalently crosslinked.
A method for forming a composition on a surface, comprising applying to the surface an aqueous solution of a macromer or mixtures thereof, wherein the macromer comprises a total of five or ten covalently linked polymeric blocks, wherein:
- a) at least one block is hydrophilic and each hydrophilic block individually has a water solubility of at least 1 gram/liter;
- b) at least two blocks are sufficiently hydrophobic to cause the macromer to aggregate to form micelles in an aqueous continuous phase;
- c) the macromer comprises at least one crosslinkable group;
- and
- d) the macromer comprises at least one thermally sensitive region, and covalently crosslinking the crosslinkable groups.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.