Vitamin functionalized gel-forming block copolymers for biomedical applications

An antimicrobial drug composition, comprising:

• about 4 wt.% to about 10 wt.% of a gel-forming block copolymer;
• a solvent;
• and
• about 0.0001 wt.% to about 10 wt.% of an antimicrobial cationic polycarbonate (first drug);
• wherein
• the gel-forming block copolymer has a structure in accordance with formula (1):
• wherein
• d′ is a positive number having a value of about 100 to about 600, each K′ is an independent divalent linking group selected from the group consisting of 0, NH, S, and combinations thereof,
• each Pa is an independent monocarbonate or polycarbonate chain comprising 1 to about 10 vitamin-bearing subunits, wherein each of the vitamin-bearing subunits comprises a carbonate backbone portion and a side chain linked to the carbonate backbone portion, the side chain comprising a covalently bound form of a vitamin,
• Za is a first end group selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and groups comprising 1 to about 15 carbons, and
• Zb is a second end group selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and groups comprising 1 to about 15 carbons;
• and wherein
• weight percent (wt.%) is based on total weight of the antimicrobial drug composition,
• the antimicrobial drug composition is a gel formed by noncovalent interactions of polymer chains of the gel-forming block copolymer in the solvent,
• the antimicrobial cationic polycarbonate is contained in the gel.