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Synthesis and Preliminary Biological Evaluation of Novel Functionalised Poly(ethylene glycol)‐ block ‐poly(ester‐carbonate) Copolymers as Biodegradable Polymeric Carriers
Author(s) -
Vincenzi Veronica,
Ferruti Paolo,
Ford Jayne,
Duncan Ruth
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
macromolecular bioscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.924
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1616-5195
pISSN - 1616-5187
DOI - 10.1002/1616-5195(20010601)1:4<164::aid-mabi164>3.0.co;2-#
Subject(s) - methacrylamide , ethylene glycol , copolymer , chemistry , biocompatibility , polyester , polymer , polymer chemistry , haemolysis , biodegradation , biodegradable polymer , solubility , peg ratio , drug carrier , organic chemistry , drug delivery , acrylamide , finance , economics , immunology , biology
Polymer conjugates of anticancer drugs containing bound active moieties are used to improve pharmacokinetics by prolonging antitumour activity and decreasing protein immunogenicity. The first generation of polymer conjugates, N ‐(2‐hydroxylpropyl)methacrylamide copolymer or poly(ethylene glycol) conjugates, cannot be considered optimised since their polymer chain lacks biodegradability. The polymeric system proposed here is based on high molecular weight water‐soluble functionalised polyesters containing fumarate or maleate units linked by poly(ethylene glycol) segments by means of carbonate bonds. It shows the following features: a) high molecular weight; b) biodegradable backbone (rate of degradation was determined viscometrically in vitro, under conditions mimicking physiological conditions and c) water solubility. Also the biocompatibility of the polymer and its precursors were assessed using a B16F10 murine melanoma cell line and a haemolysis assay.