Abstract: A method for preparing a solid composite material comprising a structural polymer matrix and a thermo-responsive hydrogel involves forming a substantially homogeneous blend of a cross-linkable compound and monomer, oligomer or polymer particles in a blended aqueous liquid, inducing the cross-linkable compound to cross-link to form the thermo-responsive hydrogel and forming the structural polymer matrix from the structural polymer by a further induction means, wherein the resulting solid composite material provides a textile or membrane which presents a thermally insulating layer, through which air and/or liquid water cannot easily pass at low temperatures, but which also provides a more open structure at higher temperatures so that air and moisture vapor can pass through the textile or membrane.

Abstract: The present invention provides graft copolymer delivery vehicle which comprises a polyethyleneglycol (PEG)-polyacetal (PA) copolymer or a polyethyleneglycol (PEG)-polyacetal (PA)-polyorthoester (POE) copolymer.

Abstract: This invention relates to block copolymer delivery vehicles comprising a polyethyleneglycol-polyacetal, and to controlled release pharmaceutical compositions comprising the delivery vehicle and an active agent. The block copolymers of the invention may be thermogel block copolymers. The pharmaceutical compositions may be in the form of a topical, syringable, or injectable formulation for local controlled delivery of the active agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising a biopolymer matrix comprising cross-linked vinyl-derivatives of gelatin, or co-polymerized methacrylamide modified gelatin with vinyl-modified polysaccharides, or cross-linked vinyl-substituted polysaccharide and gelatin being physically entrapped in a semi-interpenetrating network. Preferably said polysaccharide comprises dextran or xanthan. The present invention also relates to a wound dressing or a controlled release device comprising said biopolymer matrix. Preferably said matrix is in the form of a hydrated film, a hydrated or dry foam, dry fibers which may be fabricated into a woven or non-woven tissue, hydrated or dry microbeads, dry powder, or covered with a semipermeable film so as to control the humidity of the wound covered with the dressing, with the permeability chosen so as to maintain this humidity within a therapeutically optimal window.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wound dressing comprising a biopolymer matrix comprising gelatin cross-linked with an oxidized polysaccharide. Preferably said oxidized polysaccharide comprises an oxidized dextran or an oxidized xanthan. Preferably said matrix is in the form of a hydrated film, a hydrated or dry foam, dry fibers which may be fabricated into a woven or non-woven tissue, hydrated or dry microbeads, dry powder; or said matrix is covered with a semipermeable film, so as to control the humidity of the wound covered with the dressing, with the permeability chosen so as to maintain this humidity within a therapeutically optimal window. A polysulfated polysaccharide with a M.W. greater than 30,000 kDa is mechanically entrapped during the formation of said matrix.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a polymer not comprising maleic acid derivatives having acid labile groups pendant from the polymer backbone, characterized in that said pendant groups are represented by--L--(C.dbd.O)--O--(C.dbd.O)--O--C--R.sup.1 R.sup.2 R.sup.3,wherein L represents a divalent linking group bonded to the polymer backbone, R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group of which the linking C atom comprises at least one hydrogen and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each independently represent a hydrogen or an alkyl group or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 form together a ring compound still with the proviso that the linking C atom of R.sup.1 comprises at least one hydrogen.According to the present invention there is further provided a novel photosensitive composition comprising a latent Bronsted acid and a polymer having acid labile groups pendant from the polymer backbone as described above.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for obtaining a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of: (a) image-wise or information-wise exposing a photosensitive imaging element comprising on a hydrophilic surface of a support a hydrophobic photosensitive layer contiguous to said hydrophilic surface, comprising (i) a photosensitive acid precursor and (ii) a hydrophobic polymeric binder and (b) developing said exposed imaging element by the steps of: (i) laminating before or after said exposure an uppermost layer of said imaging element to a receptor layer and (ii) peeling away the receptor layer from the hydrophilic surface of the support thus transferring said hydrophobic photosensitive composition patternwise to the receptor layer, characterized in that said hydrophobic photosensitive layer comprises as photosensitive acid precursor a non-ionic photosensitive precursor of a sulphonic acid or a non-ionic photosensitive precursor of an optionally partially esterified phosphonic acid or a non-ionic pho

Abstract: Azo-and/or disulfide-containing polymers for use as drug delivery systems having site-specific release of the drug in the colon are obtained by polycondensation or polyaddition of an azo- and/or polysulfide disulfide containing a, w-dihydroxy or diamino reagent with a suitable a, w-difunctional dicarboxylic acid; disocyanato-, disulfide comonomer. The resulting reduction sensitive polymers are linear macromolecules containing an azo and/or a disulfide bond in their polymer backbone.

Abstract: Described are polyphosphazenes which may be represented by the general formula ##STR1## in which R is a hydroxy-substituted or protected hydroxy-substituted saturated aliphatic group, R' is a hydrocarbyl group, R" is a residue of an alpha amino acid, n is from about 50 to about 25,000, and x is a number averaging from 0.05 to 1.00 per repeating unit and y is a number averaging from 0.95 to 0.00 per repeating unit so that per repeating unit the sum of x and y is 1. Removal of the protecting group in the R moiety renders the polymers water soluble. The polymers have a controllable set of properties including degree of hydrolytic stability, permeability, hydrophilicity, and bioacceptability. They may be used in the production of hydrogels for drug release systems, plasma extenders, and biomedical implants.

Abstract: A device for controlled release of one or more pharmacologically active substances within an animal which comprises (i) a body of a bioerodable solid state poly(amino acid ester) phosphazene polymer, and (ii) at least one pharmacologically active substance physically incorporated within said body. The device may comprise an implantable body in which the poly(amino acid ester)phosphazene polymer is a matrix within which such pharmacologically active substance is dispersed. Alternatively, the polymer may constitute a coating or container within which such pharmacologically active substance is physically encased--i.e., the polymer surrounds the active agent as in a capsule or in a microencapsulated form. Results of in vivo experiments using implants of poly[bis((ethyl glycino)phosphazene] containing 25% ethidium are described.

Abstract: The protecting group, Z, of protected alpha-amino acid esters of the formulaZ--NH--CH(R.sub.2)COOCH(R)COOR.sub.1is removed in the presence of a dibasic acid such as oxalic acid. This results in the formation of a new type of salt of an amino acid ester which may be represented by the formula ##STR1## In the above Q is a divalent hydrocarbyl residue of a dibasic acid, R is a hydrogen atom or hydrocarbyl group, R.sub.1 is a hydrocarbyl group, R.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom or hydrocarbyl group, and p is zero or one, preferably zero. When p is zero, the salts are oxalate salts. When p is one, the salts are salts of other dibasic acids. The salts (II) are useful as reactants in the synthesis of amino-acid substituted phosphazene polymers.