Biodegradable polymers/systems

Several other novel biodegradable polymer systems were also developed. One of these stems from the observation that many polymers used in medicine today were not initially designed for that purpose. It may be particularly useful to have available biodegradable polymers that are composed of, and will break down into, naturally occurring substances. One example is the synthesis of structurally new polyfamino acids) in which L-amino acids or dipeptides are polymerized by nonamide bonds (e.g., ester, iminocarbonate) involving the functional groups located on the amino acid side chains, rather than the extensively used approach involving the amino acid termini. 

J. Rose and S. Hardwick, Biodegradable polymer systems, US Patent 7 524 891, assigned to Smith Nephew PLC (GB), April 28, 2009. 

Hutchinson, F. G., and Burr, B. J. A., 1990, Biodegradable polymer systems for the sustained release of polypeptides, J. Controlled Release 13 279-294. 

Yasin, M. and B.J. Tighe, Strategies for the design of biodegradable polymer systems Manipulation of polyhydroxybutyrate-based materials, Plastics, Rubber and Composites Processing and Applications, 19 (199,3) 15-27. 

J. Heller, and K.J. Himmelstein, Poly(ortho ester) biodegradable polymer systems. Methods Enzymol, 112,422-436,1985. 

Development of Various Biodegradable Polymer Systems for Drug Delivery... 

In the next decade, one of the main areas of greatest important consequence in medical therapeutics of controlled release technology will be the design and development of novel biodegradable polymer systems. The properties of these polymers offer different advantages, and that of enabling either site-specific or systemic administration of pharmaceutical agents without the need for subsequent retrieval of the delivery systems [6]. 

J. B. Saliba, A.A.G. Faraco, M.l. Yoshida, WL. de Vasconcelos, A. da Silva-Cunha, and H.S. Mansur, Development and characterization of an intraociflar biodegradable polymer system containing cyclosporine-A for the treatment of posterior uveitis. Mat. Res., 11 (2), 207-211,2008. 

Fritz HG, Aichholzer W, Seidenstucker T, Widmann B, Biodegradable polymer systems based on renewable raw materials - Chances and limitations , Starch-Starke, 47 (12) 475-491 (1995). (Excellent review of potential of renewable biodegradable polymers.)... 

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