Biodegradable, implantable drug delivery depots, and method for preparing and using the same
First Claim
1. A depot suitable for implanting within a living host for the controllable release of at least one substance within said host, said depot not in the form of a film or suture, comprising a matrix structure containing said substance in releasable form said matrix being formed of a poly(glutamic acid-co-ethyl glutamate) in which the mole percent of glutamic acid ranges between about 5 and about 50 and having a viscosity average molecular weight of about 80,000 to about 500,000 and which is hydrophilic and of uniform composition throughout.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable drug deliver depot comprising a hydrophilic poly(glutamic acid-co-ethyl glutamate) structure having one or more substances, e.g., drugs and/or diagnostic agents physically contained therein. The drug or diagnostic agent is released by its permeation of and diffusion through the copolymer structure. The depot may be designed to release the substance or substances at predetermined rates and in predetermined sequence. The copolymer structure ultimately biodegrades to glutamic acid. Among the preferred configurations for the depots are rods and closed-end capsules.
508 Citations
28 Claims
- 1. A depot suitable for implanting within a living host for the controllable release of at least one substance within said host, said depot not in the form of a film or suture, comprising a matrix structure containing said substance in releasable form said matrix being formed of a poly(glutamic acid-co-ethyl glutamate) in which the mole percent of glutamic acid ranges between about 5 and about 50 and having a viscosity average molecular weight of about 80,000 to about 500,000 and which is hydrophilic and of uniform composition throughout.
-
21. A depot in accordance with claim 21 wherein said drug is a fertility control agent.
- 22. A depot in accordance with claim 22 wherein said fertility control agent is a steroid.
-
23. A depot in accordance with claim 23 wherein said steroid is progesterone.
Specification