Preparation of biologically active molecules by molecular imprinting

• US 5,858,296 A
• Filed: 05/16/1997
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd. (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
• Original Assignee: Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd. (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
• Inventors: Domb, Abraham Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): KRASS, FREDERICK F
• Application Number:
  US08/857,437
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 264/330, 264/331.11, 264/331.16, 264/331.19, 264/108, 264/219, 264/220, 264/221, 264/225, 264/226, 264/227, 264/DIG. 44, 424/78.08, 424/78.37, 526/238.1, 526/238.2
• US Class Current: 264/330
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/268 Polymers created by use of a template, e.g. molecularly imprinted polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 207/16 Carbon atoms having three bonds to hetero atoms with at the most one bond to halogen, e.g. ester or nitrile radicals
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/00 Processes of polymerisation
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 220/58 containing oxygen in addition to the carbonamido oxygen , e.g. N-methylolacrylamide, N-(meth)acryloylmorpholine
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2600/00 Assays involving molecular imprinted polymers/polymers created around a molecular template
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 264/44 using destructible molds or cores in molding processes

Abstract

A method for preparing mimics of a wide variety of drugs and other biologlly active molecules using molecular imprinting techniques, and the mimics produced thereby, is disclosed. Specifically, the mimic is designed by: (i) polymerization of functional monomers around a known drug or biologically active molecule (the template) that exhibits a desired activity; (ii) removal of the template molecule; and then (iii) polymerization of a second class of monomers in the void left by the template, to provide a new organic molecule which exhibits one or more desired properties which are similar to that of the template.

Claims

1. A biologically active compound prepared by the method of

(a) polymerization of functional monomers around a template molecule that exhibits a biological activity;

(b) removal of the template molecule; and

(c) polymerization of a second class of monomers in the void left by the template to give a biologically active compound.

2. The compound of claim 1, wherein the template is a macromolecule.

3. The compound of claim 2, wherein the macromolecule has an absolute molecular weight of two thousand to three million.

4. The compound of claim 3, wherein the template molecule is selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, steroids, nucleic acids, nucleotides, nucleosides, oligonucleotides, genes, and vitamins.