Triblock copolymer, method for producing the same, and biocompatible material

• US 7,714,077 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2004
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NOF Corporation
• Original Assignee: NOF Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Shinji, Kato, Kenji, Ohya, Yuichi, Ouchi, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Duc
• Application Number:
  US10/563,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20060223975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: 525/415, 525/88, 525/419, 525/420, 525/450, 528/354, 528/328, 424/425, 424/426, 424/486, 424/507
• US Class Current: 525/419
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2261/126 block
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 63/664 derived from hydroxy carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 63/6852 derived from hydroxy carboxylic acids

Abstract

The present invention relates to a triblock copolymer, that is multipurpose yet has sufficient properties particularly for medical applications, and is useful as a material having excellent flexibility and water absorbability, as well as to a method for producing the same, and a biocompatible material. The copolymer of the present invention is composed of segments A¹ and A² each composed of a polymer having a depsipeptide unit, such as a segment selected from a homopolymer of depsipeptide or a copolymer of lactide and depsipeptide, and segment B composed of polyalkylene glycol, such as PEG, and is a A¹-B-A² triblock copolymer having a number average molecular weight of 8000 to 500000. The biocompatible material of the present invention contains the triblock copolymer as a main component, and may be used as a tissue anti-adhesion barrier.

Claims

1. An A¹-B-A² triblock copolymer consisting of segments A¹ and A² each composed of a polymer having a depsipeptide unit, and segment B composed of polyalkylene glycol, said copolymer having a number average molecular weight of 8000 to 500000.

2. The triblock copolymer of claim 1, wherein said polymer having a depsipeptide unit is selected from the group consisting of a homopolymer of depsipeptide, and a copolymer of lactide and depsipeptide.

3. The triblock copolymer of claim 1, wherein said polyalkylene glycol is polyethylene glycol.

4. The triblock copolymer of claim 2, wherein said triblock copolymer is represented by the formula (1):

5. A method for producing a triblock copolymer of claim 4, comprising ring-opening polymerizing depsipeptide and lactide with a hydroxyl group at each end of polyethylene glycol having a polymerization degree of 100 to 1200, in the presence of a metal catalyst for ring-opening polymerization without a solvent.

6. A biocompatible material comprising an A¹-B-A² triblock copolymer of claim 1 as a main component.

7. The biocompatible material of claim 6, wherein said triblock copolymer is a triblock copolymer of claim 4.

8. The biocompatible material of claim 7, wherein in the formula (1) representing said copolymer, x and y satisfy the formula 0.04≦

(y/(x+y))≦

0.2, and n is an integer of 250 to 455.

9. The biocompatible material of claim 6, wherein said polyalkylene glycol in segment B is polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, or polybutylene glycol.

10. The biocompatible material of claim 7, wherein said biocompatible material is a tissue anti-adhesion barrier.