4 results about "Polymersome" patented technology

Described herein are compositions that are suitable for use in analyte sensing in biological samples and in medical diagnostics. The compositions include an oxidase capable of oxidizing the analyte of interest to produce hydrogen peroxide, a peroxidase, and a chemical compound, such as a near-infrared fluorescent compound, that is a substrate for the peroxidase. The oxidase, the peroxidase, and the chemical compound are encapsulated by vesicle that includes a lipid or polymeric bilayer, such as liposome and polymersome. The peroxidase catalyzes the oxidation of the chemical compound by hydrogen peroxide. Methods of analyte sensing in biological samples using these compositions, and methods of preparing the compositions are also described.

The present invention relates to polymersomes comprising copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) or poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) (POEGMA) and PLA which have both enhanced stability and a narrow polydispersity. Specifically, the present invention is directed to polymersomes comprising PEG-PLA or POEGMA-PLA copolymers in which the PEG block has a weight-average molecular weight of from 1,500 to 2,500 Da or the POEGMA block has a weight-average molecular weight of from 1,500 to 5,000 Da (preferably from 1,500 to 3,000 Da), and the PLA block has a weight-average molecular weight of from 7,500 to 14,000 Da, and the polydispersity index of the polymersome is less than 0.15 as measured by dynamic light scattering. The present invention further relates to a specific solvent injection method for preparing such polymersomes, which imparts low polydispersity on the polymersomes. Specifically, this method comprises dissolving the PEG-PLA or POEGMA-PLA copolymers in an organic solvent having a polarity index of greater than 5.0 and then adding the resulting organic polymer solution to an aqueous solvent. The present invention is further directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such polymersomes, to uses of such polymersomes and pharmaceutical compositions in medicine, and to vaccines comprising such polymersomes.

The present invention relates to polymersomes which have enhanced stability, and copolymer materials that are suitable for making such polymersomes. The polymersomes comprise a particular type of triblock copolymer which, under typical in vivo physiological conditions, is resistant to hydrolysis and which therefore allows the polymersomes to maintain a constant electrostatic potential (zeta potential) for a longer period of time. This allows for improved targeting of polymersomes to their site of action in vivo. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a triblock copolymer comprising a hydrophilic block, a linker moiety and a hydrophobic block, wherein the rate of hydrolysis of the linker moiety is lower under typical in vivo physiological conditions that the rate of hydrolysis of the hydrophobic block. The present invention is further directed to polymersomes comprising such a triblock copolymer, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising a plurality of such polymersomes and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients or diluents. The present invention is further directed to uses of such polymersomes and pharmaceutical compositions in medicine, and to vaccines comprising such polymersomes.

Methotrexate-containing polymersomes and methods for treating ectopic pregnancy or for treating gestational choriocarcinoma using the methotrexate-containing polymersomes.