Bioresorbable Polyester Purification for Controlled Release

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing controlled release pharmaceutical compositions using bioresorbable polyesters suffer from high initial burst effects, long lag times, and rapid drops in drug release rates, leading to undesirable side effects and inconsistent therapeutic delivery.

Innovation Solution

A purification method for bioresorbable polyesters is developed, involving dissolution in organic solvents with heteroatoms and precipitation with alcohols to reduce metal content to <40 ppm, resulting in improved controlled release profiles by minimizing residual metal catalysts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If bioresorbable polyesters are produced using metal catalysts, then polymerisation efficiency is improved, but residual metal content increases causing burst effects and long lag times

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepolymerisation efficiencyVSAvoiddrug release consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the harmful metal catalysts from the polyester structure through a purification process involving dissolution in dichloromethane and precipitation in methanol. This extraction eliminates residual metals that cause burst effects and lag times, while maintaining the polymerisation efficiency benefits of using metal catalysts during production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the metal content parameter from typical levels (>10 ppm) to extremely low levels (<1 ppm) through purification. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by eliminating the harmful effects of residual metals while preserving the production efficiency advantages of metal-catalysed polymerisation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If existing purification methods are used, then metal content is reduced to <10 ppm, but burst effects and lag times persist

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemetal content controlVSAvoiddrug release profile
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent achieves a more stringent metal content parameter (<1 ppm) compared to conventional purification (<10 ppm). This enhanced parameter control eliminates the residual metal effects that cause burst release and lag time, thereby improving drug release profile reliability while maintaining manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a proven purification methodology (dissolution-precipitation) but applies it with optimized parameters and conditions to achieve superior metal removal. This approach copies the effective mechanism while improving the outcome to eliminate burst effects and lag times.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If polymeric microparticles are used for controlled release, then drug delivery is targeted, but high initial burst effect occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetargeted drug deliveryVSAvoidinitial burst effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the source of burst effects (residual metal catalysts) from the polyester matrix used in polymeric microparticles. This extraction allows the microparticles to maintain their targeted drug delivery capability while eliminating the harmful initial burst effect caused by metal-catalysed polymer degradation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful effect of residual metals into a benefit by using extreme purification to remove them. The very property that caused burst effects (metal-catalysed polymer structure) is addressed through purification, allowing the microparticles to achieve both targeted delivery and controlled release without burst effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentEP3713986B1composition
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 REBIO TECH OY
  • EP3713986B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3713986B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3713986B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided herein is a bioresorbable polyester wherein the metal content of the polyester is &gt; 0 ppm and &lt; 40ppm, a controlled release pharmaceutical composition containing such polyesters, and a kit for injecting a controlled release pharmaceutical composition. Also provided herein is a method of purifying a bioresorbable polyester with a metal content &gt; 0 ppm comprising the steps of: i) dissolving the polyester in an organic solvent to form a polyester-solvent solution, wherein the organic solvent comprises at least one heteroatom selected from oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur and phosphorus; ii) precipitating the polyester from the polyester-solvent solution by combining the polyester-solvent solution with an organic non-solvent, said non-solvent being an alcohol; and (iii) separating the precipitated polyester from the solvent and non-solvent to obtain a purified polyester.