Reactive Bottlebrush Polymers for Fast CT-Visible Hydrogels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bioresorbable hydrogels lack rapid crosslinking reaction rates and intrinsic radiopacity, limiting their effectiveness in medical applications such as creating space between organs during cancer therapies.

Innovation Solution

Development of reactive bottlebrush polymers with hydrophilic polymer segments and reactive moieties, such as cyclic imide ester groups, linked to a polymer backbone, which can crosslink with polyamines in vivo to form crosslinked hydrogels with enhanced density and radiopacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional bioresorbable hydrogels are used, then the material is biocompatible and degradable, but the crosslinking reaction rate is slow and radiopacity is lacking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrosslinking reaction rateVSAvoidpolymer structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The polymer is divided into distinct functional segments: a backbone structure, side chains with hydrophilic polymer segments, and terminal reactive moieties. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the hydrophilic segments provide biocompatibility and rapid crosslinking, while the reactive moieties enable fast crosslinking reactions, resolving the contradiction between reliability and structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite polymer structure combining hydrophilic polymer segments (for biocompatibility and rapid crosslinking) with reactive moieties (for fast crosslinking reaction rate). This composite approach integrates multiple functional properties into a single material system, achieving both rapid crosslinking and biocompatibility without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Measurement precision

If iodine-containing groups are added to provide radiopacity, then CT-visibility is improved, but the polymer synthesis complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveCT-visibilityVSAvoidpolymer synthesis ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the radiopacity function with the existing side chain structure by incorporating iodine-containing groups into the hydrophilic polymer segments. This integration achieves CT-visibility without requiring separate radiopaque components, thereby improving measurement precision while minimizing increases in synthesis complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Duration of action of stationary object

If rapid crosslinking is achieved through reactive moieties, then in vivo persistence is improved, but the hydrogel density increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvein vivo persistenceVSAvoidhydrogel density

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The reactive moieties are localized specifically at the terminal positions of the side chains, while the bulk of the polymer structure maintains its hydrophilic character. This local concentration of reactive groups enables rapid crosslinking and improved in vivo persistence without significantly increasing the overall hydrogel density, as the reactive portions are confined to specific locations rather than distributed throughout the entire structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The reactive bottlebrush polymers enable rapid crosslinking and maintain radiocontrast, enhancing in vivo persistence and improving safety during cancer therapies by providing clear visualization under CT imaging.

Implementation Method 1

reactive bottlebrush polymers with hydrophilic polymer segments and reactive moieties, such as cyclic imide ester groups, linked to a polymer backbone, which can crosslink with polyamines in vivo to form crosslinked hydrogels

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical Bonding: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

the hydrophilic polymer segment is an iodine-containing hydrophilic polymer segment... provide clear visualization under CT imaging

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectX-ray attenuation: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS20260041822A1Bottlebrush and Multi-Arm Polymers for Medical Applications

Publication Date: 2026.02.12 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC

AI summary

A reactive bottlebrush polymer for medical applications is described that comprises a polymer backbone and a plurality of polymer side chains linked to the polymer backbone, at least a portion of the side chains each comprising a hydrophilic polymer segment covalently linked to the polymer backbone and a reactive moiety covalently linked to the hydrophilic polymer segment at an end of the side chain opposite the polymer backbone. Also described for medical applications is a reactive multi-arm polymer that comprises three or more polymer arms that each comprise a hydrophilic polymer segment containing one or more types of polar aprotic vinyl monomer residues and a reactive moiety covalently linked to the hydrophilic polymer segment. A reactive polysaccharide for medical applications is further described that comprises a polysaccharide backbone that comprises free carboxyl groups and cyclic imide ester groups covalently attached along a length of the polysaccharide backbone.