LACTAM POLYMER DERIVATIVES

• Main Authors: ARNOLD STEPHEN C, LAREDO WALTER R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.07.2010
• Subjects: BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; CONTACT LENSES; DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROMTHE BODY; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONSONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METALLURGY; OPTICS; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PHYSICS; PROSTHESES; SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURESAS SPECTACLES; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS

Lactam polymers has been modified with sodium borohydride (NaBH4) to yield lactam polymers bearing hydroxyl functional groups. These functional groups are useful for the covalent attachment of reactive groups, fluorescent probes, antimicrobial agents, bioactive factors, and drugs. The resulting as components for medical devices, specifically ophthalmic devices and more specifically contact lenses. Hydrogels based on these polymers are also useful for biomedical applications in the areas of drug delivery, tissue engineering, and implantable devices.