ABSTRACT
I. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 91
II. Synthesis ........................................................................................................................... 91
III. Hydrolysis ........................................................................................................................ 93
IV. Control of Mechanical and Thermal Properties .............................................................. 95
A. Solid Devices ........................................................................................................... 95
1. Polymer Storage Stability ................................................................................. 97
2. Polymer Fabrication .......................................................................................... 97
3. Drug Release ..................................................................................................... 98
a. Release of Bovine Serum Albumin from Extruded Strands ...................... 98
b. Delivery of DNA ....................................................................................... 100
c. Delivery of 5-Fluorouracil ........................................................................ 100
B. Semisolid Devices .................................................................................................. 102
1. Polymer Molecular Weight Control ............................................................... 102
2. Polymer Stability ............................................................................................. 103
3. Polymer Erosion and Drug Release ................................................................ 103
V. Block Copolymers .......................................................................................................... 105
A. Matrices for Protein Delivery ................................................................................ 105
B. Micelles .................................................................................................................. 105
References ................................................................................................................................... 108
Poly(ortho esters) have been under development since 1970, and during that time four polymer
families have been developed. These have recently been comprehensively reviewed
, therefore,
no attempt to comprehensively review poly(ortho esters) again will be made here. We will present
the most important features of the latest family, poly(ortho ester) IV, with particular emphasis and
details of polymer fabrication by extrusion.
