US 7,589,157 B2
	Multi-arm block copolymers as drug delivery vehicles
Xuan Zhao, Xiao Huang Zhuang Er Qu (China)
Assigned to Nektar Therapeutics AL, Corporation, Huntsville, Ala. (US)
Filed on Aug. 21, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/894,445.
Application 10/795913 is a division of application No. 10/054662, filed on Jan. 22, 2002, granted, now 6,730,334.
Application 11/894445 is a continuation of application No. 10/984679, filed on Nov. 08, 2004, granted, now 7,265,186.
Application 10/984679 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/795913, filed on Mar. 08, 2004, granted, now 6,838,528.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/262754, filed on Jan. 19, 2001.
Prior Publication US 2008/0234430 A1, Sep. 25, 2008
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C08F 283/00 (2006.01); C08G 63/91 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 525—419  [525/231; 525/326.9; 525/328.8; 525/354; 525/425; 424/78.3; 424/422; 424/78.08]

11 Claims

1. A multi-arm block copolymer comprising a central core molecule comprising a residue of a polyol, and at least five copolymer arms covalently attached to the central core molecule, each copolymer arm comprising an inner hydrophobic polymer segment selected from group consisting of poly(lactide), poly(glycolide), poly(lactide/glycolide) copolymer, polu(butyrolactide), poly(propylene glycol), and polycaprolactone that is covalently attached to the central core molecule and an outer poly(ethylene glycol) segment covalently attached to the hydrophobic polymer segment, wherein the central core molecule and the hydrophobic polymer segment define a hydrophobic core region.