| abstract |
Polymers are provided having a structure selected from:wherein R(-O-)x is a polyol moiety and R(-NH-)x is a polyamine moiety, with the x being between 2 and 10, inclusive, and each R1 independently has the structure:whereina divalent amino acid moiety with R2 being a covalent bond or having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and y and z are between 0 and 10, inclusive, provided that y and z are not both 0;is a divalent dicarboxylic acid moiety in which R3 is an alkylene or cyclolkylene group containing from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms substituted with a total of from 1 to about 10 hydroxyl groups, with at least a portion of the hydroxyl groups being acylated with 3 to 24 carbon atom carboxylic acids; andR4 is a poly(alkylene oxide) having the structure:with R5 selected from 1 to 40 carbon atom alkyl groups, -OH-, -OR7, -NH-, -NHR7, -NR7R8, -C-OH, -C-OR7, -C-O-C-R7, -C-NH2, -C-NHR7 and -C-NHR7R8; R6, R7 and R8 are independently selected from 2 to 40 carbon atom, straight-chain or branched alkylene groups; Q is a divalent linkage moiety; and a is between 2 and 110, inclusive. Polymer encapsulates of hydrophobic molecules are also disclosed, including pharmaceutical dosage forms containing the encapsulates in which the hydrophobic molecule has biological or pharmaceutical activity, as well as transdermal delivery devices. Methods of treating patients with the pharmaceutical dosage forms are also disclosed. |