Enzyme degradable polymers

Biodegradable polymers span materials from natural products to wholly synthetic materials. They can be used in a variety of ways and for many different applications. The controlled release of drugs is one such area, whereby the drug has to be released into the human body at a specific rate and so the choice of the correct material is of the utmost importance. Biodegradable polymers are also used in diagnostics and implants in the human body.

SINTEF, in cooperation with Nycomed (now Amersham), have been active in the synthesis of novel enzyme sensitive polymers for application within the human body. SINTEF scientists have designed, synthesised and tested a range of polymers with a range of physical and chemical properties. Polymers based on double esters and carbonate esters show good hydrolytic stability but are readily degraded in the presence of esterase enzymes.

Patents developed at SINTEF Materials and Chemistry.

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