Starburst conjugates

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In its broadest aspect, the present invention is directed to polymer conjugate materials comprising dense star polymers or starburst polymers associated with desired materials (hereinafter these polymer conjugates will frequently be referred to as "starburst conjugates" or "conjugates"), process for preparing these conjugates, compositions containing the conjugates, and methods of using the conjugates and compositions.
The conjugates of the present invention are suitable for use in a variety of applications where specific delivery is desired, and are particularly suited for the delivery of biologically active agents.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the starburst conjugates are comprised of one or more starburst polymers associated with one or more bioactive agents.
The starburst conjugates offer significant benefits over other carriers known in the art due to the advantageous properties of the starburst polymers.
Starburst polymers exhibit molecular architecture characterized by regular dendritic branching with radial symmetry.
These radially symmetrical molecules are referred to as possessing "starburst topology".
These polymers are made in a manner which can provide concentric dendritic tiers around an initiator core.
The starburst topology is achieved by the ordered assembly of organic repeating units in concentric, dendritic tiers around an initiator core; this is accomplished by introducing multiplicity and self-replication (within each tier) in a geometrically progressive fashion through a number of molecular generations.
The resulting highly functionalized molecules have been termed "dendrimers" in deference to their branched (tree-like) structure as well as their oligomeric nature.
Thus, the terms starburst oligomer and starburst dendrimer are encompassed within the term starburst polymer.
Topological polymers, with size and shape controlled domains, are dendrimers that are covalently bridged through their reactive terminal groups, which are referred to as starburst "bridged dendrimers