POLYMER-DRUG CONJUGATES - MANIPULATION OF DRUG-DELIVERY KINETICS

Three methods of manipulating the kinetics of hydrolysis of polymer co njugates were evaluated. It was demonstrated that either first-order z ero-order or S-shaped kinetic profiles could be achieved by systematic changes in the chemical composition of several series of model side-c hain substituted polyacrylates. The changes in kinetics were shown to arise from an increase in the rate constant during solvolysis, resulti ng from predictable changes in either the water content, secondary str ucture, or LCST of the polymer conjugate.