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US5674468A
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Contrast agents comprising gas-containing or gas-generating polymer microparticles or microballoons
Assignee: GE Healthcare AS
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Filing: 1994-09-06
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Granted: 1997-10-07
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Expires: 2014-09-06
Abstract
Abstract Contrast agents comprising gas-containing or gas-generating polymer microparticles and/or microballoons, in which the polymer is a biodegradable polymer containing units of formula-(O)m-CO-O-C(R1R2)-O-CO-(O)n-(wherein R1 and R2 each represent hydrogen or a carbon-attached monovalent organic group or together form a carbon-attached divalent organic group, and m and n are each independently zero or one) may be used in diagnostic applications such as ultrasound and MR imaging.
Inventors
- 👤 Jo Klaveness
- 👤 Pal Rongved
- 👤 Jan Solberg
- 👤 Per Strande
- 👤 Unni Nordby Wiggen
- 👤 Keith Redford
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:07
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61K; A61K49/00; A61K49/22; A61K49/222; A61K49/223; A61K49/06; A61K49/18; A61K49/1818; A61K49/1821; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A contrast agent comprising gas-containing or gas-generating polymer microparticles and/or microballoons, characterised in that the polymer is a biodegradable polymer containing units of formula (II) .brket open-st.(O).sub.m --CO--O--C(R.sup.1 R.sup.2)--O--CO--(O).sub.n .brket open-st. (II) (wherein R 1 and R 2 each represent a hydrogen atom or a carbon-attached monovalent organic group or R 1 and R 2 together form a carbon-attached divalent organic group, and m and n, which may be the same or different, are each zero or 1).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
A contrast agent comprising gas-containing or gas-generating polymer microparticles and/or microballoons, characterised in that the polymer is a biodegradable polymer containing units of formula (II) .brket open-st.(O).sub.m --CO--O--C(R.sup.1 R.sup.2)--O--CO--(O).sub.n .brket open-st. (II) (wherein R 1 and R 2 each represent a hydrogen atom or a carbon-attached monovalent organic group or R 1 and R 2 together form a carbon-attached divalent organic group, and m and n, which may be the same or different, are each zero or 1).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 1 wherein the polymer contains units of formula (III) .brket open-st.(O).sub.m --CO--O--C(R.sup.1 R.sup.2)--O--CO--(O).sub.n --R.sup.3 .brket close-st. (III) (wherein m, n, R 1 and R 2 are as defined in claim 1 and R 3 is a divalent organic group).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
106 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 2 in which R 3 is selected from the group consisting of an alkylene or alkenylene group having up to 20 carbon atoms; a cycloalkylene group having up to 10 carbon atoms; an aralkylene group having up to 20 carbon atoms; an arylene group having up to 20 carbon atoms; a heterocyclic group having up to 20 carbon atoms and one or more heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N and S; and any of the preceding groups carrying one or more functional substituents and/or interrupted in the carbon chain and/or terminated by one or more heteroatoms.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 3 wherein R 3 is a carbon-attached divalent organic group.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 4 wherein m and n are zero and R 3 represents a group of formula --(CH.sub.2).sub.g --O--CO--(CH.sub.2).sup.h --CO--O--(CH.sub.2).sub.g -- where g represents an integer in the range 8-20 and h represents an integer in the range 1-8.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 5 wherein R 3 represents the group --(CH.sub.2).sub.15 --O--CO--(CH.sub.2).sub.4 --CO--O--(CH.sub.2).sub.15 --
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 6 wherein R 1 represents a methyl group and R 2 represents a hydrogen atom.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 7 further comprising human serum albumin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 2 wherein R 3 is a polymer group.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 2 wherein the polymer is a block or graft copolymer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 1 wherein units of formula (II) crosslink polymer chains.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
88 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 1 wherein R 1 and R 2 (when other than hydrogen) are selected from the group consisting of aliphatic groups having up to 18 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups having up to 18 carbon atoms, araliphatic groups having up to 20 carbon atoms, aryl groups having up to 20 carbon atoms, heterocyclic groups having up to 20 carbon atoms and one or more heteroatoms selected from O, N and S, and any of the preceding groups carrying one or more functional substituents.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 1 wherein R 1 represents a methyl group and R 2 represents a hydrogen atom.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 1 further comprising one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of gelatin, polyvinyl alcohol, lipophilised starch, gum arabic, poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxypropylene)poly(oxyethylene) block copolymers and human serum albumin.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a block copolymer surfactant containing biodegradable linkages of formula (II) as defined in claim 1.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 15 wherein the block copolymer surfactant contains biodegradable linkages of formula (II) wherein m and n are zero and R 1 and R 2 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and methyl groups.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
62 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 16 wherein the block copolymer surfactant comprises at least one hydrophilic block comprising polyethylene glycol units and at least one hydrophobic part comprising units of formula --R.sup.a --(CH.sub.2).sub.g --CO--O--CH(CH.sub.3)--O--CO--(CH.sub.2).sub.g --R.sup.b -- where g is an integer in the range 9-19 and R a and R b each represent a valence bond or a linking group.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
76 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 1 wherein the polymer is water-insoluble and contains unit of formula (VI) ##STR9## (wherein m, n, R 1 and R 2 are as defined in claim 1; A represents a repeating unit of a non-polypeptide polymer backbone chain; L represents a linking group; l is zero or 1; and R 3a represents a lipophilic organic group), whereby the said lipophilic group is biodegradatively cleavable to yield a water-soluble polymer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 8 wherein the repeating units A and any comonomer units contain 1-6 carbon atoms optionally interrupted by one or more heteroatoms selected from O, N and S and/or substituted by one or more substituents comprising such heteroatoms.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 19 wherein A represents ethylene or propylene.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 18 wherein L is a C 1-3 alkylene group optionally linked to A by and/or interrupted by one or more oxy, carbonyl, oxycarbonyl, imino or iminocarbonyl groups.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 18 wherein the polymer is a polysaccharide.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
85 words
A contrast agent as claimed in claim 10 wherein R 3a is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic groups having up to 10 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups having up to 10 carbon atoms, araliphatic groups having up to 20 carbon atoms, aryl groups having up to 20 carbon atoms, heterocyclic groups having up to 20 carbon atoms and one or more heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N and S, and any of the preceding groups carrying one or more functional substituents.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
61 words
A biodegradable polymer comprising repeating units of formula --(O).sub.m --CO--O--C(R.sup.1 R.sup.2)--O--CO--(O).sub.n --R.sup.3 -- where m and n are zero, R 1 represents a methyl group, R 2 represents a hydrogen atom and R 3 represents a group of formula --(CH.sub.2).sub.g --O--CO--(CH.sub.2).sub.h --CO--O--(CH.sub.2).sub.g -- where g represents an integer in the range 9-19 and h represents an integer in the range 1-8.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
61 words
A biodegradable polymer comprising repeating units of formula --(O).sub.m --CO--O--C(R.sup.1 R.sup.2)--O--CO--(O).sub.n --R.sup.3 -- where m and n are zero, R 1 represents a methyl group, R 2 represents a hydrogen atom and R 3 represents a group of formula --(CH.sub.2).sub.g --O--CO--(CH.sub.2).sub.h --CO--O--(CH.sub.2).sub.g -- where g represents an integer in the range 9-19 and h represents an integer in the range 1-8.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
A biodegradable polymer as claimed in claim 24 wherein R 3 represents a group of formula --(CH.sub.2).sub.15 --O--CO--(CH.sub.2).sub.4 --CO--O--(CH.sub.2).sub.15 --.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-10-06 | 2001-04-07 | 2001-10-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-10-06 | 2005-04-07 | 2005-10-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-10-06 | 2009-04-07 | 2009-10-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |