A hydrophilic polymer comprising pendent groups of the formula I: Wherein: W is independently selected from —OH, —COOH, —SO.sub.3H, —OPO.sub.3H, —O—(C.sub.1-4alkyl), —O—(C.sub.1-4alkyl)OH, —O—(C.sub.1-4alkyl)R.sup.2, —O—(C.sub.2H.sub.5O).sub.qR.sup.1—(C═O)—O—C.sub.1-4alkyl and —O—(C═O)C.sub.1-4alkyl; or a group —BZ; wherein —OH, COOH, O—PO.sub.3H and SO.sub.3H maybe in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt; wherein: B is a bond, or a straight branched alkanediyl, oxyalkylene, alkylene oxaalkylene, or alkylene (oligooxalkylene) group, optionally containing one or more fluorine substituents; and Z is an ammonium, phosphonium, or sulphonium phosphate or phosphonate ester zwitterionic group; X is either a bond or a linking group having 1 to 8 carbons and optionally 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S; G is a coupling group through which the group of the formula I is coupled to the polymer and is selected from ether, ester, amide, carbonate, carbamate, 1,3 dioxolone, and 1,3 dioxane; R.sup.1 is H or C.sub.1-4 alkyl; R.sup.2 is —COOH, —SO.sub.3H, or —OPO.sub.3H.sub.2 q is an integer from 1 to 4; n is an integer from 1 to 4; p is an integer from 1 to 3; and n+p is from 2 to 5; and wherein —COOH, —OPO.sub.3H.sub.2 and —SO.sub.3H as well as phenolic —OH maybe in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt.

The present invention relates to a contrast agent suitable for ex vivo imaging, particularly of vascular structures and renal tubular structures, and a method for ex vivo imaging. The contrast agent is a polymer comprising monomers M. The monomer comprises a backbone having 2 to 6 elements, wherein at least one element is —CH(R)— or —N(R)—. R is a moiety -E-H, -L-(NH2)m or a moiety of formula 1, with E, L, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 being defined as described in the present specification. The monomer comprises at least one —I to allow detection via X-ray and at least one —NH.sub.2 to allow crosslinking. Furthermore, the monomer comprises polar functional groups that contribute to water solubility. To avoid extravasation and glomerular filtration, the polymers are pre-crosslinked before the vasculature of a tissue, an organ or whole animal is perfused. After perfusion, the pre-crosslinked contrast agent is further crosslinked to be retained within the tissue, organ or animal permanently.

The presently-disclosed subject matter relates to adsorptive radiocontrast constructs in multiple advantageous structural embodiments, which are designed to possess dual therapeutic and diagnostic actions. A concomitant therapeutic antiplatelet, as well as vasodilatation, effects, and a diagnostic real-time continuous visualization of an artery, can be obtained via direct injection of the constructs into said artery using a suitable catheter during procedural angiography with or without percutaneous intervention.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to systems for forming a hydrogel that comprise (a) a first composition that comprises a polyiodinated polyamino compound and (b) a second composition that comprises a reactive multi-arm polymer that comprises a plurality of hydrophilic polymer arms having reactive end groups that are reactive with the amino groups of the polyiodinated polyamino compound. In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to medical hydrogels that are formed by reacting a polyiodinated polyamino compound and a reactive multi-arm polymer that comprises a plurality of hydrophilic polymer arms having reactive end groups that are reactive with the amino groups of the polyiodinated polyamino compound. In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to methods of making polyiodinated polyamino compounds.

The present invention provides compositions, and related kits and methods, for formation of hydrogels. The compositions comprise one or more chemically crosslinkable agents dissolved in an aqueous solution to form a precursor solution. The chemically crosslinkable agents useful in the present invention are selected from polymers modified with a molecule selected from acrylate, maleimide, vinylsulfone, N-hydroxysuccinimide, aldehyde, ketone, carbodiimide, carbonate, iodoacetyl, mercaptonicotinamide, quinone, thiol, amine, and combinations thereof. The precursor solution is characterized as being in an aqueous form at a non-physiologic physical-chemical condition and undergoing gelation when in contact with another fluid or body at a physiologic physical-chemical condition.

This invention concerns imageable, radiopaque embolic beads, which are particularly useful for monitoring embolization procedures. The beads comprise iodine containing compounds which are covalently incorporated into the polymer network of a preformed hydrogel bead. The beads are prepared by activating pre-formed hydrogel beads towards nucleophilic attack and then covalently attaching iodinated compounds into the polymer network. The radiopaque beads may be loaded with chemotherapeutic agents and used in methods of embolizing hyperplastic tissue or solid tumors.

Simple mixing/blending of a special class of drug-depot forming tri-block copolymers polymers, with the opportunity to cost-effectively tailor drug delivery performances of such biodegradable, injectable depots in a clinical and an industrial setting. How to visualize these depots for various imaging related purposes is described. A composition comprising (a) an active ingredient, preferably a pharmaceutically active ingredient (b) a solvent and (c) a mixture of at least two types of tri-block copolymers of formula (1)
B-A-B  (1)
wherein B stands for a hydrophobic block and wherein A stands for a hydrophilic block, wherein the mixture is prepared by mixing at least two types of tri-block copolymers having a degree of modification of 100% and wherein the at least two types of B-A-B types of tri-block copolymers differ only on the type of end-group or wherein the mixture is prepared by mixing at least two types of tri-block copolymers, wherein one of the at least two tri-block copolymers has a degree of modification of 100% and one of the at least two tri-block copolymers has a degree of modification of 0% and wherein the at least two types of B-A-B types of tri-block copolymers differ only on the degree of modification of the end-groups.

An embolic material contains at least one type of polymer and a liposoluble contrast medium. A method for producing an embolic material includes extruding a raw material that is in a molten state into a solvent, and cooling the raw material so as to solidify the raw material. The raw material contains a polymer and a liposoluble contrast medium.

Radiopaque polymer compositions and methods for making the compositions are provided. These radiopaque polymer compositions include polymer compositions comprising a crosslinked polymer network, the network comprising a first repeating unit derived from a monofunctional monomer and a second repeating unit derived from a multifunctional non-iodinated monomer wherein neither of the two monomers is fluorinated. Devices formed from radiopaque polymer compositions are also provided.

There is provided a lysine oligomer derivative, wherein an ε-amino group and a carboxyl group of lysines are linked via a peptide bond, and a group capable of generating or absorbing electromagnetic wave is bonded to a C-terminal carboxyl group, an N-terminal amino group and/or an α-amino group. This lysine oligomer derivative has the characteristic of specifically accumulating in the cartilage matrix and can generate or absorb an electromagnetic wave, and is, therefore, useful as a cartilage tissue marker.