Methods of forming, dissolving, and functionalizing an extracellular matrix gel on demand based on cross-linking, modification, and dissolution of hydrogels using transpeptidase (e.g. sortase) are disclosed. Also provided are hydrogels comprising one or more macromers crosslinked to a mixture of peptides, wherein all or a portion of the peptides in the mixture comprise a recognition motif cleavable by a transpeptidase (e.g., sortase).

It is provided a method of treatment of a human or animal patient in need thereof to achieve a reduction of the viscosity of mucus of the patient which is carried out by administering a polyglycerol derivative having a linear or dendritic polyglycerol backbone and carrying at least one thiol group covalently bound to the polyglycerol backbone. It is further provided a method of treatment of a human or animal patient suffering from chronic sinusitis, asthma, chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, bronchiectasis, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, constipation, gastrointestinal malabsorption syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, steatorrhea or diarrhea by administering a polyglycerol derivative. Further specific thiol-functionalized polyglycerol derivatives and a corresponding manufacturing method are provided.

The present disclosure relates to degradable polymers which contain a hydrophobic and hydrophilic segment which is sensitive to pH. In some aspects, the polymers form a micelle which is sensitive to pH and have backbones which are capable of undergoing degradation in vivo. In some aspects, the disclosure also provides methods of using these degradable polymers for the delivery of a drug.

A polymer compound modified by an acryloyl derivative and a polythiol compound are used for preparing a thiol-modified polymer compound by a Michael addition reaction of thiol and conjugated double bonds. In addition to achieving the structural goal of the thiol-modified polymer compound, the preparation method further has the following advantages: flexibly and effectively controlling the structure and constitution of a synthetic product, and the types and contents of a large number of compound molecular functional groups; using reagents having high biocompatibility, and effectively controlling the production cost and reducing the toxicity in the synthesis process; and obtaining, under the conditions of using safety reagents and simple reaction steps, thiol-modified biocompatible polymer compounds that can be used as extracellular matrix materials and maintain good raw material structure and biological activity, with the types and contents of functional groups adjusted according to requirements, and meeting multiple clinical application requirements.

The present disclosure relates to enzymatic and redox responsive polymeric micelle, its method of production as well as its uses. Specifically, use of the enzymatic- and redox-responsive polymeric micelle for drug delivery.

Cosmetic compositions, systems and methods for conferring responsive durable shaping of keratinous fibers employ at least one shape memory polymer that includes a three-armed branched polyethylene glycol (PEG) based polymer that is functionalized with one or more metal-coordination active groups. The shape memory polymer forms a crosslinked network coating on a substrate, for example a substrate selected from keratinous substrates, for example, hair. Hair coated with the shape memory polymer and treated with an oxidizing agent can be shaped, locked into shape, and reprogrammed by modulation of pH. The coated hair retains durable shaping properties through at least one shampoo treatment. The cosmetic compositions, systems and methods provide durable and reprogrammable durable shaping of the keratinous substrate, for example for styling hair.

The present invention provides a generic platform for delivering molecules with low blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration into the brain. The nano-delivery system is based on a core nanoparticle which is conjugated through a first polymeric linker to a brain-internalizing transporter moiety, and is further conjugated to a second polymeric linker bound to an active agent selected rom a biologically active molecule or a labeling molecule. Further provided is a process for preparation of the nano-delivery system. The present invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the nano-delivery system and its use in therapeutic and/or diagnostic methods.

A degradable polyethylene glycol derivative represented by formula (1). R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.4 represent each independently a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and at least one of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 is the hydrocarbon group; P.sup.1 is a straight-chain or branched polyethylene glycol chain having a number of ethylene glycol units of 3 or more; P.sup.2 is a straight-chain polyethylene glycol chain having a number of ethylene glycol units of 3 or more; w is an integer of 1 to 8; u is an integer of 1 to 10; X.sup.1 is a chemically reactive functional group; and Z.sup.1, Z.sup.2 and Z.sup.3 are each independently a selected divalent spacer. ##STR00001##

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel use in which a polymer gel material having a .Math.m-scale porous structure can be suitably used.

A gel material for regenerative medicine comprising a polymer gel in which hydrophilic polymer units are crosslinked with each other, wherein the polymer gel contains water as a solvent and has a three-dimensional network structure having two regions: a first region in which the polymer units are densely present and a second region in which the polymer units are sparsely present, and a mesh size composed of the first region is the range of 1 to 500 .Math.m.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide: novel thiol compounds; a method for synthesizing said thiol compounds; curing agents containing said thiol compounds; resin compositions containing said thiol compounds and an epoxy compound; and resin compositions containing said thiol compounds and an ene compound having a carbon-carbon double bond in a molecule. Furthermore, the purpose of the present invention is to provide adhesives and sealants having these resin compositions as ingredients. The thiol compounds of the present invention are represented by chemical formula (I) to chemical formula (VII).