HETEROCYCLIC METHACRYLATE-BASED DRUG-RELEASE POLYMER SYSTEM

A heterocyclic methacrylate polymer system, developed originally as a low shrinkage polymer system, has been investigated as a drug release polymer and as a biomaterial for encouraging bone or cartilage regeneration. The system is based on poly(ethyl methacrylate) polymer powder mixed with tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate monomer and polymerized at room temperature (PEM/THFM). Promising results have been obtained with this biomaterial, and hence its water uptake properties were investigated in detail, in order to throw some light on the release processes that are involved in vivo and in vitro. Water soluble large molecule analogues were incorporated into the system; these additives increased the water uptake of the system. Isobornyl methacrylate was used as a diluent for the monomer to further reduce the water uptake of the system. In all cases the uptake kinetics did not obey simple diffusion theory, the process being very prolonged and complex.