Compositions and methods useful in selectively modifying the internal and external surfaces of porous polymer beads

Inventors

Chan, Phillip P. • Capponi, Vincent J. • Golobish, Thomas D. • Ali, Humayra Begum

Assignees

Cytosorbents Corp

Abstract

The invention concerns polymer systems comprising at least one polymer with a plurality of pores where the polymer is initially functionalized on substantially all surfaces followed by a stepwise surface specific functionalization such that a different functional group resides on the external or internal pore surface of the bead. The invention also concerns use of such polymer systems in blood, blood product, or physiologic fluid purification.

Core Innovation

A porous polymer bead system functionalizes the porous polymer on substantially all surfaces and then functionalizes the polymer so that different functional groups reside on the external surface and the internal pore surface of the polymer. At least one functional group is selected from aldehyde, carboxylic acid, ether, ester, aromatic, alkyl aromatics, and alkyl, with optional substitutions for the alkyl aromatic group and the alkyl group.

The selective functionalization is achieved by treating the polymer with non-reactive media that is not reactive with the polymer and allowing the non-reactive media to be sorbed into the pores of the polymer, then removing interstitial non-reactive media while leaving the non-reactive media in the pores. The polymer is then suspended in a solvent comprising Lewis acid, Lewis base, free radical, or oxidation/reduction reactants, followed by modifying only the external surfaces via Lewis acid, Lewis base, free radical, or oxidation/reduction reactions.

The method purifies blood, blood product, or physiologic fluid by contacting the fluid with the functionalized porous polymer. The polymer is characterized as sorbing one or more of toxins and pathogens from the blood, blood product, or physiologic fluid.

Claims Coverage

Two independent claims are identified. Across both independent claims, the inventive coverage includes functionalizing substantially all surfaces, then using non-reactive media sorbed into pores to permit selective external-surface modification, with toxins and pathogens sorption as the purification outcome.

Overall, the independent claims require purification by contacting blood or physiologic fluids with a porous polymer whose surfaces are chemically differentiated between internal pore surfaces and external pore surfaces (or external pore surfaces), using sorption of non-reactive protective media into pores and Lewis acid, Lewis base, free-radical, or oxidation-reduction chemistry to modify the external surfaces, with the porous polymer sorbing toxins and pathogens.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications