A new biodegradable copolymer of glycolic acid and lactones with relatively low molecular weight prepared by direct copolycondensation in the absence of catalysts

Relatively low-molecular-weight copolyesters of glycolic acid (GA) with lactones such as γ-butyrolactone (BL), δ-valerolactone (VL), and ϵ-caprolactone (CL) were synthesized by copolycondensation without catalysts. The resulting copolyesters are intended as carriers for drug delivery systems. Copolyesters with approximately 85 mol% GA (number-average molecular weight (Mn): 2900 ± 100) are crystalline and solid and show a parabolic-type in vivo degradation pattern. The in vivo degradation of amorphous-pasty poly (GA/CL) (approximately 50/50 mol%) changed from parabolic-type to lineartype to S-type pattern as their molecular weight increased. A luteinizing hormonereleasing hormone agonist, D-Leu,6 desGly10 -LHRH ethylamide monoacetate (LHRH agonist), was incorporated into small cylinders with these copolyesters. An initial burst of LHRH agonist was observed for cylinders prepared with parabolic-type degrading copolyesters, in contrast to a marked delay in LHRH agonist release for cylinders prepared with S-type degrading copolyesters. The resulting daily dose of drug was maintained an approximately constant, though decreasing stepwise with time. For example, the daily amount of LHRH agonist released in vivo from a cylinder prepared with poly(GA/CL) (50/50 mol%; Mn = 4500) was 61 ± 39 μg/day throughout an experimental period of 10 weeks with a corresponding pharmacological effect on the rat prostate.