Multi-functional polymeric materials and their uses

1. A polymeric material comprising a smart segment and a biodegradable segment, wherein the biodegradable segment includes a hydrophobic segment and a hydrophilic segment, wherein the smart segment comprises poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), the hydrophobic segment comprises poly(L-lactic acid) and the hydrophilic segment comprises dextran, and

wherein the ratio of said smart segment to said hydrophobic segment to said hydrophilic segment is about 80/15/05, about 80/10/10, about 70/20/10, about 70/10/20, about 60/30/10, or about 93/05/03.

2. The polymeric material of claim 1 wherein the ratio of said smart segment to said hydrophobic segment to said hydrophilic segment is about 80/15/05 or about 80/10/10.

3. The polymeric material of claim 1 having a hydrogel structure.

4. The polymeric material of claim 1 having a nanoparticle, nano sphere, nanoshell, micelle, core-shell, multi-core shell, multi-layered, nanogel, microparticle, microsphere, microgel, block, branched, hyperbranched, hybrid, tree-like, comb-like, brush, grafting, vesicle, coil, global, coil-coil, coil-global, rod, membrane, film, coating, self-assembly, cyclic, microconduit, microchannel, nanochannel, porous, nonporous, tube, microtube, nanotube, semi-interpenetrating network, cross-linked, or a highly networked structure.

5. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the polymeric material of claim 1 and a biologically active or inert substance.

6. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 5 , wherein the substance is a biologically active substance.

7. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 6 , wherein the biologically active substance comprises interferon consensus, interleukin, erythropoietin, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GCSF), stem cell factor (SCI:), leptin (OB protein), interferon (alpha, beta, gamma), ciprofloxacin, amoxycillin, lactobacillus, cefotaxime, levofloxacin, cefipime, mebendazole, ampicillin, lactobacillus, cloxacillin, norfloxacin, tinidazole, cefpodoxime, proxctil, azithromycin, gatifloxacin, roxithromycin, cephalosporin, anti-thrombogenics, aspirin, ticlopidine, sulfinpyrazone, heparin, warfarin, growth factors, differentiation factors, hepatocyte stimulating factor, plasmacytoma growth factor, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurotrophic factor 3 (NT3), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), transforming growth factor (TGF), platelet transforming growth factor, milk growth factor, endothelial growth factors (EGF), endothelial cell-derived growth factors (ECDGF), alpha-endothelial growth factors, beta-endothelial growth factor, neurotrophic growth factor, nerve growth factor (NGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), 4-1 BB receptor (4-1BBR), TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand), artemin (GFRalpha3-RET ligand), BCA-1 (B cell-attracting chemokine1), B lymphocyte chemoattractant (BLC), B cell maturation protein (BCMA), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), bone growth factor such as osteoprotegerin (OPG), bone-derived growth factor, megakaryocyte derived growth factor (MGDF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), thrombopoietin, platelet-derived growth factor (PGDF), megakaryocyte derived growth factor (MGDF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PGDF), bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), BRAK, C-10, Cardiotrophin 1 (CT1), CCR8, anti-inflammatory: paracetamol, salsalate, diflunisal, mefenamic acid, diclofenac, piroxicam, ketoprofen, dipyrone, acetylsalicylic acid, antimicrobials amoxicillin, ampicillin, cephalosporins, erythromycin, tetracyclines, penicillins, trimethprim-sulfamethoxazole, quniolones, amoxicillin, clavulanatf,azithromycin, clarithromycin, anti-cancer drugs aliteretinoin, altertamine, anastrozole, azathioprine, bicalutamide, busulfan, capecitabine, carboplatin, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, doxorubicin, epirubicin, etoposide, exemestane, vincristine, vinorelbine, hormones, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), prolactin, luteotropic hormone (LTH), lactogenic hormone, parathyroid hormone (PTH), melanin concentrating hormone (MCH), luteinizing hormone (LHb), growth hormone (HGH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSHb), haloperidol, indomethacin, doxorubicin, epirubicin, amphotericin B, Taxol, cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, methotrexate, pyrene, amphotericin B, anti-dyskinesia agents, Alzheimer vaccine, antiparkinson agents, ions, edetic acid, nutrients, glucocorticoids, heparin, anticoagulation agents, anti-virus agents, anti-HIV agents, polyamine, histamine and derivatives thereof, cystineamine and derivatives thereof, diphenhydramine and derivatives, orphenadrine and derivatives, muscarinic antagonist, phenoxybenzamine and derivatives thereof, protein A, streptavidin, amino acid, beta-galacto sidase, methylene blue, protein kinases, beta-amyloid, lipopolysaccharides, eukaryotic initiation factor-4G, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), tumor necrosis factor-binding protein (TNF-bp), interleukin-1 (to 18) receptor antagonist (IL-Ira), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), novel erythropoiesis stimulating protein (NESP), thrombopoietin, tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), urokinase, streptokinase, kallikrein, insulin, steroid, acetylsalicylic acid, acetaminophen, analgesic, anti-tumor preparation, anti-cancer preparation, anti-proliferative preparation or pro-apoptotic preparation.

8. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 5 , wherein the biologically active substance comprises a protein, peptide, gene, enzyme, antibody, antibiotic, nucleic acid, DNA, RNA, receptor, hormone, vaccine or drug.

9. A method of administering a composition to a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering the pharmaceutical composition of claim 5 to the subject.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the subject is human.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the composition comprises a biologically active substance and the composition is administered wherein the biologically active substance has a concentration of up to approximately 1000 mg ml −1 .

12. A method of aqueously loading a biologically active substance, the method comprising combining the polymeric material of claim 1 with a biologically active substance in an aqueous medium to form a composition comprising the polymeric material and the biologically active substance.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising forming the composition wherein the biologically active substance comprises approximately 40 wt % of the composition.