Carbodiimide crosslinking of functionalized polyethylene glycols

1. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition comprising:

an acid-functional polymer of formula (I):

where R 1 can be the same or different at each location and is selected from the group consisting of polyalkylene oxides, polyethylene glycols having degradable linkages, and polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide copolymers;

an amine-functional polymer comprising a polyalkylene oxide having at least one pendant amine group and a non-pendant, non-terminal, intra-backbone stiffening linkage, the stiffening linkage selected from the group consisting of phthalic groups, bisphenol A, biphenyl groups, diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol A, ethoxylated bisphenol A, terephthalic acid, phenylene diamine, and imides; and

a coupling agent comprising a carbodiimide.

2. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 1 , wherein R 1 comprises a polyethylene glycol.

3. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 2 , wherein the polyethylene glycol is selected from the group consisting of di-functional materials, tri-functional materials, tetra-functional materials and combinations thereof.

4. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 1 , wherein the acid-functional polymer further comprises at least one hydrolytically degradable component.

5. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 1 , wherein the acid-functional polymer further comprises at least one enzymatically degradable linkage.

6. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 1 , wherein the acid-functional polymer further comprises a non-functionalized amino acid selected from the group consisting of asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine, tryptophan, cysteine, and combinations thereof.

7. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 1 , wherein the acid-functional polymer is present in a range from about 20% to about 80% by weight of the synthetic absorbable macromer composition.

8. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 1 , wherein the amine-functional polymer is a polyamino acid selected from the group consisting of polylysine, polyornithine, polycysteine, polyarginine, polyhistidine, and combinations thereof.

9. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 1 , wherein the amine-functional polymer comprises a compound of formula (II):

where R 2 can be the same or different at each location and is selected from the group consisting of polyalkylene oxides, polyethylene glycols having degradable linkages, and polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide copolymers, wherein at least one R 2 possesses a stiffening linkage selected from the group consisting of phthalic groups, bisphenol A, biphenyl groups, diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol A, ethoxylated bisphenol A, terephthalic acid, phenylene diamine, and imides.

10. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition of claim 9 wherein R 2 is a polyethylene glycol.

11. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 10 , wherein the polyethylene glycol is selected from the group consisting of di-functional materials, tri-functional materials, tetra-functional materials and combinations thereof.

12. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 10 , wherein the polyethylene glycol is terminated with amine end groups selected from a group consisting of primary amines, secondary amines, and combinations thereof.

13. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 9 , wherein the amine-functional polymer further comprises a non-functionalized amino acid selected from the group consisting of asparagine, glutamine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, phenylalanine, methionine, tryptophan, cysteine, and combinations thereof.

14. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 9 , wherein the amine-functional polymer further comprises at least one hydrolytically degradable component.

15. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 9 , wherein the amine-functional polymer further comprises at least one enzymatically degradable linkage.

16. An synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 1 , wherein the amine-functional polymer is present in a range from about 80% to about 20% by weight of the total synthetic absorbable macromer composition.

17. A synthetic absorbable macromer composition as in claim 1 , wherein the carbodiimide is 1-ethyl -3(3-dimethyl-amino propyl)-carbodiimide hydrochloride.

18. An adhesive for wound closure comprising the synthetic absorbable macromer composition of claim 1 .

19. A sealant for use in a medical application comprising the synthetic absorbable macromer composition of claim 1 .

20. A method for closing a wound comprising:

applying the synthetic absorbable macromer composition of claim 1 to said wound; and

allowing the synthetic absorbable macromer composition to set thereby closing said wound.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the wound is a surgical incision.

22. A method for filling a void in animal tissue comprising:

applying the synthetic absorbable macromer composition of claim 1 to said void; and

allowing the synthetic absorbable macromer composition to set thereby filling said void.

23. A method for adhering a medical device to a surface of animal tissue comprising the steps of:

applying the synthetic absorbable macromer composition of claim 1 to said device, said surface or both;

bringing the device, synthetic absorbable macromer composition and surface into contact with each other; and

allowing the synthetic absorbable macromer composition to set thereby adhering the device and surface to each other.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said medical device is an implant.