IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,447,175
Granted Patent B2
US 12,447,175 · App. 18/054,082 · Granted Oct 21, 2025

Polymer lung surfactants

Inventors: You-Yeon Won (West Lafayette, IN); Hyun Chang Kim (West Lafayette, IN)
Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
A61K31/765A61K9/0019A61K9/0082A61K9/08A61K9/107A61K9/1075A61K47/34A61P11/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,447,175
App. No.
18/054,082
Granted
Oct 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are fully synthetic polymer-based lung surfactant materials, for the first time, as next generation SRT. In vitro studies on these polymer lung surfactants show that the candidate materials effectively mimic the surface tension controlling properties of currently marketed natural lung surfactants. Further, the polymer lung surfactants have strong protein resistance, which makes this class of materials promising also for potential use in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) treatment.

Claims (14)

1. A method for treating a subject who has been exposed to risks of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), the method comprising:

administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a polymer lung surfactant composition to the lungs of the subject in the form of an aqueous solution via instillation or in the form of liquid drop or dried powder aerosols,

wherein:

the polymer lung surfactant composition comprises a synthetic biocompatible amphiphilic block copolymer, wherein the hydrophilic, water soluble, block comprises a monomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol (EG), ethylene oxide (EO), vinyl alcohol (VA), and alkyl oxazoline (OZ), wherein the hydrophobic, water-insoluble, block comprises a monomer selected from the group consisting of lactic acid or lactide (LA), glycolic acid or glycolide (GA), caprolactone (CL), styrene (S), methacrylate (MA), acrylate (Ac), butadiene (BD), and isoprene (IP); and

the polymer lung surfactant composition forms stable micelles in aqueous solution.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the micelles are used in uncomplexed form, not loaded with any other therapeutic agents.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer lung surfactant composition comprises at least one polymerized hydrophobic block comprising styrene and at least one polymerized hydrophilic block comprising ethylene glycol.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer lung surfactant composition comprises at least one polymerized hydrophobic block comprising methacrylate and at least one polymerized hydrophilic block comprising ethylene glycol.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer lung surfactant composition comprises at least one polymerized hydrophobic block comprising lactic acid or lactide and at least one polymerized hydrophilic block comprising ethylene glycol.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid drop or dried powder aerosol is administered through application of positive pressure.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the therapeutically effective amount of the polymer lung surfactant composition is administered to the lung in combination with other therapeutics, wherein said other therapeutics are not loaded within or do not form complexes with micelles formed by said polymer lung surfactant.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a mammal.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a human.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RDS is ARDS or NRDS.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Feb 12, 2025
From: PURDUE UNIVERSITY
To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 070191/0939 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2023
From: WON, YOU-YEON; KIM, HYUN CHANG
To: PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 063329/0281 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17107295 · Nov 30, 2020
Division 16660179 · Oct 22, 2019
Division 15881723 · Jan 26, 2018
Continuation In Part PCTUS2017046426 · Aug 11, 2017
Provisional Application 62374325 · Aug 12, 2016
Related Publication 20230139528A1 · May 4, 2023
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