Heterofunctional copolymers of glycerol and polyethylene glycol, their conjugates and compositions

1. A compound represented by the structure:

wherein

l is an integer having the value of 0 to 10,000;

m is an integer having the value of 0 to 10,000;

n is an integer having the value of 1 to 100;

p is an integer having the value of 1 to 100; and

x is an integer having the value of 1 to 100.

2. A conjugate comprising the compound according to claim 1 with at least one agent selected from an active agent, a protein, a diagnostic agent, an imaging agent, and a polypeptide.

3. A delivery vehicle comprising at least one conjugate according to claim 2 , wherein the vehicle delivers at least one agent selected from the active agent, protein, diagnostic agent, imaging agent, and polypeptide to a human in need thereof.

4. A conjugate comprising the compound according to claim 1 with at least one lipid.

5. A delivery vehicle comprising at least one conjugate according to claim 4 , wherein the vehicle delivers a therapeutic active agent in an animal in need thereof.

6. A conjugate comprising the compound according to claim 1 with at least one hydrophobic polymer which results in an amphiphilic copolymer capable of forming a polymeric micelle.

7. A delivery vehicle comprising at least one conjugate according to claim 6 , wherein the vehicle delivers a therapeutic active agent in an animal in need thereof.

8. A liposome comprising:

a) at least one composition according to claim 1 ;

b) at least one vesicle forming lipid;

c) optionally at least one targeting moiety;

d) and optionally at least one therapeutic active agent chosen from drugs, proteins, peptides, imaging agents, radioactive agents, and nucleic acids.

9. A compound represented by the structure:

wherein

l is an integer having the value of 0 to 10,000;

m is an integer having the value of 0 to 10,000;

n is an integer having the value of 1 to 100;

p is an integer having the value of 1 to 100; and

x is an integer having the value of 1 to 100.

10. A conjugate comprising the compound according to claim 9 with at least one hydrophobic polymer which results in an amphiphilic copolymer capable of forming a polymeric micelle.

11. A conjugate comprising the compound according to claim 9 with at least one agent selected from an active agent, a protein, a diagnostic agent, an imaging agent, a lipid, and a polypeptide.

12. A delivery vehicle comprising at least one conjugate according to claim 11 , wherein the vehicle delivers a therapeutic active agent in an animal in need thereof.

13. A compound represented by the structure:

wherein

l is an integer having the value of 0 to 10,000;

m is an integer having the value of 0 to 10,000;

n is an integer having the value of 1 to 100;

p is an integer having the value of 1 to 100; and

x is an integer having the value of 1 to 100.

14. A conjugate comprising the compound according to claim 13 with at least one agent selected from an active agent, a protein, a diagnostic agent, an imaging agent, a lipid, and a polypeptide.

15. A delivery vehicle comprising at least one conjugate according to claim 14 , wherein the vehicle delivers a therapeutic active agent in an animal in need thereof.

16. A conjugate comprising the compound according to claim 13 with at least one hydrophobic polymer which results in an amphiphilic copolymer capable of forming a polymeric micelle.

17. A compound represented by the structure:

wherein

Y is an active agent, a hydrophobic polymer, or a lipid;

l is an integer having the value of 0 to 10,000;

m is an integer having the value of 0 to 10,000;

n is an integer having the value of 1 to 100;

p is an integer having the value of 1 to 100; and

x is an integer having the value of 1 to 100.

18. A compound represented by the structure:

wherein

X is NH2, COOH, CHO, or modifications thereof; and

PEG is a repeating unit of polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight from about 500 to about 20,000 mw.

19. A conjugate comprising the compound according to claim 18 with at least one agent selected from an active agent, a protein, a diagnostic agent, an imaging agent, a lipid, and a polypeptide.

20. A delivery vehicle comprising at least one conjugate according to claim 19 wherein the vehicle delivers a therapeutic active agent in an animal in need thereof.

21. A conjugate comprising the compound according to claim 18 with at least one hydrophobic polymer which results in an amphiphilic copolymer capable of forming a polymeric micelle.

22. A compound represented by the structure:

wherein

X is NH2, COOH, COGH or modifications thereof; and

PEG is a repeating unit of polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight from about 500 to about 20,000 mw.

23. A conjugate comprising the compound according to claim 22 with at least one agent selected from an active agent, a protein, a diagnostic agent, an imaging agent, a lipid, and a polypeptide.

24. A conjugate comprising the compound according to claim 22 with at least one hydrophobic polymer which results in an amphiphilic copolymer capable of forming a polymeric micelle.

25. A process of making a derivatized heterofunctional random architecture hyperbranched copolymer comprising

i) adjusting the ratio of the monomers glycidol and ethylene oxide to each other in the polymerization medium; to

ii) adding to the polymerization medium a polymerization initiator having a protected heterofunctionality and a free hydroxyl group; and

iii) producing a copolymer having two different functional groups at the termini of the resulting hyperbranched copolymer of polyethylene oxide and polyglycidol; and

iv) deprotecting the heterofunctionality as necessary or desired.

26. The process according to claim 25 wherein one of the functional termini groups is a carboxylic group which may be converted to any suitable or desired reactive species.

27. The process according to claim 25 wherein one of the functional termini groups upon deprotection yields an amino group.

28. The process according to claim 25 wherein one of the functional termini groups upon deprotection yields an aldehyde.

29. The process according to claim 25 wherein one of the functional termini groups upon deprotection yields a carboxylic acid.

30. The process according to claim 25 wherein the protected heterofunctionality of the polymerization initiator is a protected amine, a protected aldehyde or a protected carboxylic acid.

31. The process according to claim 25 wherein the protected heterofunctionality of the polymerization initiator is a protected amine.

32. The process according to claim 25 wherein the initiator contains both an unprotected and a protected amine functionality.

33. The process according to claim 25 wherein the derivatized heterofunctional random architecture hyperbranched copolymer is further reacted to form a conjugate with at least one agent selected from an active agent, a protein, a diagnostic agent, an imaging agent, a lipid, and a polypeptide.

34. A process of making a derivatized heterofunctional random architecture hyperbranched copolymer comprising

i) adjusting the order of addition of the monomers glycidol and ethylene oxide to each other as they are added to a polymerization medium;

ii) adding to the polymerization medium a polymerization initiator having a protected heterofunctionality and a free hydroxyl group; and

iii) producing a copolymer having two different functional groups at the termini of the resulting hyperbranched copolymer of polyethylene oxide and polyglycidol; and

iv) deprotecting the heterofunctionality as necessary or desired.

35. The process according to claim 34 wherein one of the functional termini groups is a carboxylic group which may be converted to any suitable or desired reactive species.

36. The process according to claim 34 wherein one of the functional termini groups upon deprotection yields an amino group.

37. The process according to claim 34 wherein one of the functional termini groups upon deprotection yields an aldehyde.

38. The process according to claim 34 wherein one of the functional termini groups upon deprotection yields a carboxylic acid.

39. The process according to claim 34 wherein the protected heterofunctionality of the polymerization initiator is a protected amine, a protected aldehyde or a protected carboxylic acid.

40. The process according to claim 34 wherein the protected heterofunctionality of the polymerization initiator is a protected amine.

41. The process according to claim 34 wherein the initiator contains both an unprotected and a protected amine functionality.

42. The process according to claim 34 wherein the derivatized heterofunctional random architecture hyperbranched copolymer is further reacted to form a conjugate with at least one agent selected from an active agent, a protein, a diagnostic agent, an imaging agent, a lipid, and a polypeptide.

43. A process of making a derivatized heterofunctional random architecture hyperbranched copolymer comprising

i) adjusting the rate of addition of the monomers glycidol and ethylene oxide to each other as they are added to a polymerization medium;

ii) adding to a polymerization medium a polymerization initiator having a protected heterofunctionality and a hydroxyl linkage; and

ii) producing a copolymer having two different functional groups at the termini of the resulting hyperbranched copolymer of polyethylene oxide and polyglycidol; and

iv) deprotecting the heterofunctionality as necessary or desired.

44. The process according to claim 43 wherein one of the functional termini groups is a carboxylic group which may be converted to any suitable or desired reactive species.

45. The process according to claim 43 wherein one of the functional termini groups upon deprotection yields an amino group.

46. The process according to claim 43 wherein one of the functional termini groups upon deprotection yields an aldehyde.

47. The process according to claim 43 wherein one of the functional termini groups upon deprotection yields a carboxylic acid.

48. The process according to claim 43 wherein the protected heterofunctionality of the polymerization initiator is a protected amine, a protected aldehyde or a protected carboxylic acid.

49. The process according to claim 43 wherein the protected heterofunctionality of the polymerization initiator is a protected amine.

50. The process according to claim 43 wherein the initiator contains both an unprotected and a protected amine functionality.

51. The process according to claim 43 wherein the derivatized heterofunctional random architecture hyperbranched copolymer is further reacted to form a conjugate with at least one agent selected from an active agent, a protein, a diagnostic agent, an imaging agent, a lipid, and a polypeptide.