Controlled ring-opening polymerization of lactones and lactides

1,5-dioxepan-2-one (DXO) is presented as a versatile component in biodegradable polymers for biomedical applications. Copolymerization of DXO and L-lactide yielded a semi-crystalline, yet flexible, material where the extent of crystallinity and erosion characteristics were controlled by an appropriate choice of copolymer composition. Crosslinked PDXO was polymerized as a novel biodegradable elastomer. The degradation behavior of these materials were explored in vitro. Microspheres from poly(DXO-co-L-LA) were prepared and shown to be promising candidates for controlled release. The polymer composition and drug solubility provided effective means of controlling the drug delivery pattern.