Patent ID: 7879317

Claim:
A polymeric micellar composition capable of forming stable micelles in an aqueous solution, said composition comprising an amphiphilic block copolymer of a hydrophilic block and a hydrophobic block, and a polylactic acid derivative, wherein at least one terminal end of said polylactic acid derivative is covalently bound to a carboxylate metal salt, wherein said polyactic acid derivative is a member selected from the group consisting of D,L-polylactic acid, D-polylactic acid, polymandelic acid, a copolymer of D,L-lactic acid and glycolic acid, a copolymer of D,L-lactic acid and mandelic acid, a copolymer of D,L-Lactic acid and caprolactone, and a copolymer of D,L-lactic acid and 1,4-dioxan-2-one, and wherein said polylactic acid derivative has a number average molecular weight of 500 to 2,500 Daltons.