Patent ID: 8299178

Claim:
A polymeric micelle comprising a temperature-sensitive block copolymer, said temperature-sensitive block copolymer comprising a hydrophobic polymeric segment and a hydrophilic polymeric segment, wherein said hydrophobic polymeric segment is a copolymer of monomers comprising a pH-/ionic strength sensitive monomer and a temperature-sensitive monomer, wherein the polymeric micelle has a lower critical concentration temperature (LCST) lower than 37° C. at a pH value of 7-8 and has a LCST greater than 37° C. at a pH value of 6 or less than 6; the polymeric micelle has a polydispersity index less than 0.2; and the polymeric micelle forms a micellar solution in water with micellar particle sizes within 50-200 nm, wherein said polymeric micelle further comprising a critical micelle concentration (Cmc) block copolymer, wherein said Cmc block copolymer comprises a hydrophobic polymeric segment, and a hydrophilic polymeric segment, wherein said pH-/ionic strength sensitive monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, butenedioic acid, amino acid, and vinylimidazole; said temperature-sensitive monomer is N-isopropyl acrylamide or N-n-propyl acrylamide; said hydrophilic polymeric segment of the temperature-sensitive block copolymer selected from the group consisting of poly(ether), poly(alkylene oxide), poly(alkylene oxide) with terminal C1-C6 alkyl ether, and poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline); said hydrophilic polymeric segment of the Cmc block copolymer selected from the group consisting of poly(ether), poly(alkylene oxide), poly(alkylene oxide) with terminal C1-C6 alkyl ether, and poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline); the hydrophobic polymer segment of the Cmc block copolymer selected from the group consisting of poly(ester), poly(lactide), poly(lactic acid), and polycaprolactone.