Copolymer

A polymer derived from more than one species of monomer.

Note: Copolymers that are obtained by copolymerization of two monomer species
are sometimes termed bipolymers, those obtained from three monomers terpolymers,
those obtained from four monomers quaterpolymers, etc.

Alternating copolymers: A copolymer consisting of macromolecules comprising
two species of monomeric units in alternating sequence.

Note: An alternating copolymer may be considered as a homopolymer derived from
an implicit or hypothetical monomer.

Block copolymers: A portion of a macromolecule, comprising many constitutional
units, that has at least one feature which is not present in the adjacent portions.

Graft macromolecule: A macromolecule with one or more species of
block connected to the main chain as side-chains, these side-chains having constitutional
or configurational features that differ from those in the main chain.

When two or more different monomers unite together to polymerize, their result is called a copolymer and its process is called copolymerization.

Glatiramer acetate

Glatiramer acetate (also known as Copolymer 1, Cop-1, or Copaxone - as marketed by Teva Pharmaceuticals) is an immunomodulator drug currently used to treat multiple sclerosis. It is a random polymer of four amino acids found in myelin basic protein, namely glutamic acid, lysine, alanine, and tyrosine, and may work as a decoy for the immune system. Glatiramer acetate is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for reducing the frequency of relapses, but not for reducing the progression of disability. Observational studies, but not randomized controlled trials, suggest that it may reduce progression of disability.

Although the clinical definition of multiple sclerosis requires two or more episodes of symptoms and signs, glatiramer acetate is approved for treatment after single episodes. It is also used to treat relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. It is administered by subcutaneous injection.

Medical uses

A 2004 Cochrane review concluded that glatiramer acetate "did not show any beneficial effect on the main outcome measures in MS, i.e. disease progression, and it does not substantially affect the risk of clinical relapses."