Polyoxazoline copolymer comprising calcium binding groups

The invention relates to a polyoxazoline (POx) copolymer comprising at least 20 oxazoline units, including at least 4 non-terminal oxazoline units that contain a calcium binding group selected from bisphosphonate, citrate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and combinations thereof. The POx copolymers of the present invention exhibit very high affinity for calcium ions and are capable of forming hydrogels due to reversible cross-linking with Ca2+ ions. The POx copolymers offer the important advantage that they are bioresorbable. Calcium affinity, biodegradability and hydrogel characteristics of the POx copolymer can easily be tuned due to the fact that the POx can easily be derivatised along the entire polymeric backbone and not only at the end-groups. The POx copolymers of the invention may suitably be applied in a variety of biomedical applications, such as barrier membranes, patches, meshes, tapes, bone fixation devices, bone implants, (injectable) hydrogels, bone-setting glue and nanoparticles.