Jun.28,2007  11  US 2007/0148124 Al  pendently unsubstituted or substituted by an aliphatic  group, alicyclic group, an aryl or aryl aliphatic or Rs is  [0108]  The present invention also provides a vehicle or an  adjuvant of a therapeutic or cosmetic composition compris› ing a polymer having a repeating unit of the following  formula:  [0109]  or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof;  [0112]  or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof;  [0111]  The present invention also provides a thickener for  topical administration of a therapeutic or cosmetic compo› sition comprising a polymer having a repeating unit of the  following formula:  wherein each of said aliphatic group, alicyclic group, aryl  group, and heteroring group is independently unsubsti› tuted or substituted by one or more substituents selected  from the group consisting of carboxylic acid, sulfuric  acid, sulfonic acid, carboxylate, sulfate, sulfonate, and  acidic anhydride; R$^{7 }$is hydrogen, C$_{1 }$-C$_{6 }$ hydroxyalkyl, an  aliphatic group, preferably C$_{1 }$-C$_{6 }$ alkyl, alicyclic group,  an aryl group, an arylaliphatic or an heteroring group,  which aliphatic groups, alicyclic groups, aryl group and  heteroring are independently unsubstituted or substituted  by one or more substituents selected from carboxylic acid,  sulfonic acid, sulfuric acid, carboxylate, sulfate, sulfonate  and acidic anhydride, however, at least one ofR1, R 2 , R 3  and R 4  contains at least one COOH group, wherein the  pKa of one of the COOH groups is present or if its salt is  present, the corresponding acid is less than about 5.0.  [0110]  wherein each Rs is hydrogen, an aliphatic group ,  an alicyclic group, an aryl group, arylaliphatic or an  heteroring group; wherein each of said aliphatic group ,  alicyclic group, aryl group, or heteroring group is inde- Formula II  Formula!  [0113]  wherein each Rs is hydrogen, an aliphatic group ,  an alicyclic group, an aryl group, arylaliphatic or an  heteroring group; wherein each of said aliphatic group ,  alicyclic group, aryl group, or heteroring group is inde› pendently unsubstituted or substituted by an aliphatic  group, alicyclic group, an aryl or aryl aliphatic or aliphatic  aryl group or Rs is  which is bonded to an aliphatic group, aryl group, alicyclic  group or arylaliphatic or heteroring, all of which may be  unsubstituted or substituted with an aliphatic group, aryl  group, alicyclic group, or an arylaliphatic or heteroring  which groups may be unsubstituted or substituted by one  or more substituents chosen from the group consisting of  carboxylic acid, sulfuric acid, sulfonic acid, carboxylate,  sulfate, sulfonate, and acidic anhydride; and each R  6  is  hydrogen, C$_{1 }$-C$_{6 }$ alkyl or C$_{1 }$-C$_{6 }$ hydroxyalkyl aryl or  SR$^{8}$OR 8 , wherein each R 8  is hydrogen, aliphatic group,  Formula II  [0106]  or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof,  which is bonded to an aliphatic group, aryl group, alicyclic  group or arylaliphatic or heteroring, all of which may be  unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents  chosen from the group consisting of carboxylic acid,  sulfuric acid, sulfonic acid, carboxylate, sulfate, sul› fonate, and acidic anhydride; and each R  6  is hydrogen,  C$_{1}$-C$_{6 }$ alkyl or C$_{1}$-C$_{6 }$ hydroxyalkyl aryl or SR 8  or OR8,  wherein each R  8  is hydrogen, aliphatic group, alicyclic  group, aryl group, or heteroring which may be unsubsti› tuted or substituted with an aliphatic group, alicyclic  group or aryl group, or aryl aliphatic group or aliphatic  aryl group.  [0107]  R1, R 2 , R 3 , and R $^{4 }$are the same or different, and are  defmed as hereinabove, i.e., wherein each R1, R 2 , R 3 , and  R 4  are the same or different, and are hydrogen, C$_{1 }$-C$_{6 }$ hydroxyalkyl, an aliphatic group, preferably C$_{1 }$-C$_{6 }$ alkyl,  an alicyclic group, an aryl group, an arylaliphatic or an  heteroring group or  -OnH  OR~  ~eH20: 2  O- OH H  H  H  OR 3  H  H  O  O  H  eH 2 OR 4  H  OH  0  0  II  II  -e- ll  ,  S- Ii  or  S-O- Ii  0  0  0  0  0  II  II  -e- ll  ,  S- Ii  or  S-O- Ii  0  0  0 