A new type of unsaturated poly(ester amide), maleic anhydride-phthalic anhydride-ethylene glycol-neopentylene glycol-anthranilic acid copolymer, was prepared by melt polycondensation. The copolymer was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and thermogravimetric analysis. The viscosity of the polymer was measured with a Ubbelohde viscometer. The compressive strength of the crosslinked unsaturated poly(ester amide) under different heat-treatment conditions was measured. Studies of its degradation behavior were carried out in simulated body fluid at pH 7.4 (37 degrees C), and the compressive strength loss of the crosslinked unsaturated poly(ester amide) was also measured after different degradation times. The copolymer was hydrolyzed in a 1.0-mol/L NaOH standard solution at room temperature. All of the preliminary results suggest that the new unsaturated poly(ester amide) might potentially be used as a new type of bone-fixation material. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 114: 1208-1212, 2009