This paper describes the synthesis of new water-soluble nonpeptidic a-amino acid-containing polyamides. Preliminary results of hydrolytic and enzymatic degradations of L-lysine and L-cystine-based polyamides are also presented. Most of these polymers revealed to be stable towards hydrolytic degradation. Only poly(L-cystyl-L-cystine) PCC IV was rapidly degraded in Tris buffer pH 7,4. Insoluble poly(adipoyl-L-lysine benzyl ester) could be degraded by papain and pepsin. Polyamides from L-cystine were shown to be more susceptible to enzymatic degradation. Trypsin, papain and glutathione reductase degraded PCC IV much more rapidly than Tris buffer 7,4 alone.