New polydepsipeptides were synthesized by copolymerization of epsilon-caprolactone and a morpholine-2,5-dione derivative containing a benzyl-protected seryl moiety. After deprotection, the pendant seryl OH groups were acrylated. Cross-linked beads of ca. 25-170 mu m size were obtained by UV-photopolymerization. The beads are opaque after swelling in water and transparent in DMSO and CHCl3, and may be useful as biodegradable microspheres for drug delivery.