Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Designated organic active ingredient containing – Heterocyclic carbon compounds containing a hetero ring...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-27
2001-10-16
Dees, Jose′ G. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Designated organic active ingredient containing
Heterocyclic carbon compounds containing a hetero ring...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06303607
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for using an orally administered sustained release ranolazine dosage formulations to maintain human ranolazine plasma levels at therapeutic levels.
2. Description of the Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,264, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses ranolazine, (±)-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-4-[2-hydroxy-3-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-propyl]-1-piperazineacetamide, and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, and their use in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, including arrhythmias, variant and exercise-induced angina, and myocardial infarction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,229, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses the use of ranolazine and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters for the treatment of tissues experiencing a physical or chemical insult, including cardioplegia, hypoxic or reperfusion injury to cardiac or skeletal muscle or brain tissue, and for use in transplants. Conventional oral and parenteral formulations are disclosed, including controlled release formulations. In particular, Example 7D of U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,229 describes a controlled release formulation in capsule form comprising microspheres of ranolazine and microcrystalline cellulose coated with release controlling polymers.
The presently preferred route of administration for ranolazine and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters is oral. A typical oral dosage form is a compressed tablet, a hard gelatin capsule filled with a powder mix or granulate, or a soft gelatin capsule (softgel) filled with a solution or suspension. U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,707, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a high-dose oral formulation employing supercooled liquid ranolazine as a fill solution for a hard gelatin capsule or softgel.
As set forth in application Example 3, the initial trials of ranolazine on humans suffering from angina were failures. The trials used an immediate release of ranolazine formulation at a dose level of 120 mg taken three times daily. Based upon the initial experiments, it was uncertain whether or not ranolazine could be given to humans in an amount and mode that is effective against angina.
One problem with conventional oral dosage formulations is that they are not ideally suited to ranolazine and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, because the solubility of ranolazine is relatively high at the low pH that occurs in the stomach. Furthermore ranolazine also has a relatively short plasma half-life. The high acid solubility property of ranolazine results in rapid drug absorption and clearance, causing large and undesirable fluctuations in plasma concentration of ranolazine and a short duration of action, thus necessitating frequent oral administration for adequate treatment.
There is therefore a need for a method for administering ranolazine in an oral dosage form once or twice daily that provides therapeutically effective plasma concentrations of ranolazine for the treatment of angina in humans.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect, this invention is a sustained release ranolazine formulation where the majority of the formulation consists of active ranolazine.
In another aspect, this invention is a method of treating a human patient who is suffering from angina or other coronary disorders by administering a sustained release ranolazine formulation to the patient once or twice daily.
In yet another aspect, this invention is a method for treating a mammal having a disease state for which the administration of ranolazine is indicated, comprising the once or twice-daily administration of sustained release ranolazine formulation of this invention in a manner that maintains plasma ranolazine close to minimal effective levels without peak fluctuations.
Still another aspect of this invention is a method of maintaining useful levels of ranolazine in human plasma by administering a ranolazine containing dosage form only one or twice daily.
This invention includes methods for treating a human patient suffering from a cardiovascular disease selected from arrhythmias, variant and exercise-induced angina, and myocardial infarction. The method includes administering a sustained release pharmaceutical dosage form including at least 50% by weight ranolazine in no more than two tablets per dose to the human patient to maintain ranolazine plasma levels in the human patient of from about 550 to about 7500 ng base/mL for at least 24 hours wherein the dose is administered at a frequency selected from once, twice and three times over 24 hours.
This invention further includes methods for treating a human patient suffering from a cardiovascular disease selected from arrhythmias, variant and exercise-induced angina, and myocardial infarction. The method includes administering a sustained release pharmaceutical dosage form including from about 70 to about 80% by weight ranolazine in no more than two tablets per dose to the human patient to maintain ranolazine plasma levels in the human patient of from about 1000 to about 3900 ng base/mL for at least 24 hours wherein the dose is administered at a frequency selected from one and two times over 24 hours.
This invention also includes pharmaceutical dosage forms comprising at least about 50 wt % ranolazine and at least one pH dependent binder that inhibits the release of ranolazine from the sustained release dosage form when the sustained release dosage form is subjected to an aqueous environment having a pH of the stomach and that promotes the release of a therapeutic amount of ranolazine in an aqueous solution having a pH above about 4.5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
“Ranolazine” is the compound (±)-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-4-[2-hydroxy-3-(2-methoxyphenoxy) propyl]-1-piperazine-acetamide, or its enantiomers (R)-(+)-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-4-[2-hydroxy-3-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-propyl]-1-piperazineacetamide, and (S)-(−)-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-4-[2-hydroxy-3-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-propyl]-1-piperazineacetamide and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, and mixtures thereof. Unless otherwise stated the ranolazine plasma concentrations used in the specification and examples refers to ranolazine free base.
“Optional” and “optionally” mean that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where the event or circumstance occurs and instances in which it does not. For example, “optional pharmaceutical excipients” indicates that a formulation so described may or may not include pharmaceutical excipients other than those specifically stated to be present, and that the formulation so described includes instances in which the optional excipients are present and instances in which they are not.
“Treating” and “treatment” refer to any treatment of a disease in a mammal, particularly a human, and include:
(i) preventing the disease from occurring in a subject which may be predisposed to the disease but has not yet been diagnosed as having it;
(ii) inhibiting the disease, i.e., arresting its development; or
(iii) relieving the disease, i.e., causing regression of the disease.
“Immediate release” (“IR”) refers to formulations or dosage units that rapidly dissolve in vitro and are intended to be completely dissolved and absorbed in the stomach or upper gastrointestinal tract. Conventionally, such formulations release at least 90% of the active ingredient within 30 minutes of administration.
“Sustained release” (“SR”) refers to formulations or dosage units of this invention that are slowly and continuously dissolved and absorbed in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract over a period of about six hours or more. Preferred sustained release formulations are those exhibiting plasma concentrations of ranolazine suitable for no more than twice daily administration with two or less tablets per dosing as described below.
Plasma ranolazine concentration is a mean concentration determined by analyzing the c
Baker Fiona
Langridge John Richard
Wolff Andrew A.
CV Therapeutics Inc.
Dees Jose′ G.
George Konata M.
McDonnell & Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff
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