Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Effervescent or pressurized fluid containing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-02
2002-08-27
Dees, Jose′ G. (Department: 1619)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Effervescent or pressurized fluid containing
C424S045000, C424S455000, C514S002600, C514S003100, C514S012200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06440392
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an intranasal pharmaceutical compositions comprising calcitonin as an active ingredient and specific concentrations of citric acid or a salt thereof as a stabilizer and absorption enhancer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Calcitonins are a class of polypeptide hormones that are used in the treatment of a variety of conditions including osteoporosis, Paget's disease and malignant hypercalcemia. They are composed of amino acids and have been extracted from a number of sources including salmon, porcine, eel and human. Calcitonins with amino acid sequences identical to the natural forms have been produced by chemical synthesis as well as by recombinant technology.
Given their size and chemical composition, calcitonins were originally administered by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection. Other routes of administration were technically difficult because calcitonins were poorly absorbed through tissue and were readily degraded by bodily fluids. Despite these obstacles, a formulation (U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,565) was developed that could be administered via the nasal route. The nasal formulation was designed to be stored in a multi-dose container that was stable for an extended period of time and resisted bacterial contamination. The preservative in the formulation, benzalkonium chloride, was found to enhance the absorption of salmon calcitonin. However, benzalkonium chloride was reported (P. Graf et al., Clin. Exp. Allergy 25:395-400; 1995) to aggravate rhintis medicamentosa in healthy volunteers who were given a decongestant nasal spray containing the preservative. It also had an adverse effect on nasal mucosa (H. Hallen et al., Clin. Exp. Allergy 25:401-405; 1995). Berg et al. (Laryngoscope 104:1153-1158; 1994) disclose that respiratory mucosal tissue that was exposed in vitro underwent severe morphological alterations. Benzalkonium chloride also caused significant slowing of the mucocilary transport velocity in the ex vivo frog palate test (P.C. Braga et al., J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 44:938-940; 1992).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides a liquid pharmaceutical composition comprising calcitonin or an acid addition salt thereof and citric acid and/or salt thereof in a concentration from about 10 to about 50 mM, said composition being in a form suitable for nasal administration.
The present invention also provides a liquid pharmaceutical composition comprising about 2,200 MRC units of salmon calcitonin, about 10 mM citric acid, about 0.2% phenylethyl alcohol, about 0.5% benzyl alcohol, and about 0.1% TWEEN® 80.
The present invention further provides a liquid pharmaceutical composition comprising about 2,200 MRC units of salmon calcitonin, about 20 mM citric acid, about 0.2% phenylethyl alcohol, about 0.5% benzyl alcohol, and about 0.1% TWEEN® 80.
The present invention also provides a method of administering a calcitonin to a subject requiring calcitonin treatment, which method comprises administering via the nasal route to said subject a liquid pharmaceutical composition comprising calcitonin or an acid addition salt thereof and citric acid or salt thereof in a concentration from about 10 to about 50 mM.
The present invention further provides a method of improving the stability of a liquid pharmaceutical composition of calcitonin comprising adding citric acid or a salt thereof in a concentration from about 10 to about 50 mM to said composition.
The present invention also provides a method of improving the bioavailability or the concentration of plasma calcitonin in a subject following nasal administration of a liquid pharmaceutical composition of calcitonin, which method comprises adding citric acid or a salt thereof in a concentration from about 10 to about 50 mM to said composition prior to said administration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention it has now been surprisingly found that pharmaceutical compositions can be obtained comprising a calcitonin as active ingredient which meet the high standards of stability and bioavailability required for nasal application and which are, for example, eminently suitable for use in multiple dose nasal spray applicators, i.e., applicators capable of delivering a series of individual dosages over, e.g., period of several days or weeks, by the use of citric acid or a salt thereof in concentrations ranging from about 10 to about 50 mM as a buffering agent.
Surprisingly, it has also been found that use of citric acid or a salt thereof at increasing concentrations confers beneficial advantages in relation to the nasal absorption characteristics of calcitonin containing compositions and hence enhance calcitonin bioavailability levels consequential to nasal application. In addition, it has also been found that the use of citric acid or a salt thereof in concentrations ranging from about 10 to about 50 mM increase the stability of calcitonin containing compositions while at the same time higher concentrations of citric acid or salt thereof did not have the same stabilizing effect.
The calcitonins for use in the invention may be in free form or in pharmaceutically acceptable salt or complex form, e.g. in pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt form. Such salts and complexes are known and possess an equivalent degree of activity and tolerability to the free forms. Suitable acid addition salt forms for use in accordance with the invention include for example the hydrochlorides and acetates.
The above defined compositions may be applied in accordance with the invention to the nasal mucosa, e.g. either in drop or in spray form. As hereinafter described however, they are most preferably applied in spray form, i.e., in the form of finely divided droplets.
The compositions of the invention may of course also include additional ingredients, in particular components belonging to the class of conventional pharmaceutically applicable surfactants. In this connection it has in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention been found that the use of surface active agents generally in relation to the nasal application of calcitonins, in particular salmon calcitonin, may increase absorption via the nasal mucosa and hence improve obtained bioavailability rates.
Preferably, the liquid pharmaceutical calcitonin composition of the present invention contains a pharmaceutically acceptable, a liquid diluent or carrier suitable for application to the nasal mucosa, most preferably aqueous saline.
The compositions of the invention are formulated so as to permit administration via the nasal route. For this purpose they may also contain, e.g. minimum amounts of any additional ingredients or excipients desired, for example, additional preservatives or, e.g. ciliary stimulants such as caffeine.
Generally for nasal administration a mildly acid pH will be preferred. Preferably the compositions of the invention have a pH of from about 3 to 5, more preferably from about 3.5 to about 3.9 and most preferably 3.7. Adjustment of the pH is achieved by addition of an appropriate acid, such as hydrochloric acid.
The compositions of the invention should also possess an appropriate isotonicity and viscosity. Preferably they have an osmotic pressure of from about 260 to about 380 mOsm/liter. Desired viscosity for the nasal spray is preferably less than 0.98 cP.
Compositions in accordance with the present invention may also comprise a conventional surfactant, preferably a non-ionic surfactant.
When a surfactant is employed, the amount present in the compositions of the invention will vary depending on the particular surfactant chosen, the particular mode of administration (e.g. drop or spray) and the effect desired. In general, however, the amount present will be of the order of from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 10 mg/ml, preferably about 0.5 mg/ml to 5 mg/ml and most preferably about 1 mg/ml.
The amount of calcitonin to be administered in accordance with the method of the invention and hence the amount of active ing
Dees Jose′ G.
Haghighatian Mina
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
Unigene Laboratories Inc.
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