Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Effervescent or pressurized fluid containing – Organic pressurized fluid
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-02
2003-01-07
Krass, Frederick (Department: 1614)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Effervescent or pressurized fluid containing
Organic pressurized fluid
C424S043000, C424S044000, C424S001130, C424S001610, C424S001650, C514S002600, C514S012200, C128S200140, C128S200210, C239S690000, C239S708000, C239S704000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06503481
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to compositions for aerosolization and delivery to the user's aerodigestive system by inhalation of the aerosolized composition, as well methods for making and using these compositions.
Administration of active ingredients directly to the aerodigestive system (i.e., the pulmonary system and/or digestive tract) of a patient by means of an inhaled aerosol may be preferable to other methods of drug delivery in certain circumstances. Delivery of drugs or other active ingredients directly to the patient's lungs provides numerous advantages including: providing an extensive surface area for drug absorption, direct delivery of therapeutic agents to the disease site in the case of regional drug therapy, eliminating the possibility of drug degradation in the patient's intestinal tract (a risk associated with oral administration), and eliminating the need for repeated subcutaneous injections. Furthermore, delivery of drugs to the pulmonary system by means of aerosol inhalation may be used to deliver drugs systemically, as well as for targeted local drug delivery for treatment of respiratory ailments such as lung cancer or asthma.
At the present time, inhalation therapy is a rapidly evolving technology. Numerous active ingredients are being developed with the expectation that effective delivery of and treatment with these agents will be possible by means of inhaled aerosols. Aerosolizing active ingredients requires a composition with certain characteristics and properties that make the composition compatible with the aerosolization process. The process of formulating particular active ingredients, such as drugs, with the appropriate carriers, such as organic solvents, can be particularly challenging. Therefore, there is a need for basic or general compositions which are compatible with a variety of active ingredients, a range of suitable carriers, and appropriate aerosol generating devices.
Important considerations in administering an aerosolized active ingredient to the lungs of a patient include the characteristics of both the composition containing the active ingredient, and the aerosol cloud that will ultimately be inhaled by the patient or user. The composition must be a suitable carrier for the active ingredient, the active ingredient must be stable for a period of time in the composition, the composition must be consistently sprayable through an aerosol-generating device, and the composition must be well-tolerated by the user. Furthermore, the aerosol-generating device itself must effectively and consistently convert the formula into an aerosol cloud with certain desired properties. For example, an aerosol-generating device should not deliver a high velocity aerosol which makes it difficult for the user to inhale aerosol particles. Preferred aerosol characteristics also include an aerosol cloud composed of particles that are roughly uniform in size. An aerosol cloud composed of uniform particles of a predetermined size provides the most efficient and effective delivery of the therapeutic composition to the patient or user because the dosage that the patient receives can be more precisely controlled (i.e., uniform particle size equals more precise delivery and dosage). Therefore, for maximum effectiveness of both drug and aerosol device, consistent generation of uniformly sized aerosol particles most occur each time the composition is aerosolized with a particular device.
Aerosol devices currently used in the clinical context include metered dose inhalers, dry powder inhalers, and nebulizers. Although effective at creating aerosols, these devices typically do not permit the device user to control either the particle size of the aerosol cloud to be inhaled, or the velocity of the aerosol delivered by the device. The particle size distribution of aerosols generated with these devices is usually too broad or too varied to effectively and consistently deliver the composition to the deep lungs of the user. As a consequence, pulmonary administration of a active ingredient may be less than optimal when using metered dose inhalers, dry powder inhalers, or nebulizers due to deposition of the composition in the mouth or throat of the user or due to exhalation of the composition by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,996 to Noakes et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,352 to Sekins et al. both disclose formulations suitable for use with aerosol devices; however, these devices and formulas are suboptimal when compared with the performance of electohydrodynamic (EHD) aerosol systems. EHD aerosol generators are capable of generating aerosols in which particle size, aerosol velocity, and the resultant deposition patterns can be more precisely controlled. EHD aerosol generators, therefore, are ideal devices for use with therapeutic compositions that are to be delivered to the patient's pulmonary system by inhalation. Thus, there is a need for therapeutic compositions that are compatible with both a variety of active ingredients as well as electrostatic and EHD aerosol generating devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes general compositions capable of: being aerosolized; inhaled by the user; delivering a predetermined dosage of a active ingredient to the lungs of the user; and which are optimized for use with an electrohydrodynamic aerosol generator. These compositions may contain two or more basic components which may be present in a variety of combinations, concentrations, and ratios to one another.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the general composition comprises four basic, or fundamental, components. The first component is a active ingredient; examples of which include drugs, vaccines, and proteins. The second component of the therapeutic composition is a carrier material in which the active ingredient may be dissolved, suspended, or emulsified; examples of which include water or alcohol. The third component of the therapeutic composition is an aerosol properties adjusting material, which adjusts the physical properties of the liquid composition to be within ranges desired for aerosolization with an electrostatic or electrohydrodynamic device. In some embodiments of the invention the carrier material may act as the property adjusting material so as to bring the composition within the desired ranges of physical or chemical properties. In such cases no additional third basic component is required. The fourth optional component of the basic composition is at least one excipient that individually or in combination with other excipients preserves, stabilizes, or enhances the overall performance of the therapeutic composition. Examples of suitable excipients include ionic materials, surfactants, and antimicrobial agents.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention is to provide a general base composition that includes a suitable carrier for a variety of active ingredients, and in which the active ingredients will be stable for an extended period of time.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a base composition which is compatible with electrostatic or electrohydrodynamic aerosol generating devices.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a liquid composition with a commercially reasonable shelf-life.
Further objects, advantages, and novel aspects of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the subsequent detailed description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Broadly, the present invention provides compositions, and methods for making and using compositions, which have certain preferred characteristics and properties required for generating aerosols also having particular preferred characteristics. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the compositions are aerosolized with an electrostatic or electrohydrodynamic (EHD) aerosol generating device. A typical embodiment of this invention includes a liquid composition having predetermined physical and chemical properties which facilitate aerosolization of the composition with a
Browning James D.
Placke Michael E.
Shah Praful K.
Thurston Rachel M.
BattellePharma, Inc.
Coburn Patricia A.
Krass Frederick
Ostrup Clinton
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