Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Topical body preparation containing solid synthetic organic... – Ophthalmic preparation
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-10
2004-08-17
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1615)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Topical body preparation containing solid synthetic organic...
Ophthalmic preparation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06776982
ABSTRACT:
The present invention describes an autoclavable ophthalmic composition comprising an ophthalmic drug and in particular an ophthalmic drug. The invention further describes a method for stabilizing such compositions and the use of said stabilizers.
Drug safety is a permanent issue in drug regulatory affairs. A recent European regulation requires that a final ophthalmic composition must be autoclaved before use, and consequently, before sale. Autoclaving improves drug safety since the pathogenic germs are killed thereby.
JP 62/277323 describes for example a method for producing eye drops containing ketotifen fumarate, which eye drops might further contain a preservative such as benzalkonium chloride. In order to stabilize such a composition, JP 62/277323 proposes to add a polyvalent alcohol such as a saccharide and other alcohols such as glycerol or propylene glycol. The composition described is not stable if autoclaved.
Therefore the problem to be solved consists of providing in particular an aqueous ophthalmic composition comprising an ophthalmic drug, in particular selected from ketotifen and dexamethasone, which substantially prohibits decomposition when subjected to standard autoclaving conditions.
This problem had unexpectedly been solved by the addition of a stabilizer which is selected from the group consisting of EDTA, Dequest and Desferal. Preference is given to EDTA and Dequest and more particular to EDTA.
Another unexpected finding of the present invention is a synergistic effect, namely the effect of improved preservative efficacy if a preservative is added to said stabilized composition. This means that the amount preservative necessary to ensure shelf life and muti-dose sterility may be reduced very significantly, which in turn may strongly improve ocular tolerability of an addressed ophthalmic composition.
Consequently, the invention relates to an ophthalmic composition in accordance to the main claim. It further relates to the objects of all dependent and independent claims disclosed infra, in particular to a method of stabilizing an ophthalmic drug by adding a particular stabilizer during autoclavation.
According to the invention an ophthalmic composition is advantageously applied topically to the eye, especially in the form of a solution, a suspension or a gel. Such compositions comprise an ophthalmically effective ingredient and in particular ketotifen or dexamethasone, for example, in a range of from approximately 0.000001 to approximately 10.0% by weight, preferably from approximately 0.00001 to approximately 1.0% by weight, or more preferably in the range of from approximately 0.0001 to approximately 0.1% by weight and most preferably in the range of from 0.001 to 0.1% by weight. The dose of the active ingredient may depend on various factors, such as mode of administration, requirement, age and/or individual condition.
Other customary pharmaceutically acceptable excipients and additives known to the person skilled in the art are used in corresponding ophthalmic composition. Such compositions are prepared in a manner known per se, for example by mixing an active ingredient with the corresponding excipients and/or additives to form corresponding ophthalmic compositions.
Carriers used in accordance to the present invention are typically suitable for topical or general administration, and are for example water, mixtures of water and water-miscible solvents, such as C
1
- to C
7
-alkanols, vegetable oils or mineral oils comprising from 0.5 to 5% by weight hydroxyethylcellulose, ethyl oleate, carboxymethyl-cellulose, polyvinyl-pyrrolidone and other non-toxic water-soluble polymers for ophthalmic uses, such as, for example, cellulose derivatives, such as methylcellulose, alkali metal salts of carboxy-methylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, methylhydroxypropyl-cellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, chitosan and scleroglucan, acrylates or methacrylates, such as salts of polyacrylic acid or ethyl acrylate, polyacrylamides, natural products, such as gelatin, alginates, pectins, tragacanth, karaya gum, xanthan gum, carrageenin, agar and acacia, starch derivatives, such as starch acetate and hydroxypropyl starch, and also other synthetic products, such as poloxamers, e.g. Poloxamer F127, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl methyl ether, polyethylene oxide, preferably cross-linked polyacrylic acid, such as neutral Carbopol, or mixtures of those polymers. Preferred carriers are water, cellulose derivatives, such as methylcellulose, alkali metal salts of carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, methylhydroxypropylcellulose and hydroxypropylcellulose, neutral Carbopol, or mixtures thereof. The concentration of the carrier is, for example, from 0.1 to 100000 times the concentration of the active ingredient.
Solubilizers may be used for an ophthalmic composition of the present invention as well, and are, for example, tyloxapol, fatty acid glycerol polyethylene glycol esters, fatty acid polyethylene glycol esters, polyethylene glycols, glycerol ethers, polysorbate 20, polysorbate 80 or mixtures of those compounds. A specific example of an especially preferred solubilizer is a reaction product of castor oil and ethylene oxide, for example the commercial products Cremophor EL® or Cremophor RH40®. Reaction products of castor oil and ethylene oxide have proved to be particularly good solubilizers that are tolerated extremely well by the eye. Another preferred solubilizer is tyloxapol. The concentration used depends especially on the concentration of the active ingredient. The amount added is typically sufficient to solubilize the active ingredient. For example, the concentration of the solubilizer is from 0.1 to 5000 times the concentration of the active ingredient.
Buffers, tonicity enhancing agents and preservatives different from quaternary ammonium salts may be used in an ophthalmic composition of the present invention too.
Examples of buffer substances are acetate, ascorbate, borate, hydrogen carbonate/carbonate, citrate, gluconate, lactate, phosphate, propionate and TRIS (tromethamine) buffers. Tromethamine and borate buffer are preferred buffers. The amount of buffer substance added is, for example, that necessary to ensure and maintain a physiologically tolerable pH range. The pH range is typically in the range of from 4 to 9, preferably from 4.5 to 8.5 and more preferably from 5.0 to 8.2.
Tonicity enhancing agents may also be present in an above composition and are, for example of ionic and/or non-ionic type. Examples of ionic tonicity enhancers are e.g. alkali metal or earth metal halides, such as, for example, CaCl
2
, KBr, KCl, LiCl, Nal, NaBr or NaCl, Na
2
SO
4
or boric acid. Non-ionic tonicity enhancing agents are, for example, urea, glycerol, sorbitol, mannitol, propylene glycol, or dextrose. Typically, a sufficient amount of tonicity enhancing agent may be added to impart to an above ophthalmic composition an osmolality of approximately from 50 to 1000 mOsmol, preferred from 100 to 400 mOsmol, more preferred from 200 to 400 mOsmol and even more preferred from 250 to 350 mOsmol.
Preservatives may be present in an above composition too. A preservative may typically be selected from a quaternary ammonium compound such as benzalkonium chloride, benzoxonium chloride or the like. Benzalkonium chloride is better described as: N-benzyl-N—(C
8
-C
18
alkyl)-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride. Examples of preservatives different from quaternary ammonium salts are alkyl-mercury salts of thiosalicylic acid, such as, for example, thiomersal, phenylmercuric nitrate, phenylmercuric acetate or phenylmercuric borate, parabens, such as, for example, methylparaben or propylparaben, alcohols, such as, for example, chlorobutanol, benzyl alcohol or phenyl ethanol, guanidine derivatives, such as, for example, chlorohexidine or polyhexamethylene biguanide, sodium perborate, Germal®II or sorbic acid. Preferred preservatives are quaternary ammonium compounds, in particular benzalkonium chloride, alkyl-mercury salts and parabens.
Adam Marcia Johanna
Fetz Andrea
Kis Gyorgy Lajos
Hess Susan
Joynes Robert M.
Novartis AG
Page Thurman K.
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