693 results about "Drug formulations" patented technology

This invention relates to an apparatus and method of drug delivery on a human body surface. The formulation comprises a drug, a conversion agent capable of converting the formulation from a less solid phase to a coherent, soft, solid phase, and a vehicle medium or carrier for the drug and conversion agent. The drug formulation is applied to this human body surface in its less than solid phase and is subsequently converted to a soft solid phase while the drug is being delivered through the human body surface. After delivery of the drug is complete, the soft solid formulation can be removed or peeled from the body surface as a coherent solid formulation. The drug formulation provides control over drug delivery rates and allows the formulation to be removed without leaving a messy, residual formulation on the body surface.

Methods and devices are provided for administering a drug to a patient's eye. The methods include (a) inserting a hollow microneedle into the sclera or corneal stroma without penetrating across the sclera or corneal stroma; and (b) infusing a fluid drug formulation through the microneedle and into the sclera or cornea. It further may include partially retracting the microneedle before infusion to enhance delivery. Alternatively, the methods may include (a) inserting a solid microneedle into the sclera or corneal stroma without penetrating across the sclera or corneal stroma, wherein the solid microneedle comprises a first quantity of a drug formulation and inserting causes the solid microneedle to form a pocket in the sclera or corneal stroma; and (b) releasing the drug formulation into the pocket to form a drug depot, whereby a drug is released from the depot. The methods and devices may include an array of multiple microneedles.

The present invention includes materials and methods for providing vehicles useful for providing drug formulations that address the potential drawbacks of known nonaqueous formulations. In particular, the present invention includes nonaqueous vehicles that are formed using a combination of polymer and solvent that results in a vehicle that is miscible in water. The nonaqueous vehicles facilitate the formulation of drug formulations that are stable over time, even when stored at, or exposed to, elevated temperatures. Moreover, the miscible vehicles of the present invention allow the preparation of drug formulations that work to reduce the occurrence of partial or complete occlusions of the delivery conduits included in delivery devices used to administer the drug formulations.

Drug formulations for systemic drug delivery with improved stability and rapid onset of action are described herein. The formulations may be administered via buccal administration, sublingual administration, pulmonary delivery, nasal administration, subcutaneous administration, rectal administration, vaginal administration, or ocular administration. In the preferred embodiments, the formulations are administered sublingually or via subcutaneous injection. The formulations contain an active agent and one or more excipients, selected to increase the rate of dissolution. In the preferred embodiment, the drug is insulin, and the excipients include a metal chelator such as EDTA and an acid such as citric acid. Following administration, these formulations are rapidly absorbed by the oral mucosa when administered sublingually and are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream when administered by subcutaneous injection. In one embodiment, the composition is in the form of a dry powder. In another embodiment, the composition is in the form of a film, wafer, lozenge, capsule, or tablet. In a third embodiment, a dry powdered insulin is mixed with a diluent containing a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, such as water or saline, a metal chelator such as EDTA and an acid such as citric acid. Devices for storing and mixing these formulations are also described.

An abuse-deterrent pharmaceutical composition has been developed to reduce the likelihood of improper administration of drugs, especially drugs such as opiods. In the preferred embodiment, the drug is modified to increase its lipophilicity by forming a salt between the drug and one or more fatty acids wherein the concentration of the one or more fatty acids is one to 15 times the molar amount of the active agent, preferably two to ten times the molar amount of the active agent. In one embodiment the modified drug is homogeneously dispersed within microparticles composed of a material that is either slowly soluble or not soluble in water. In some embodiments the drug containing microparticles or drug particles are coated with one or more coating layers, where at least one coating is water insoluble and preferably organic solvent insoluble. The abuse-deterrent composition prevents the immediate release of a substantial portion of drug, even if the physical integrity of the formulation is compromised (for example, by chopping with a blade or crushing) and the resulting material is placed in water, snorted, or swallowed. However, when administered as directed, the drug is slowly released from the composition as the composition is broken down or dissolved gradually within the GI tract by a combination of enzymatic degradation, surfactant action of bile acids, and mechanical erosion.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method of drug delivery on a human body surface. The formulation comprises a drug, a conversion agent capable of converting the formulation from a less solid phase to a coherent, soft, solid phase, and a vehicle medium or carrier for the drug and conversion agent. The drug formulation is applied to this human body surface in its less than solid phase and is subsequently converted to a soft solid phase while the drug is being delivered through the human body surface. After delivery of the drug is complete, the soft solid formulation can be removed or peeled from the body surface as a coherent solid formulation. The drug formulation provides control over drug delivery rates and allows the formulation to be removed without leaving a messy, residual formulation on the body surface.

Microneedle arrays and drug delivery devices are provided for transdermally delivering a drug formulation to a patient. The microneedle array device includes a substantially planar substrate having an array of apertures; and a plurality of microneedles projecting at angle from the planar substrate, the microneedles having a base portion integrally connected to the substrate, a tip end portion distal to the base portion, and body portion therebetween, wherein each microneedle has at least one channel extending substantially from the base portion through at least a part of the body portion, the channel being open along at least part of the body portion and in fluid communication with at least one of the apertures in the substrate. In a preferred embodiment, each microneedle has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and the channel is open to two opposing surfaces of the microneedle.

Methods and devices are provided for administering a drug to a patient's eye. The methods include (a) inserting a hollow microneedle into the sclera or corneal stroma without penetrating across the sclera or corneal stroma; and (b) infusing a fluid drug formulation through the microneedle and into the sclera or cornea. It further may include partially retracting the microneedle before infusion to enhance delivery. Alternatively, the methods may include (a) inserting a solid microneedle into the sclera or corneal stroma without penetrating across the sclera or corneal stroma, wherein the solid microneedle comprises a first quantity of a drug formulation and inserting causes the solid microneedle to form a pocket in the sclera or corneal stroma; and (b) releasing the drug formulation into the pocket to form a drug depot, whereby a drug is released from the depot. The methods and devices may include an array of multiple microneedles.

Methods are provided for coating crystalline microparticles with an active agent by altering the surface properties of the microparticles in order to facilitate favorable association on the microparticle by the active agent. Type of surface properties that are altered by the disclosed methods include by electrostatic properties, hydrophobic properties and hydrogen bonding properties.