| Delivery system for topical medications -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
  Delivery system for topical medicationsRelated Patent Categories: Drug, Bio-affecting And Body Treating Compositions, Preparations Characterized By Special Physical Form, Web, Sheet Or Filament Bases; Compositions Of Bandages; Or Dressings With Incorporated MedicamentsDelivery system for topical medications description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070110794, Delivery system for topical medications. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to drug delivery systems. In particular, it relates to such systems which comprise pads, sealed containers and liquid compositions. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Dermatologically active ingredients for topical application to human skin are often insoluble solids (also called particulates) in media that are acceptable for skin application, e.g. without limitation, benzoyl peroxide ("BPO"), and insoluble antifungals. In order to prepare these topical products, dermatologically active ingredients are often suspended in the vehicle, which may be, for example without limitation, gels, creams, or lotions. [0003] It is also desirable to have these types of dermatologically active ingredients placed on pads for delivery by wiping the pad on the skin. Pads may additionally be disposable for both convenience and sanitary reasons. However, several problems exist with this approach when it is applied to dermatologically active ingredients that are insoluble, minimally or weakly soluble. [0004] First, the dermatologically active ingredient compositions, e.g. without limitation, BPO compositions, are not uniformly deposited on the pad. Second, the dermatologically active ingredient composition are not uniformly deposited on the skin during the wiping of the pad across the skin. Without uniformity, one cannot predict how much and whether any of the dermatologically active ingredient is delivered, and therefore, the delivery method is ineffective. Specified uniformity is preferred in most drug delivery systems. [0005] Factors that are relevant to these problems include, that a portion of the liquid composition may preferentially squeeze through the fibers of the pad, leaving a high concentration of particulate dermatologically active ingredients on a surface of the pad. On the other hand, dermatologically active ingredient particles may preferentially squeeze through the fibers and leave particles on the walls of the container or in some parts of the pad or container, but not others. [0006] Additionally, the container for a BPO pad, for example, may contribute to these problems. If the container is sealed with an alkaline based adhesive, BPO, a strong oxidizing agent, dissolves the adhesive after being in contact with BPO for as little as a month. The adhesive seal degrades and the two halves of the pouch come apart. Thus, there is also a need for a leak-proof container. [0007] The use of pads stored in jars or large containers to apply single-phase solutions of dermatologically active ingredients has long been known as an effective technique. Because the dermatologically active ingredient is in solution, it remains acceptably distributed throughout the solvent vehicle, and is not susceptible to removal from the solution by filtration or adsorption by the pad. [0008] The use of pads to apply single-phase suspensions of dermatologically active ingredients has been unsuccessful. The suspended dermatologically active ingredient tends to settle to the bottom of the container, resulting in unacceptable variations in dermatologically active ingredient concentration. This problem is aggravated by the tendency of pads to filter out or adsorb the suspended dermatologically active ingredient. Thus, even if the dermatologically active ingredient does not settle out of suspension, it can be collected on the pads unevenly. To make matters worse, having filtered or adsorbed the dermatologically active ingredient out of suspension, such pads have a tendency to retain the dermatologically active ingredient and not release it to the skin. [0009] Oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions (e.g. without limitation creams and lotions) have been used as delivery vehicles for suspensions of dermatologically active ingredients (e.g. TRIAZ.RTM. of Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. of Arizona) and work well when used alone as delivery vehicles. These creams and lotions hold the dermatologically active ingredients in suspension fairly well, resulting in even distribution of the dermatologically active ingredient throughout the vehicle, and thus on the skin. [0010] However, when pads or pledgets are used to topically apply creams or lotions, several problems have been encountered. Creams have been found to adhere poorly to pads, and adhere all too well to the pad's container. Attempts to use pads as a delivery vehicle have resulted in the pads being used to wipe or scrape the cream or lotion off the container's walls so that it can be applied to the skin, and often the cream is incompletely released from the pad resulting in under-application of the dermatologically active ingredients. This has been a source of great frustration in the drug delivery art, as pads are a highly desirably method of topical application. For example, in the field of acne treatments, pads have been used for decades to apply solutions of salicylic acid (e.g. Stri-Dex.RTM. of Blistex Inc. of Illinois). On the other hand, benzoyl peroxide, which has been known for decades as a superior treatment for acne, has never been successfully marketed with a pad delivery system because it is not soluble and is delivered as a suspension in a cream or lotion. Thus, there is a great and long-standing demand for a way to topically deliver particle suspension of dermatologically active ingredients by way of a pad. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] The present invention overcomes many of the problems experienced in the art. In this invention, the dermatologically active ingredients are insoluble drugs suitable for human or animal use, and the composition is a liquid comprising one or more dermatologically active ingredients. The composition is retained by the pad preferentially over the container. Dermatologically active ingredients, e.g. without limitation, BPO, and insoluble antifungals, do not preferentially migrate or adsorb from the composition (e.g. without limitation, emulsion) onto or into the pad, and therefore does not result in an uneven concentration of the dermatologically active ingredient in the composition versus the pad. Further, the pad is packaged in a container and one or more pads may be packaged in each container. [0012] In this invention, pads include but are not limited to pads, pledgets, towels, towelettes, cloths, and sponges; the pads may be woven or nonwoven material. The dermatologically active ingredients in the invention can be any particulate or insoluble drugs including but not limited to drugs, prodrugs, cosmeceuticals, herbal medicines, traditional medicines, and active cosmetic ingredients, that are suitable for topical human use and are suspended and/or dispersed in a vehicle. Insoluble in this specification means insoluble or weakly or minimally soluble. Insoluble dermatologically active ingredients are often particulates. [0013] In accordance with the present invention, insoluble dermatologically active ingredients are mixed in an emulsion composition, e.g. without limitation, an oil-in-water emulsion or a water-in-oil emulsion, preferably an oil-in-water emulsion. This composition is suited to causing the dermatologically active ingredient to be substantially uniformly distributed throughout the composition upon routine mixing during formulation, and remain so during the product's shelf life. The particle size may preferably be up to about 300 microns, more preferably about 10 to about 150 microns. For BPO, the most preferable particle size is less than about 50 microns. Further, the viscosity of the composition is carefully adjusted to be low enough that the composition will permeate the matrix of the pad's fibers and be held on the pad by capillary action. However, the viscosity must not be so low that the composition is so thin that it drains off the pad prematurely. On the other hand, if the viscosity is too high, not only will the composition fail to be taken into the pad's fibers' matrix, it will tend to be released from the surface of the pad to the walls of the container, and remain there, unavailable for application to the patient's skin. [0014] Use of the present invention by wiping the pad across skin results in a transfer to the skin of the dermatologically active ingredient, meaning that the skin is substantially uniformly medicated. During this wiping, an adequate therapeutic dose of the dermatologically active ingredient is delivered to the skin. One advantage of this invention may be a reduced irritation to the skin as compared to similar compositions applied without the pad. [0015] The composition may comprise one or more dermatologically active ingredients. The dermatologically active ingredient may be any drug effective in dermatological prevention or treatment, which is insoluble in the composition and is a particulate. An effective amount of the dermatologically active ingredient means an adequate therapeutic dose will be delivered to the skin by wiping the pad onto the skin. [0016] The dermatologically active ingredient may be one or more dermatological drug which is insoluble in the composition, such as without limitation, drugs to treat or prevent acne, fungal infections, yeast infections, rosacea, photodamaged skin, hyperpigmented skin, eczema, allergic or contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, erythema, or psoriasis; salts or chelates, such as without limitation zinc oxide, iron EDTA, magnesium peroxide, ascorbyl linoleate; abrasives; active acids; active bases, such as without limitation minocycline; neutral actives, such as without limitation hydrocortisone; BPO; antifungals; antibacterials; corticosteroids; keratolytic agents; sulfur; sulfur-containing ingredients; or combinations thereof. [0017] In one embodiment, soluble dermatologically active ingredients may additionally be present in the composition. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] FIG. 1 depicts the amount of composition associated with the pad and with the wall and void spaces of the container. [0019] FIG. 2 is a ultra-violet photograph of Subject A in Test 2 after the composition was applied directly, not via a pad. [0020] FIG. 3 is a ultra-violet photograph of Subject A in Test 2 after the composition was applied via the pad. Continue reading about Delivery system for topical medications... Full patent description for Delivery system for topical medications Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Delivery system for topical medications patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Delivery system for topical medications or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Cosmetic or dermatological article comprising a medium that is soluble in water Next Patent Application: Disintegrating digestive tract barrier Industry Class: Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Delivery system for topical medications patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.53679 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Accenture , Agouron Pharmaceuticals , Amgen , AT&T , Bausch & Lomb , Callaway Golf |
||
