Details for Patent: 6,585,955

Title:	Long-lasting aqueous dispersions or suspensions of pressure-resistant gas-filled microvesicles and methods for the preparation thereof
Abstract:	One can impart outstanding resistance against collapse under pressure to gas-filled microvesicle used as contrast agents in ultrasonic echography by using as fillers gases whose solubility in water, expressed in liter of gas by liter of water under standard conditions, divided by the square root of the molecular weight does not exceed 0.003.
Inventor(s):	Schneider; Michel (Troinex, CH), Yan; Feng (Geneva, CH), Grenier; Pascal (late of Ambilly, FR), Puginier; Jerome (Valleiry, FR), Barrau; Marie-Bernadette (Geneva, CH)
Assignee:	Bracco International B.V. (Amsterdam, NL)
Filing Date:	Oct 31, 1996
Application Number:	08/740,653
Claims:	1. A contrast agent for ultrasonic echography having an improved resistance to pressure variations comprising, as a suspension in an aqueous carrier liquid, microballoons consisting of a freon gas bounded by an organic polymer envelope made from denatured serum albumin. 2. A contrast agent for ultrasonic echography having an improved resistance to pressure variations comprising, as a suspension in an aqueous carrier liquid, microballoons consisting of a freon gas bubble encapsulated by an organic polymer envelope made from denatured serum albumin. 3. A contrast agent for ultrasonic echography having an improved resistance to pressure variations comprising, as a suspension in an aqueous carrier liquid, microballoons comprising a freon gas bubble encapsulated by an organic polymer envelope made from denatured serum albumin, said envelope being in contact only with the gas and the aqueous carrier liquid. 4. A contrast agent for ultrasonic echography having resistance to pressure variations comprising: a) a plurality of polymeric structures, each polymeric structure consisting of denatured serum albumin in a hollow microballoon form, b) a freon gas that is contained within the hollow microballoon form, and c) an aqueous pharmaceutical formulation for injection. 5. A contrast agent for ultrasonic echography having resistance to pressure variations comprising: a) a plurality of polymeric structures, each polymeric structure consisting of denatured serum albumin, b) a freon gas that is contained within the polymeric structure, and c) an aqueous pharmaceutical formulation for injection. 6. A contrast agent for ultrasonic echography comprising, as a suspension in an aqueous carrier liquid, microballoons consisting of a gas comprising a halogenated hydrocarbon bounded by an organic polymer envelope made from denatured serum albumin. 7. A contrast agent for ultrasonic echography comprising, as a suspension in an aqueous carrier liquid, microballoons consisting of a gas bubble comprising a halogenated hydrocarbon encapsulated by an organic polymer envelope made from denatured serum albumin. 8. A contrast agent for ultrasonic echography comprising, as a suspension in an aqueous carrier liquid, microballoons consisting of a gas bubble comprising a halogenated hydrocarbon encapsulated by an organic polymer envelope made from denatured serum albumin, said envelope being in contact only with the gas and the aqueous carrier liquid. 9. A contrast agent for ultrasonic echography having resistance to pressure variations comprising: a) a plurality of polymeric structures, each polymeric structure consisting of denatured serum albumin in a hollow microballoon form, b) gas comprising a halogenated hydrocarbon that is contained within the hollow microballoon form, and c) an aqueous pharmaceutical formulation for injection. 10. A contrast agent for ultrasonic echography comprising: a) a plurality of polymeric structures, each polymeric structure consisting of denatured serum albumin, b) gas comprising a halogenated hydrocarbon that is contained within the polymeric structure, and c) an aqueous pharmaceutical formulation for injection.