Details for Patent: 7,060,708

Title:	Active agent delivery systems and methods for protecting and administering active agents
Abstract:	The present invention relates to active agent delivery systems and more specifically to compositions that comprise amino acids, as single amino acids or peptides, covalently attached to active agents and methods for administering conjugated active agent compositions.
Inventor(s):	Piccariello; Thomas (Blacksburg, VA), Kirk; Randal J. (Radford, VA), Mickle; Travis (Charlottesville, VA)
Assignee:	New River Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Radford, VA)
Filing Date:	May 29, 2002
Application Number:	10/156,527
Claims:	1. A composition comprising: a carrier peptide that comprises at least one hydrocodone covalently attached to said carrier peptide; wherein said carrier peptide has a length between 1 and 500 amino acids; and wherein said composition is in a form suitable for release of said hydrocodone into the bloodstream of a subject to whom the composition is to be administered from the alimentary tract. 2. A composition comprising: a carrier peptide with a length between one and 50 amino acids; at least one hydrocodone covalently bound to said carrier peptide; and wherein said composition is in a form suitable for modulation of a pharmaceological effect in the small intestine in a subject to whom the composition is to be administered. 3. A composition comprising: a carrier peptide with a length between three and nine amino acids; and at least one hydrocodone covalently bound to said carrier peptide. 4. A composition comprising: a carrier peptide wherein said carrier peptide has a length between one and 50 amino acids and is in a form suitable for pharmaceological effect in the small intestine of a subject to whom the composition is to be administered; and at least one hydrocodone covalently bound to said carrier peptide wherein said hydrocodone is released into the bloodstream. 5. A composition comprising: a carrier peptide wherein said carrier peptide has a length between one and 50 amino acids in a form which converts the mechanism of hydrocodone adsorption from passive to active uptake; and hydrocodone covalently bound to said carrier peptide. 6. A method of treating pain, said method comprising administering to a subject a composition comprising: a carrier peptide; and at least one hydrocodone covalently attached to said carrier peptide wherein said carrier peptide comprises fewer than 50 amino acids in length; and wherein said carrier peptide is in a form suitable for delivery into the bloodstream. 7. A composition comprising: hydrocodone covalently attached to the C-terminus of a carrier peptide wherein said carrier peptide comprises fewer than 50 amino acids and wherein said composition is in a form suitable for oral delivery and release of said hydrocodone into the bloodstream of a subject to whom the composition is to be administered. 8. The composition of claim 7 wherein the carrier peptide is a dipeptide. 9. The composition of claim 7 wherein the carrier peptide is a tripeptide. 10. The composition of claim 7 wherein the carrier peptide is a tetrapeptide. 11. The composition of claim 7 wherein the carrier peptide is a pentapeptide. 12. The composition of claim 7 wherein the carrier peptide is a hexapeptide. 13. The composition of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 wherein said amino acids comprise naturally occurring amino acids. 14. The composition of any one of claims 8-12 wherein said carrier peptide comprises naturally occurring amino acids. 15. The composition of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 wherein said amino acids consists essentially of naturally occurring amino acids. 16. The composition of any one of claims 8-12 wherein said carrier peptide consists essentially of naturally occurring amino acids. 17. The composition of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 wherein said amino acids consist of naturally occurring amino acids. 18. The composition of any one of claims 8-12 wherein said carrier consists of naturally occurring amino acids. 19. The composition of claim 8, wherein said dipeptide comprises at least one of Alanine, Glycine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Lysine, Serine, Threonine or Tyrosine. 20. The composition of claim 8, wherein said dipeptide consists essentially of Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Isoleucine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine, or a combination thereof. 21. The composition of claim 9, wherein said tripeptide further comprises at least one of Alanine, Glycine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Lysine, Serine, Threonine or Tyrosine. 22. The composition of any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said carrier peptide has a length between four and eight amino acids. 23. The composition of any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said carrier peptide has a length between four and 15 amino acids. 24. The composition of any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said carrier peptide has a length between nine and 50 amino acids. 25. The composition of any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said carrier peptide is Ser-Ser, Lys, Glu-Glu, Asp-Asp, Asp-Asp-Asp, Asp-Asp-Glu, Asp-Asp-Ser, Asp-Asp-Lys, Asp-Asp-Cys, Ala-Glu, Ala-Ser, Ala-Asp, Ala-Asn, Ala-Thr, Ala-Arg, Ala-Cys, Ala-Gln, Ala-Tyr, LeuGlu, Leu-Ser, Leu-Asp, Leu-Asn, Leu-Thr, Leu-Arg, Leu-Cys, Leu-Gln, Leu-Tyr, Phe-Glu, Phe-Ser, Phe-Asp, Phe-Asn, Phe-Thr, Phe-Arg, Phe-Cys, Phe-Gln, Phe-Tyr, Val-Glu, Val-Ser, Val-Asp, Val-Asn, Val-Thr, Val-Arg, Val-Cys, Val-Gln, or Val-Tyr. 26. The composition of claim 11 wherein said pentapeptide comprises Tyrosine, Phenylalanine and Isoleucine. 27. The composition of claim 13 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 28. A composition consisting essentially of: hydrocodone covalently attached to the C-terminus of a carrier peptide wherein said carrier peptide comprises fewer than 50 amino acids and wherein said composition is in a form suitable for oral delivery and release of said hydrocodone into the bloodstream of a subject following oral delivery. 29. The composition of claim 28 wherein the carrier peptide is a dipeptide. 30. The composition of claim 28 wherein the carrier peptide is a tripeptide. 31. The composition of claim 28 wherein the carrier peptide is a tetrapeptide. 32. The composition of claim 28 wherein the carrier peptide is a pentapeptide. 33. The composition of claim 28 wherein the carrier peptide is a hexapeptide. 34. The composition of any one of claims 28-33 wherein said carrier peptide comprises naturally occurring amino acids. 35. The composition of any one of claims 28-33 wherein said carrier peptide consists essentially of naturally occurring amino acids. 36. The composition of any one of claims 28-33 wherein said carrier consists of naturally occurring amino acids. 37. The composition of claim 29, wherein said dipeptide comprises at least one of Alanine, Glycine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Lysine, Serine, Threonine or Tyrosine. 38. The composition of claim 29 wherein said dipeptide consists essentially of Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Isoleucine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine, or a combination thereof. 39. The composition of claim 30, wherein said tripeptide further comprises at least one of Alanine, Glycine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Lysine, Serine, threonine or Tyrosine. 40. The composition of claim 28, wherein said carrier peptide has a length between four and eight amino acids. 41. The composition of claim 28, wherein said carrier peptide has a length between four and 15 amino acids. 42. The composition of claim 28, wherein said carrier peptide has a length between nine and 50 amino acids. 43. The composition of claim 28, wherein said carrier peptide is Ser-Ser, Lys, Glu-Glu, Asp-Asp, Asp-Asp-Asp, Asp-Asp-Glu, Asp-Asp-Ser, Asp-Asp-Lys, Asp-Asp-Cys, Ala-Glu, Ala-Ser, Ala-Asp, Ala-Asn, Ala-Thr, Ala-Arg, Ala-Cys, Ala-Gln, Ala-Tyr, LeuGlu, Leu-Ser, Leu-Asp, Leu-Asn, Leu-Thr, Leu-Arg, Leu-Cys, Leu-Gln, Leu-Tyr, Phe-Glu, Phe-Ser, Phe-Asp, Phe-Asn, Phe-Thr, Phe-Arg, Phe-Cys, Phe-Gln, Phe-Tyr, Val-Glu, Val-Ser, Val-Asp, Val-Asn, Val-Thr, Val-Arg, Val-Cys, Val-Gln, or Val-Tyr. 44. The composition of claim 32 wherein said pentapeptide comprises Tyrosine, Phenylalanine and Isoleucine. 45. The composition of claim 28-33 wherein said form suitable for oral delivery is a tablet, capsule, an oral suspension or oral solution. 46. The composition of claim 14, wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 47. The composition of claim 15, wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 48. The composition of claim 16, wherein said form is a table, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 49. The composition of claim 34, wherein said form suitable for oral delivery is a table, capsule, an oral suspension or oral solution. 50. The composition of claim 35 wherein said form suitable for oral delivery is a tablet, capsule, an oral suspension or oral solution. 51. The composition of claim 36, wherein said form suitable for oral delivery is a tablet, capsule, an oral suspension or oral solution. 52. The method of claim 6, wherein said carrier peptide is a dipeptide. 53. The method of claim 6, wherein said carrier peptide is a tripeptide. 54. The method of claim 6, wherein said carrier peptide is a tetrapeptide. 55. The method of claim 6, wherein said carrier peptide is a pentapeptide. 56. The method of claim 6, wherein said carrier peptide is a hexapeptide. 57. The method of any one of claims 52-56 wherein said carrier peptide comprises naturally occurring amino acids. 58. The method of any one of claims 52-56 wherein said carrier peptide consists essentially of naturally occurring amino acids. 59. The method of any one of claims 52-56 wherein said carrier peptide consists of naturally occurring amino acids. 60. The composition of claim 32 wherein said pentapeptide consists essentially of Tyrosine, Phenylalanine and Isoleucine. 61. The composition of claim 11 wherein said pentapeptide consists essentially of Tyrosine, Phenylalanine and Isoleucine. 62. The composition of claim 11 wherein said pentapeptide consists of Tyrosine, Phenylalanine and Isoleucine. 63. The composition of claim 32 wherein said pentapeptide consists of Tyrosine, Phenylalanine and Isoleucine. 64. The composition of claim 17 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 65. The composition of claim 18 wherein said form suitable for oral administration is a table, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 66. The composition of any one of claims 19-21 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 67. The composition of any one of claims 39-44 wherein said form suitable for oral delivery is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 68. The method of any one of claims 52-56 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 69. The method of claim 57 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 70. The method of claim 58 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 71. The method of claim 59 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 72. The composition of claim 22 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 73. The composition of claim 23 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 74. The composition of claim 24 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 75. The composition of claim 25 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 76. The composition of claim 26 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution. 77. The composition of any one of claims 60-63 wherein said form is a tablet, capsule, oral suspension or an oral solution.