Details for Patent: 7,988,952

Title:	Delivery of drug esters through an inhalation route
Abstract:	The present invention relates to the delivery of drug esters through an inhalation route. Specifically, it relates to aerosols containing drug esters that are used in inhalation therapy. In a method aspect of the present invention, a drug ester is delivered to a patient through an inhalation route. The method comprises: a) heating a composition, wherein the composition comprises a drug ester, to form a vapor; and, b) allowing the vapor to cool, thereby forming a condensation aerosol comprising particles with less than 5% drug ester degradation product. In a kit aspect of the present invention, a kit for delivering a drug ester through an inhalation route is provided which comprises: a) a thin coating of a drug ester composition and b) a device for dispensing said thin coating as a condensation aerosol.
Inventor(s):	Rabinowitz; Joshua D. (Princeton, NJ), Zaffaroni; Alejandro C. (Atherton, CA)
Assignee:	Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Mountain View, CA)
Filing Date:	Mar 27, 2008
Application Number:	12/057,330
Claims:	1. A condensation aerosol for delivery of drug ester, wherein the drug ester is an ester of a drug selected from the group consisting of aceclofenac, alclofenac, alminoprofen, amfenac, aspirin, benoxaprofen, bermoprofen, bromfenac, bufexamac, butibufen, bucloxate, carprofen, cinchophen, cinmetacin, clidanac, clopriac, clometacin, diclofenac, diflunisal, etodolac, fenclozate, fenoprofen, flutiazin, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, ibufenac, indomethacin, indoprofen, ketoprofen, ketorolac, loxoprofen, meclofenamate, naproxen, oxaprozin, pirprofen, prodolic acid, salsalate, sulindac, tofenamate, tolmetincoated, apomorphine, baclofen, levodopa, carbidopa, and thioctate; wherein the aerosol is formed by heating a composition containing the drug ester coated on a solid support to produce a vapor and cooling the vapor to form a condensation aerosol comprising particles; wherein the particles comprise at least 10 percent by weight of the drug ester and less than 5 percent by weight of drug ester degradation products; and wherein the condensation aerosol has an MMAD between 0.2 and 5 microns. 2. The condensation aerosol according to claim 1, wherein the condensation aerosol has an MMAD between 1 and 3 microns. 3. The condensation aerosol according to claim 1, wherein the geometric standard deviation around the MMAD is less than 2.0. 4. The condensation aerosol according to claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. 5. The condensation aerosol according to claim 1, wherein the drug ester is an ester of a drug selected from the group consisting of indomethacin, ketoprofen, ketorolac, and apomorphine. 6. The condensation aerosol according to claim 5, wherein the condensation aerosol has an MMAD between 1 and 3 microns. 7. The condensation aerosol according to claim 5, wherein the geometric standard deviation around the MMAD is less than 2.0. 8. The condensation aerosol according to claim 5, wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. 9. The condensation aerosol according to claim 5, wherein the drug ester is selected from the group consisting of indomethacin methyl ester, indomethacin ethyl ester, and indomethacin norcholine ester. 10. The condensation aerosol according to claim 5, wherein the drug ester is selected from the group consisting of ketoprofen methyl ester, ketoprofen ethyl ester, and ketoprofen norcholine ester. 11. The condensation aerosol according to claim 5, wherein the drug ester is selected from the group consisting of ketorolac methyl ester, ketorolac ethyl ester, and ketorolac norcholine ester. 12. The condensation aerosol according to claim 5, wherein the drug ester is apomorphine diacetate. 13. A method of producing a drug ester aerosol comprising: a. coating a composition containing the drug ester on a solid support, wherein the drug ester is an ester of a drug selected from the group consisting of aceclofenac, alclofenac, alminoprofen, amfenac, aspirin, benoxaprofen, bermoprofen, bromfenac, bufexamac, butibufen, bucloxate, carprofen, cinchophen, cinmetacin, clidanac, clopriac, clometacin, diclofenac, diflunisal, etodolac, fenclozate, fenoprofen, flutiazin, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, ibufenac, indomethacin, indoprofen, ketoprofen, ketorolac, loxoprofen, meclofenamate, naproxen, oxaprozin, pirprofen, prodolic acid, salsalate, sulindac, tofenamate, tolmetincoated, apomorphine, baclofen, levodopa, carbidopa, and thioctate; b. heating the coated composition to form a vapor; and c. allowing the vapor to cool to produce a condensation aerosol comprising particles, wherein the particles comprise less than 5 percent by weight of drug ester degradation products and wherein the condensation aerosol has an MMAD between 0.2 and 5 microns. 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the condensation aerosol has an MMAD between 1 and 3 microns. 15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the coated composition comprises at least 10 percent by weight of the drug ester. 16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. 17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the drug ester is an ester of a drug selected from the group consisting of indomethacin, ketoprofen, ketorolac, and apomorphine. 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the condensation aerosol has an MMAD between 1 and 3 microns. 19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the coated composition comprises at least 10 percent by weight of the drug ester. 20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. 21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the drug ester is selected from the group consisting of indomethacin methyl ester, indomethacin ethyl ester, and indomethacin norcholine ester. 22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the drug ester is selected from the group consisting of ketoprofen methyl ester, ketoprofen ethyl ester, and ketoprofen norcholine ester. 23. The method according to claim 17, wherein the drug ester is selected from the group consisting of ketorolac methyl ester, ketorolac ethyl ester, and ketorolac norcholine ester. 24. The method according to claim 17, wherein the drug ester is apomorphine diacetate.