Drug delivery system using subconjunctival depot

• US 20060039979A1
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Santen Pharmaceutical Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Santen Pharmaceutical Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamada, Kazuhito, Kuwano, Mitsuaki
• Application Number:
  US10/537,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20060039979A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/486
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/573 substituted in position 21, e.g. cortisone, dexamethasone, prednisone or aldosterone
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/10 Alcohols; Phenols; Salts thereof, e.g. glycerol; Polyethylene glycols [PEG]; Poloxamers; PEG/POE alkyl ethers
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/12 Carboxylic acids; Salts or anhydrides thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/36 Polysaccharides; Derivatives thereof, e.g. gums, starch, alginate, dextrin, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, inulin, agar or pectin
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/38 Cellulose; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0048 Eye, e.g. artificial tears
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0051 Ocular inserts, ocular implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/1647 Polyesters, e.g. poly(lactide-co-glycolide)
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/02 for peripheral neuropathies
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 27/02 Ophthalmic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 27/06 Antiglaucoma agents or miotics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/04 Antibacterial agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/10 Antimycotics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/12 Antivirals
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/06 Immunosuppressants, e.g. drugs for graft rejection
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 9/00 Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system

Abstract

The present invention provides a drug delivery system to a posterior segment wherein a pharmaceutical composition comprising a drug and a vehicle is administered subconjunctivally to form a depot out of the vehicle, and thereby the drug is gradually released from the depot to enable an effective concentration of the drug to be maintained, the pharmaceutical composition comprising the vehicle which is in the form of gel subconjunctivally and the drug suspended in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A drug delivery system to a posterior segment wherein a pharmaceutical composition comprising a drug and a vehicle is administered subconjunctivally to form a depot out of the vehicle, and thereby the drug is gradually released from the depot to enable an effective concentration of the drug to be maintained, the pharmaceutical composition comprising the vehicle which is in the form of gel subconjunctivally and the drug suspended in the vehicle.

2. The drug delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dosage form of the pharmaceutical composition is an injection.

3. The drug delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is in the form of gel on administration or a vehicle which is in the form of solution on administration and in the form of a gel subconjunctivally after administration.

4. The drug delivery system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the vehicle is a thermosensitive gel, an ion-sensitive gel or a pH-sensitive gel.

5. The drug delivery system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the drug is a hardly water-soluble drug.

6. The drug delivery system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the hardly water-soluble drug is a drug which has lipid-solubility by which the drug is not soluble in the vehicle and can be suspended in the vehicle.

7. The drug delivery system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the hardly water-soluble drug is a drug which is made hardly water-soluble by converting a water-soluble drug into its prodrug.

8. The drug delivery system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the drug is a water-soluble drug, the drug is encapsulated in a nanosphere or a microsphere, then it is suspended in a vehicle which is in the form of gel subconjunctivally to give a pharmaceutical composition, and the composition is administered subconjunctivally.

10. The drug delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the posterior segment is a retina, a choroid, an optic nerve, a vitreous body or a crystalline lens.

11. The drug delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drug is a drug for treatment or prevention of a disease of a retina, a choroid, an optic nerve, a vitreous body or a crystalline lens.

12. The drug delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drug is an anti-inflammatory, an immunosuppressor, an antiviral, an anticancer drug, an angiogenesis inhibitor, an optic neural protectant, an antimicrovial or an antifungal agent.

9. A subconjunctival injection comprising a drug suspended in a vehicle which is in the form of gel subconjunctivally, wherein the vehicle of the injection forms a depot subconjunctivally, and the drug is released gradually from the depot, thereby enabling a drug concentration in a posterior segment tissue to be maintained.

13. The subconjunctival injection as claimed in claim 9, wherein the posterior segment is a retina, a choroid, an optic nerve, a vitreous body or a crystalline lens.

14. The subconjunctival injection as claimed in claim 9, wherein the drug is a drug for treatment or prevention of a disease of a retina, a choroid, an optic nerve, a vitreous body or a crystalline lens.

15. The subconjunctival injection as claimed in claim 9, wherein the drug is an anti-inflammatory, an immunosuppressor, an antiviral, an anticancer drug, an angiogenesis inhibitor, an optic neural protectant, an antimicrovial or an antifungal agent.