Oxygen scavenging pharmaceutical package and methods for making same

• US 20060076536A1
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. (Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. (Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Barshied, Scott R.
• Application Number:
  US11/217,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20060076536A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/188.280
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/268 the absorber being enclosed in a small pack, e.g. bag, included in the package
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/0233 Chemical processing only
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2210/0046 Nitrogen

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to a pharmaceutical packaging for increasing the product shelf life, reducing discoloration, and reducing degradation of pharmaceuticals by reducing the oxygen level present in the pharmaceutical package. The pharmaceutical package comprises a substantially oxygen impermeable container, at least one oxygen scavenging element disposed in the container, and at least one packaged pharmaceutical product disposed in the oxygen impermeable container.

Claims

1. A pharmaceutical package comprising:

a substantially oxygen impermeable container;

at least one oxygen scavenging element disposed in the container; and

at least one packaged pharmaceutical product disposed in the container.

2. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 1 further comprising air disposed in the container, the at least one oxygen scavenging element disposed in the container so as to scavenge oxygen from the air within the container.

3. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 1 wherein the at least one oxygen scavenging element and the at least one packaged pharmaceutical component are vacuumed packed.

4. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 1 further comprising a support tray supporting the at least one oxygen scavenging element and the at least one packaged pharmaceutical product.

5. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 4 wherein the support tray is disposed in the container.

6. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 1 wherein the container comprises the support tray.

7. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 4 wherein the support tray has a first recess for receiving the at least one oxygen scavenging element.

8. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 7 wherein the support tray has a second recess for receiving the at least one packaged pharmaceutical product.

9. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 4 wherein the support tray is formed from thermoplastic.

10. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 9, wherein the thermoplastic is selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and polycarbonate.

11. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 9 wherein the thermoplastic further comprises an oxygen scavenger.

12. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 4 wherein the support tray further comprises an attachment element.

13. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 12, wherein the attachment element is an adhesive, Velcro, staple, nail, screw, thread, wire, or sliding groves.

14. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 4 wherein the support tray is stackable.

15. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 1 wherein the container is a flexible container.

16. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 1 wherein the container is a rigid container.

17. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 1 wherein the container comprises a metal foil, a laminate comprising metal foil, glass, oxides of silicon, or amorphous carbon.

18. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 17 wherein the metal foil comprises aluminum, zinc, nickel, tin, iron, copper, chromium, cobalt, silver, gold, magnesium, manganese, lead, galvanized iron, composite of nickel on aluminum, a composite film of iron on aluminum, a composite of zinc on silver, a composite of zinc on copper, a composite of zinc on aluminum, metal oxides, or a combination thereof.

19. A pharmaceutical package as claim 17 wherein the laminate comprises polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polystyrene, polyamide, EVOH, polyurethane, copolymers thereof, or blends thereof.

20. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 1 wherein the container comprises a resealable closure.

21. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 1 wherein the at least one oxygen scavenging element comprises metal particulate reactive with oxygen.

22. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 1 wherein the at least one oxygen scavenging element comprises particulate iron.

23. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 21 wherein the at least one oxygen scavenging element is substantially centrally located within the container.

24. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 1 wherein the at least one packaged pharmaceutical product comprises a pharmaceutical product disposed in an oxygen permeable package.

25. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 24 wherein the pharmaceutical product is oxygen sensitive.

26. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 24 wherein the pharmaceutical product is 5-amino-2-hydroxybenzoic acid.

27. A pharmaceutical package as in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals disposed in the container.

28. A method for packaging an oxygen sensitive pharmaceutical product comprising encasing at least one packaged pharmaceutical product and at least one oxygen scavenging element in at least one substantially oxygen impermeable container.

29. A method as in claim 28 wherein the step of encasing comprises encasing air in the container and the at least one oxygen scavenging element in the container so as to scavenge oxygen from the air within the container.

30. A method as in claim 28 wherein the step of encasing comprises vacuum packing the at least one oxygen scavenging element and the at least one packaged pharmaceutical product within the container.

31. A method as in claim 28 further comprising the step of supporting the at least one oxygen scavenging element and the at least one packaged pharmaceutical product on a support tray.

32. A method as in claim 31 wherein the step of encasing comprises encasing the support tray in the container.

33. A method as in claim 28 wherein the container comprises the support tray.

34. A method as in claim 31 wherein the step of supporting comprises disposing the at least one oxygen scavenging element in a first recess in the support tray.

35. A method as in claim 34 wherein the step of supporting comprises disposing the at least one packaged pharmaceutical product in a second recess in the support tray.

36. A method as in claim 31 wherein the support tray is formed from thermoplastic.

37. A method as in claim 36 wherein the thermoplastic is selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and polycarbonate.

38. A method as in claim 36 wherein the thermoplastic further comprises an oxygen scavenger.

39. A method as in claim 31 further comprising attaching the at least one packaged pharmaceutical product central to the support tray.

40. A method as in claim 39 wherein the step of attaching comprises attaching the at least one packaged pharmaceutical product with an adhesive, Velcro, staple, nail, screw, thread, wire, or sliding groves.

41. A method as in claim 31 wherein the support tray is stackable.

42. A method as in claim 28 wherein the container is a flexible container.

43. A method as in claim 28 wherein the container is a rigid container.

44. A method as in claim 28 wherein the container comprises a metal foil, a laminate comprising metal foil, glass, oxides of silicon, or amorphous carbon.

45. A method as in claim 44 wherein the metal foil comprises aluminum, zinc, nickel, tin, iron, copper, chromium, cobalt, silver, gold, magnesium, manganese, lead, galvanized iron, composite of nickel on aluminum, a composite film of iron on aluminum, a composite of zinc on silver, a composite of zinc on copper, a composite of zinc on aluminum, metal oxides, or a combination thereof.

46. A method as in claim 44 wherein the laminate comprises polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polystyrene, polyamide, EVOH, polyurethane, copolymers thereof, or blends thereof.

47. A method as in claim 28 wherein the container comprises a resealable closure.

48. A method as in claim 28 wherein the at least one oxygen scavenging element comprises metal particulate reactive with oxygen.

49. A method as in claim 28 wherein the at least one oxygen scavenging element comprises particulate iron.

50. A method as in claim 49 wherein the at least one oxygen scavenging element is substantially centrally located within the container.

51. A method as in claim 28 wherein the at least one packaged pharmaceutical product comprises a pharmaceutical product disposed in an oxygen permeable package.

52. A method as in claim 51 wherein the pharmaceutical product is oxygen sensitive.

53. A method as in claim 51 wherein the pharmaceutical product is 5-amino-2-hydroxybenzoic acid.

54. A method as in claim 28 wherein the step of encasing comprises encasing a plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals disposed in the container.