Method of preparing gas-filled microspheres using a lyophilized lipids
First Claim
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1. A method of preparing a gas-filled microsphere comprising:
- a. obtaining a lyophilized lipid composition comprising the lipids dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine-polyethylene glycol, and dipalmitoylphosphatidic acid, in a ratio of about 70 to about 90 mole percent, about 5 to about 15 mole percent, and about 5 to about 15 mole percent, respectively, wherein the combined concentration of lipids is about 20 mg/ml to about 50 mg/ml of aqueous solution prior to lyophilizing;
b. dispersing said lyophilized composition in an aqueous-based pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to a concentration of about 0.1 mg/ml to about 5 mg/ml to form an aqueous microsphere-forming solution;
c. introducing a fluorine-containing gas into said aqueous microsphere-forming solution; and
d. shaking said aqueous microsphere-forming solution to form a microsphere filled with fluorine-containing gas.
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Abstract
Lyophilized lipid compositions, as well as methods for their preparation, are embodied by the present invention. Gas-filled microspheres prepared using the lyophilized lipid composition are particularly useful, for example, in ultrasonic imaging applications and in therapeutic drug delivery systems.
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18 Claims
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1. A method of preparing a gas-filled microsphere comprising:
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a. obtaining a lyophilized lipid composition comprising the lipids dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine-polyethylene glycol, and dipalmitoylphosphatidic acid, in a ratio of about 70 to about 90 mole percent, about 5 to about 15 mole percent, and about 5 to about 15 mole percent, respectively, wherein the combined concentration of lipids is about 20 mg/ml to about 50 mg/ml of aqueous solution prior to lyophilizing; b. dispersing said lyophilized composition in an aqueous-based pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to a concentration of about 0.1 mg/ml to about 5 mg/ml to form an aqueous microsphere-forming solution; c. introducing a fluorine-containing gas into said aqueous microsphere-forming solution; and d. shaking said aqueous microsphere-forming solution to form a microsphere filled with fluorine-containing gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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