Gelling agent for polyethylene gylcol

• US 5,840,337 A
• Filed: 06/13/1997
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: McNeil-PPC Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: McNeil-PPC Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Hoy, Michael R., Walter, Eric J., Cody, Sharon L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Page, Thurman K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOWARD, SHARON LEE
• Application Number:
  US08/874,257
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 424/401, 424/76.1, 424/464, 424/49, 424/451, 424/456, 424/455, 424/484, 514/557
• US Class Current: 424/486
• 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 9/4858 Organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/02 Stomatological preparations, e.g. drugs for caries, aphtae, periodontitis
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/04 for ulcers, gastritis or reflux esophagitis, e.g. antacids, inhibitors of acid secretion, mucosal protectants
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/14 Antitussive agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/04 Centrally acting analgesics, e.g. opioids
• 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 37/08 Antiallergic agents antiasthmatic agents A61P11/06; ophthalmic antiallergics A61P27/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to gelling liquid polyethylene glycol at room temperature with calcium acetate.

Claims

1. A gel composition, comprising:

polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of about 600 or less;

water;

calcium acetate in an amount effective to gel said polyethylene glycol; and

a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical dissolved or suspended in said gel.

2. The composition of claim 1 having a turbidity less than about 1300 NTU.

3. The composition of claim 2 wherein said polyethylene glycol has an average molecular weight of about 200 to about 600.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said pharmaceutical is selected from the group consisting of acetaminophen, famotidine, chlorpheniramine, pseudoephedrine, dextromethorphan, diphenhydramine, brompheniramine, phenylpropanolamine, clemastine, terfenadine, astemizole, loratadine, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and mixtures thereof.

5. A method of gelling liquid polyethylene glycol, comprising combining a liquid polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of about 600 or less with a gelling effective amount of calcium acetate and a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said calcium acetate is in the form of an aqueous solution when it is combined with the polyethylene glycol.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said pharmaceutical is mixed with said polyethylene glycol and then combined with said aqueous solution of calcium acetate without any additional mixing.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said mixture of pharmaceutical, polyethylene glycol and aqueous solution of calcium acetate is combined in a dual head filling device as separate streams.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said pharmaceutical is mixed with said polyethylene glycol and then combined with said aqueous solution of calcium acetate with further mixing.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein said pharmaceutical is selected from the group consisting of acetaminophen, famotidine, chlorpeniramine, pseudoephedrine, dextromethorphan, diphenhydramine, brompheniramine, phenylpropanolamine, clemastine, terfenadine, astemizole, loratadine, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and mixtures thereof.