Bioactive agent delivering system comprised of microparticles within a biodegradable to improve release profiles

• US 6,589,549 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2001
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BTG International Limited (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Macromedia Incorporated (Protherics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shih, Chung, Zentner, Gaylen
• Primary Examiner(s): Spear, James M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fubara, Blessing
• Application Number:
  US09/906,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20020076441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 424/426, 424/423, 424/486, 424/489, 424/501, 514/772.3
• US Class Current: 424/426
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/34 Macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds, e.g. polyesters, polyamino acids, polysiloxanes, polyphosphazines, copolymers of polyalkylene glycol or poloxamers A61K47/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0024 Solid, semi-solid or solidifying implants, which are implanted or injected in body tissue compositions for intravenous administration, normal injectable solutions or dispersions for, e.g. subcutaneous administration A61K9/0019; brain implants A61K9/0085; (coated) prostheses, catheters or stents A61L
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/06 Ointments; Bases therefor; Other semi-solid forms, e.g. creams, sticks, gels composition of ointments, creams or gels A61K47/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/1647 Polyesters, e.g. poly(lactide-co-glycolide)
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents

Abstract

A composition and method for releasing a bio-active agent or a drug within a biological environment in a controlled manner is disclosed. The composition is a dual phase polymeric agent—delivery composition comprising a continuous biocompatible gel phase, a discontinuous particulate phase comprising defined microparticles and an agent to be delivered. A microparticle containing a bio-active agent is releasably entrained within a biocompatible polymeric gel matrix. The bioactive agent release may be contained in the microparticle phase alone or in both the microparticles and the gel matrix. The release of the agent is prolonged over a period of time, and the delivery may be modulated and/or controlled. In addition, a second agent may be loaded in some of the microparticles and/or the gel matrix.

Claims

1. A dual phase polymeric agent-delivery composition comprising:

(a) a continuous biodegradable hydrogel phase,

(b) a discontinuous particulate phase comprising defined microparticles; and

(c) an agent to be delivered contained in at least said discontinuous particulate phase.

2. The composition according to claim 1 wherein said hydrogel is a stimuli responsive gel.

3. The composition according to claim 2 wherein said stimuli responsive gel is sensitive to stimuli selected from the group consisting of temperature, pH, ionic strength, solvent, pressure, stress, light intensity, electric field, magnetic field and gelling agents.

4. The composition according to claim 3 wherein said continuous gel phase is formed from block coplymers comprising an effective amount of biodegradable hydrophobic polyester A polymer blocks and polyethylene glycol B polymer blocks.

5. The composition according to claim 4 wherein the effective amount of biodegradable hydrophobic polyester A polymer blocks is 10-83% by weight of said block copolymer.

6. The composition according to claim 4 wherein said continuous gel phase has reverse thermal gelation (RTG) properties.

7. The composition according to claim 6 wherein said continuous gel phase is a mixture of two or more said block copolymers having different gelation properties.

8. The composition according to claim 6 wherein said continuous gel phase comprises tri-block copolymers which comprises about 51 to 83% by weight of said biodegradable hydrophobic polyester, and about 17 to 49% by weight of polyethylene glycol(PEG).

9. The composition according to claim 1 wherein said microparticle is in the form of a member selected from the group consisting of microcapsules, microspheres, and nanospheres.

10. The composition according to claim 1 wherein said agent is a drug which drug is a polypeptide or protein, oligonucleotide or gene, hormone, anti-cancer or anti-cell proliferation agent.

11. The composition according to claim 10 wherein said drug is a polypeptide or protein and is a member selected from the group consisting of oxytocin, vasopressin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), prolactin, luliberin, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH), LHRH agonists, LHRH antagonists, growth hormone, growth hormone releasing factor, insulin, erythropoietin, somatostatin, glucagon, interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-α

, β

, or γ

, gastrin, tetragastrin, pentagastrin, urogastrone, secretin, calcitonin, enkephalins, endorphins, angiotensins, thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), heparinase, bone morphogenic protein (BMP), hANP, glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1), interleukin-11 (IL-11), interleukin-12 (IL-12), VEG-F, recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen(rHBsAg), renin, bradykinin, bacitracins, polymyxins, colistins, tyrocidine, gramicidins, cyclosporins and synthetic analogues, modifications and pharmacologically active fragments thereof, enzymes, cytokines, antibodies and vaccines.

12. The composition according to claim 10 wherein said agent is a drug which drug is a member selected from the group consisting of testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, prostaglandins, leuprolide acetate, and synthetic analogues, modifications and pharmaceutically equivalents thereof.

13. The composition according to claim 10 wherein said agent is a drug which drug is an anti-cancer agent selected from the group consisting of mitomycin, bleomycin, BCNU, carboplatin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, methotrexate, paclitaxel, taxotere, actinomycin D, camptothecin, and synthetic analogues, modifications and pharmaceutically equivalents thereof.

14. The composition according to claim 1 further comprising a second agent.

15. The composition according to claim 13 wherein the second agent is a bioactive agent or a drug.

16. The composition according to claim 14 wherein some microparticles contain the first agent and other microparticles contain the second agent.

17. The composition according to claim 14 wherein the gel matrix contains both the first and the second agent.

18. The composition according to claim 14 wherein the second agent is an agent regulating the release profile of the first agent from the microparticle.

44. A method for delivering an agent to a biological environment in a controlled manner for a prolonged period of time, comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a dual phase polymeric delivery composition according to claim 22,

(2) maintaining said composition as a suspension; and

(3) administering said composition suspension to the biological environment, with subsequent gel formation in the biological environment in response to a stimuli.

45. The method according to claim 44 wherein said administration is via parenteral, ocular, topical, inhalation, transdermal, vaginal, buccal, transmucosal, transurethral, rectal, nasal, oral, pulmonary or aural routes.

46. The method according to claim 44 wherein the biological environment is a warm blooded animal, including human beings.

47. A method for delivering an agent to a biological environment in a controlled manner for a prolonged period of time, comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a dual phase polymeric delivery composition according to claim 1, 19, or 32,

(2) gelling said composition; and

(3) administering said composition as a gel to the biological environment.

48. The method according to claim 47 wherein said administration is via parenteral, ocular, topical, inhalation, transdermal, vaginal, buccal, transmucosal, transurethral, rectal, nasal, oral, pulmonary or aural routes.

49. The method according to claim 47 wherein the biological environment is a warm blooded animal, including humans.

50. A method for enhancing the stability of a drug during the release from a microparticle delivery system process by providing a dual phase biodegradable polymeric delivery composition according to claim 1, 19 or 32.

19. A dual phase polymeric agent-delivery composition comprising:

(a) a continuous biocompatible gel phase which is stimuli responsive,

(b) a discontinuous particulate phase comprising defined microparticles; and

(c) an agent to be delivered contained in at least said discontinuous particulate phase.

20. The composition according to claim 19 wherein said stimuli responsive gel is sensitive to stimuli selected from the group consisting of temperature, pH, ionic strength, solvent, pressure, stress, light intensity, electric field, magnetic field and gelling agents.

21. The composition according to claim 20 wherein said stimuli responsive gel has reverse thermal gelation (RTG) properties.

22. The composition according to claim 21 wherein said stimuli responsive gel is a mixture of two or more said block copolymers having different gelation properties.

23. The composition according to claim 19 wherein said microparticle is in the form of a member selected from the group consisting of microcapsules, microspheres, and nanospheres.

24. The composition according to claim 19 wherein said agent is a drug which drug is a polypeptide or protein, oligonucleotide or gene, hormone, anti-cancer or anti-cell proliferation agent.

25. The composition according to claim 19 wherein the microparticle content of said composition is between about 0.0001 and 30% by weight.

26. The composition according to claim 19 wherein the microparticle content of said composition is between about 0.0001 and 30% by weight.

27. The composition according to claim 19 further comprising a second agent.

28. The composition according to claim 27 wherein the second agent is a bioactive agent or a drug.

29. The composition according to claim 27 wherein some microparticles contain the first agent and other microparticles contain the second agent.

30. The composition according to claim 27 wherein the gel matrix contains both the first and the second agent.

31. The composition according to claim 27 wherein the second agent is an agent regulating the release profile of the first agent from the microparticle.

32. A dual phase polymeric agent-delivery composition comprising:

(a) a continuous biocompatible gel phase having reverse thermal gelation properties,

(b) a discontinuous particulate phase comprising defined microparticles; and

(c) an agent to be delivered contained in at least said discontinuous particulate phase.

33. The composition according to claim 32 wherein said continuous gel phase is a mixture of two or more said block copolymers having different gelation properties.

34. The composition according to claim 33 wherein said continuous gel phase comprises tri-block copolymers which comprises about 51 to 83% by weight of said biodegradable hydrophobic polyester, and about 17 to 49% by weight of polyethylene glycol(PEG).

35. The composition according to claim 32 wherein said microparticle is in the form of a member selected from the group consisting of microcapsules, microspheres, and nanospheres.

36. The composition according to claim 32 wherein said agent is a drug which drug is a polypeptide or protein, oligonucleotide or gene, hormone, anti-cancer or anti-cell proliferation agent.

37. The composition according to claim 32 wherein the microparticle content of said composition is between about 0.0001 and 30% by weight.

38. The composition according to claim 32 wherein the microparticle content of said composition is between about 0.0001 and 30% by weight.

39. The composition according to claim 32 further comprising a second agent.

40. The composition according to claim 39 wherein the second agent is a bioactive agent or a drug.

41. The composition according to claim 39 wherein some microparticles contain the first agent and other microparticles contain the second agent.

42. The composition according to claim 39 wherein the gel matrix contains both the first and the second agent.

43. The composition according to claim 39 wherein the second agent is an agent regulating the release profile of the microparticle or the first agent.