Treatment of acne

• US 7,008,647 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals Corp. (The Westaim Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals Corp. (The Westaim Corporation)
• Inventors: Burrell, Robert Edward, Yin, Hua Qing
• Primary Examiner(s): PAK, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US09/840,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20020192298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,779 Days
• Field of Search: 514/859, 514492-495, 514499-500, 514/503, 514/886, 514/887, 514/944, 514/951, 514/952, 514/963, 514/964, 514/965, 424617-619, 424/646, 424649-651, 424/682, 424/489, 424/400, 424/402, 424/404, 424/405, 424/409, 424/411, 424443-448, 424/490, 424/600, 424/604, 424630-635, 424637-638, 424641-643, 424/653, 602/41
• US Class Current: 424/618
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2300/00 Mixtures or combinations of active ingredients, wherein at least one active ingredient is fully defined in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/24 Heavy metals; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/242 Gold; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/243 Platinum; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/38 Silver; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0014 Skin, i.e. galenical aspects of topical compositions non-active ingredients are additionally classified in A61K47/00; A61K9/0009, A61K9/0021, A61K9/7015, A61K9/7023 take precedence; cosmetic preparations A61K8/00, A61Q; preparations for wound dressings or bandages A61L26/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/14 Particulate form, e.g. powders, Processes for size reducing of pure drugs or the resulting products, Pure drug nanoparticles microspheres A61K9/16; microcapsules A61K9/50; nanocapsules, nanoparticles of the matrix type A61K9/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/70 Web, sheet or filament bases ; Films; Fibres of the matrix type containing drug hollow drug-filled fibres A61K9/0092
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/46 Deodorants or malodour counteractants, e.g. to inhibit the formation of ammonia or bacteria
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 17/145 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/104 Silver, e.g. silver sulfadiazine
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/404 Biocides, antimicrobial agents, antiseptic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/63 Crystals
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/30 Inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/10 Inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/082 Inorganic materials

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of one or more antimicrobial metals selected from silver, gold, platinum, and palladium but most preferably silver, preferably formed with atomic disorder, and preferably in a nanocrystalline form, for the treatment of a acne. The nanocrystalline antimicrobial metal of choice may be used in the form of a nanocrystalline coating of one or more antimicrobial metals, a nanocrystalline powder of one or more antimicrobial metals, or a solution containing dissolved species from a nanocrystalline powder or coating of one or more antimicrobial metals.

Claims

1. A method of treating acne conditions, the method comprising:

contacting an acne problem area of a patient with a therapeutically effective amount of one or more antimicrobial metals in a nanocrystalline form to provide a localized antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect,

wherein;

the one or more antimicrobial metals in nanocrystalline form have sufficient atomic disorder so that the one or more antimicrobial metals in nanocrystalline form, when in contact with an alcohol or water-based electrolyte, releases atoms, ions, molecules, or clusters of the one or more antimicrobial metals in nanocrystalline form into the alcohol or water-based electrolyte on a sustainable basis and at a concentration sufficient to provide a localized antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect; and

the one or more antimicrobial metals are provided as a coating on, or filler in, a dressing, or in a pharmaceutical composition with one or more pharmaceutically and dermatologically acceptable carriers, diluents or excipients suitable for topical administration.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial metal is nanocrystalline silver, wherein nanocrystalline indicates a grain size which is less than 100 nanometers in at least one dimension.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pharmaceutical composition includes a nanocrystalline powder of said one or more antimicrobial metals, or a solution containing dissolved species from a nanocrystalline powder or coating of said one or more antimicrobial metals.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the pharmaceutical composition is a gel, cream or lotion containing the antimicrobial metal powder in an amount of 0.01–

5% by weight, or a liquid containing 0.001–

1% by weight of the antimicrobial metal.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coating is provided on a dressing.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the coating is 15–

3000 nm thick.

7. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the coating comprises:

a base layer of partly reflective material capable of generating an interference color when covered with a partly reflective, partly light transmissive top layer; and

a top layer formed over said base layer, said top layer being a partly reflective, partly light transmissive thin film containing at least one noble metal in nanocrystalline form and having a thickness so that a first or second order interference color is produced, said top layer having a refractive index different from that of said base layer, and the noble metal being formed with sufficient atomic disorder so that the top layer, in contact with an alcohol or water based electrolyte, releases ions, atoms, molecules or clusters of the noble metal into the alcohol or water based electrolyte on a sustainable basis.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the dressing is fixed in place with an occlusive or semi-occlusive layer which maintains the dressing in a moist condition.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the occlusive layer or semi-occlusive layer is an adhesive tape or film.

10. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the antimicrobial metal is nanocrystalline silver, wherein nanocrystalline indicates a grain size which is less than 50 nanometers in at least one dimension.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the antimicrobial metal is nanocrystalline silver, wherein nanocrystalline indicates a grain size which is less than 25 nanometers in at least one dimension.

12. The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the nanocrystalline powder includes particulates of the one or more antimicrobial metals having a particulate size which is less than 100 μ

m.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the nanocrystalline powder includes particulates of the one or more antimicrobial metals having a particulate size which is less than 40 μ

m.

14. A method of treating acne conditions, comprising:

contacting an acne problem area of a patient with a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition to provide a localized antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect,

wherein;

the pharmaceutical composition comprises;

an antimicrobial metal in a nanocrystalline form; and

one or more pharmaceutically and dermatologically acceptable carriers, diluents or excipients suitable for topical administration; and

the antimicrobial metal in nanocrystalline form has sufficient atomic disorder so that the antimicrobial metal in nanocrystalline form, when in contact with an alcohol or water-based electrolyte, releases atoms, ions, molecules, or clusters of the metal into the alcohol or water-based electrolyte on a sustainable basis and at a concentration sufficient to provide a localized antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises a gel, cream or lotion containing the antimicrobial silver in a nanocrystalline form in an amount of 0.01 to 5% by weight.

16. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the antimicrobial metal in nanocrystalline form has a grain size of less than 100 nanometers in at least one dimension.

17. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the antimicrobial metal in nanocrystalline form has a grain size of less than 50 nanometers in at least one dimension.

18. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the antimicrobial metal in nanocrystalline form has a grain size of less than 25 nanometers in at least one dimension.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the antimicrobial metal in nanocrystalline form is selected from the group consisting of antimicrobial silver in nanocrystalline form, antimicrobial gold in nanocrystalline form, antimicrobial platinum in nanocrystalline form, and antimicrobial palladium in nanocrystalline form.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the antimicrobial metal in nanocrystalline form comprises antimicrobial silver in nanocrystalline form.