Preparation of a lipid blend and a phospholipid suspension containing the lipid blend
First Claim
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1. A process for preparing a lipid suspension for use with a perfluorocarbon gas as an ultrasound contrast agent, the method comprising:
- (a) contacting phospholipids with a first non-aqueous solvent which causes the phospholipids to dissolve and form a lipid solution, wherein the contacting comprises the sequential addition of individual phospholipids to the first non-aqueous solvent wherein the phospholipids are 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidic acid, mono sodium salt (DPPA) and N-(methoxypolyethylene glycol 5000 carbamoyl)-1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine, mono sodium salt (MPEG5000-DPPE), or combining said phospholipids with each other prior to their addition to the first non-aqueous solvent;
(b) contacting the non-aqueous lipid solution of (a) with a second non-aqueous solvent which causes the phospholipids to precipitate out as a solid lipid blend;
(c) collecting the solid lipid blend;
(d) contacting the solid lipid blend with a third non-aqueous solvent which causes the lipid blend to dissolve to form a lipid blend solution;
(e) contacting the lipid blend solution with an aqueous solution to yield the lipid suspension; and
(f) filtering the lipid suspension through one or two sterilizing filters to form a filtered lipid suspension.
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Abstract
The present invention describes processes for the preparation of a lipid blend and a uniform filterable phospholipid suspension containing the lipid blend, such suspension being useful as an ultrasound contrast agent.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A process for preparing a lipid suspension for use with a perfluorocarbon gas as an ultrasound contrast agent, the method comprising:
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(a) contacting phospholipids with a first non-aqueous solvent which causes the phospholipids to dissolve and form a lipid solution, wherein the contacting comprises the sequential addition of individual phospholipids to the first non-aqueous solvent wherein the phospholipids are 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidic acid, mono sodium salt (DPPA) and N-(methoxypolyethylene glycol 5000 carbamoyl)-1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine, mono sodium salt (MPEG5000-DPPE), or combining said phospholipids with each other prior to their addition to the first non-aqueous solvent; (b) contacting the non-aqueous lipid solution of (a) with a second non-aqueous solvent which causes the phospholipids to precipitate out as a solid lipid blend; (c) collecting the solid lipid blend; (d) contacting the solid lipid blend with a third non-aqueous solvent which causes the lipid blend to dissolve to form a lipid blend solution; (e) contacting the lipid blend solution with an aqueous solution to yield the lipid suspension; and (f) filtering the lipid suspension through one or two sterilizing filters to form a filtered lipid suspension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification