Pharmaceutical compositions containing pentamidine

• US 5,204,113 A
• Filed: 02/14/1991
• Issued: 04/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fisons PLC (Sanofi )
• Original Assignee: Fisons PLC (Sanofi )
• Inventors: Stevens, John, Hartley, Philip S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rose, Shep K.
• Application Number:
  US07/657,335
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 424/43, 424/452, 424/489, 424/454, 514/636, 514/951, 514/962, 514/826, 128/203.15
• US Class Current: 424/454
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/155 Amidines (), e.g. guanidine (H2N—C(=NH)—NH2), isourea (N=C(OH)—NH2), isothiourea (—N=C(SH)—NH2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0075 for inhalation via a dry powder inhaler [DPI], e.g. comprising micronized drug mixed with lactose carrier particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/008 comprising drug dissolved or suspended in liquid propellant for inhalation via a pressurized metered dose inhaler [MDI]

Abstract

Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration by inhalation and containing pentamidine, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in powder form. Such compositions include pressurized aerosol compositions and non-pressurized powder compositions. Also described is finely divided powdered pentamidine with a mass median diameter in the range 0.01 to 10 microns and a method for the prevention or treatment of pneumacystics carinii pneumonia which comprises administration by inhalation to a patient having or susceptible to that condition of a therapeutically effective quantity of pentamidine, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in powder form.

Claims

1. A sealed capsule loosely filled with a nonpressurized dry powder pharmaceutical composition for the prophylactic or remedial treatment of pneumono-cystis carinii pneumonia by oral or nasal inhalation, said composition containing as active ingredient, finely divided pentamidine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof with a mass median diameter of 0.01 to 10 microns.

2. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the active ingredient is in admixture with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

3. A composition according to claim 1 which contains from 2 to 50% by weight active ingredient.

4. A composition according to claim 1, wherein at least 95% by weight of the particles of active ingredient have an effective particle size of from 0.01 to 10 microns.

5. A method for the prevention or treatment of pneumono-cystis carinii pneumonia which comprises administration by oral or nasal inhalation of a therapeutically effective quantity of a dry powder composition in accordance with claim 1, to a patient having or susceptible to that condition.