WO2017123315A2 - Nanocristaux formés dans un microenvironnement - Google Patents

Nanocristaux formés dans un microenvironnement Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017123315A2
WO2017123315A2 PCT/US2016/060824 US2016060824W WO2017123315A2 WO 2017123315 A2 WO2017123315 A2 WO 2017123315A2 US 2016060824 W US2016060824 W US 2016060824W WO 2017123315 A2 WO2017123315 A2 WO 2017123315A2
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formulation
drug
liposomes
ciprofloxacin
active ingredient
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WO2017123315A3 (fr
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David C. Cipolla
Igor Gonda
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Aradigm Corp
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Aradigm Corp
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Priority claimed from US14/993,281 external-priority patent/US20160120806A1/en
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Publication of WO2017123315A3 publication Critical patent/WO2017123315A3/fr
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
    • A61K9/10—Dispersions; Emulsions
    • A61K9/127—Synthetic bilayered vehicles, e.g. liposomes or liposomes with cholesterol as the only non-phosphatidyl surfactant
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K31/00—Medicinal preparations containing organic active ingredients
    • A61K31/33—Heterocyclic compounds
    • A61K31/395—Heterocyclic compounds having nitrogen as a ring hetero atom, e.g. guanethidine or rifamycins
    • A61K31/495—Heterocyclic compounds having nitrogen as a ring hetero atom, e.g. guanethidine or rifamycins having six-membered rings with two or more nitrogen atoms as the only ring heteroatoms, e.g. piperazine or tetrazines
    • A61K31/496—Non-condensed piperazines containing further heterocyclic rings, e.g. rifampin, thiothixene or sparfloxacin
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K45/00—Medicinal preparations containing active ingredients not provided for in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
    • A61K45/06—Mixtures of active ingredients without chemical characterisation, e.g. antiphlogistics and cardiaca
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K47/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient
    • A61K47/06—Organic compounds, e.g. natural or synthetic hydrocarbons, polyolefins, mineral oil, petrolatum or ozokerite
    • A61K47/26—Carbohydrates, e.g. sugar alcohols, amino sugars, nucleic acids, mono-, di- or oligo-saccharides; Derivatives thereof, e.g. polysorbates, sorbitan fatty acid esters or glycyrrhizin
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
    • A61K9/0012—Galenical forms characterised by the site of application
    • A61K9/007—Pulmonary tract; Aromatherapy
    • A61K9/0073—Sprays or powders for inhalation; Aerolised or nebulised preparations generated by other means than thermal energy
    • A61K9/0078—Sprays or powders for inhalation; Aerolised or nebulised preparations generated by other means than thermal energy for inhalation via a nebulizer such as a jet nebulizer, ultrasonic nebulizer, e.g. in the form of aqueous drug solutions or dispersions
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
    • A61K9/10—Dispersions; Emulsions
    • A61K9/127—Synthetic bilayered vehicles, e.g. liposomes or liposomes with cholesterol as the only non-phosphatidyl surfactant
    • A61K9/1277—Preparation processes; Proliposomes

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to methods of forming nanocrystals in a
  • the present invention relates to formulations with modified release profiles after freeze-thaw which provide for immediate and sustained release of a drug such as anti-infectives. They can be delivered by a variety of methods.
  • these formulations can be delivered by inhalation for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF), non-CF bronchiectasis, COPD, and intracellular lung infections including non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM), as well as prevention and treatment of bioterrorism infections, particularly those that can be transmitted by inhalation, such as anthrax, tularemia, pneumonic plague, melioidosis and Q-fever.
  • CF cystic fibrosis
  • NTM non-tuberculosis mycobacteria
  • Infections are caused by a variety of microorganisms. Infections which are persistent have a myriad of consequences for the health care community including increased treatment burden and cost, and for the patient in terms of more invasive treatment paradigms and potential for serious illness or even death. It would be beneficial if an improved treatment paradigm were available to provide prophylactic treatment to prevent susceptible patients from acquiring infections as well as increasing the rate or effectiveness of eradicating the infections in patients already infected with the microorganisms.
  • cystic fibrosis is one example of a disease in which patients often acquire persistent or tenacious respiratory tract infections, including P. aeruginosa (PA).
  • PA P. aeruginosa
  • Another disease which is associated with recurring PA lung infections is non-CF bronchiectasis.
  • a subset of COPD patients also suffers from PA lung infections and many have bronchiectasis.
  • Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae it has no direct activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia, or other gram-negative non-fermenters (Lode H et al., 1996).
  • Tobramycin possesses activity against P. aeruginosa; however, the increase in the number of patients with resistant isolates on continuous therapy from -10% to 80% after 3 months (Smith AL et al., 1989) has led to the intermittent dosing regimen of 28-days-on followed by 28-days-off therapy.
  • PA In CF airways, PA initially has a non-mucoid phenotype, but ultimately produces mucoid exopolysaccharide and organizes into a biofilm, which indicates the airway infection has progressed from acute to chronic. Bacteria in biofilms are very slow growing due to an anaerobic environment and are inherently resistant to antimicrobial agents, since sessile cells are much less susceptible than cells growing planktonically. It has been reported that biofilm cells are at least 500 times more resistant to antibacterial agents (Costerton JW et al., 1995). Thus, the transition to the mucoid phenotype and production of a biofilm contribute to the persistence of PA in CF patients with chronic infection by protecting the bacteria from host defenses and interfering with the delivery of antibiotics to the bacterial cell.
  • NTM non-tuberculous mycobacteria
  • M. avium Mycobacterium avium subsp hominissuis
  • M. abscessus Mycobacterium abscessus
  • NTM non-TB mycobacteria
  • abscessus which is amongst the most virulent types, ranks second in incidence (Prevots et al, 2010).
  • Diseases caused by both mycobacteria are common in patients with chronic lung conditions, e.g., emphysema, cystic fibrosis, and bronchiectasis (Yeager and Raleigh, 1973). They may also give rise to severe respiratory diseases, e.g., bronchiectasis (Fowler et al, 2006).
  • the infections are from environmental sources and cause progressive compromising of the lung.
  • M. avium infection is usually treated with systemic therapy with a macrolide (clarithromycin) or an azalide (azithromycin) in combination with ethambutol and amikacin.
  • a macrolide clarithromycin
  • azithromycin azalide
  • Oral or IV quinolones such as ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin, can be used in association with other compounds (Yeager and Raleigh, 1973), but higher intracellular drug levels need to be achieved for maximal efficacy.
  • Oral ciprofloxacin has clinical efficacy against M.
  • Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic that is indicated for the
  • Ciprofloxacin is broad spectrum and, in addition to PA, is active against several other types of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. It acts by inhibition of topoisomerase II (DNA gyrase) and topoisomerase IV, which are enzymes required for bacterial replication, transcription, repair, and
  • GIT gastrointestinal tract
  • insomnia irritability
  • increased levels of anxiety There is a clear need for improved treatment regimes that can be used chronically, without resulting in these debilitating side effects.
  • Delivering ciprofloxacin as an inhaled aerosol has the potential to address these concerns by compartmentalizing the delivery and action of the drug in the respiratory tract, which is the primary site of infection.
  • liposomes Phospholipid vehicles as drug delivery systems were rediscovered as "liposomes" in 1965 (Bangham et al., 1965).
  • the general term "liposome” covers a variety of structures, but all consist of one or more lipid bilayers enclosing an aqueous space in which hydrophilic drugs, such as ciprofloxacin, can be encapsulated.
  • Liposome encapsulation improves biopharmaceutical characteristics through a number of mechanisms including altered drug pharmacokinetics and biodistribution, sustained drug release from the carrier, enhanced delivery to disease sites, and protection of the active drug species from degradation.
  • Liposome formulations of the anticancer agents doxorubicin Myocet®/Evacet®,
  • Doxyl®/Caelyx® Doxyl®/Caelyx®
  • daunorubicin DaunoXome®
  • amphotericin B AmBisome®, Amphotec®
  • benzoporphyrin Visudyne®
  • a liposomal formulation of vincristine Marqibo® was approved for an oncology indication.
  • the proven safety and efficacy of lipid-based carriers make them attractive candidates for the formulation of pharmaceuticals.
  • liposome formulations by inhalation offer many attractive features, providing that the liposome formulation is stable to the aerosolization process (Niven and Schreier, 1990; Cipolla et al, 2013). Therefore, in comparison to the current ciprofloxacin formulations, a liposomal ciprofloxacin aerosol formulation should offer several benefits: 1) higher drug concentrations, 2) increased drug residence time via sustained release at the site of infection, 3) decreased side effects, 4) increased palatability, 5) better penetration into the bacteria, and 6) better penetration into the cells infected by bacteria. It has previously been shown that inhalation of liposome-encapsulated fluoroquinolone antibiotics may be effective in treatment of lung infections. In a mouse model of F.
  • tularensis liposomal encapsulated fluoroquinolone antibiotics were shown to be superior to the free or unencapsulated fluoroquinolone by increasing survival (CA2,215,716, CA2,174,803, and CA2,101,241).
  • U.S. Patent Nos. 8,071,127, 8,119,156, 8,268,347 and 8,414,915 describe an aerosol consisting of inhaled droplets or particles.
  • the droplets or particles comprise a free drug (e.g., an anti-infective compound) in which drug is not encapsulated and which may be ciprofloxacin.
  • the particles further comprise liposomes which encapsulate a drug such as an anti-infective compound which also may be ciprofloxin.
  • the free and liposome encapsulated drug are included within a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient which is formulated for aerosolized delivery.
  • the particles may further include an additional therapeutic agent which may be free and/or in liposomes and which can be any pharmaceutically active drug which is different from the first drug.
  • the liposomes in these patents are unilamellar vesicles (average particle size 75-120 nm). Ciprofloxacin is released slowly from the liposomes with a half- life of about 10 hours in the lung (Bruinenberg et al, 2010 b), which allows for once-a-day dosing.
  • liposomal ciprofloxacin is effective against several intracellular pathogens, including M. avium.
  • Inhaled liposomal ciprofloxacin is also effective in treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) lung infections in patients (Bilton et al, 2009 a, b, 2010, 2011; Bruinenberg et al, 2008, 2009, 2010 a, b, c, d, 2011 ; Serisier et al, 2013).
  • PA Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • liposomal ciprofloxacin formulations delivered by inhalation into the airways achieve much greater concentrations in the respiratory tract mucosa and within macrophages with resulting improvement of clinical efficacy: 2 hours post-inhalation of a therapeutic dose of such liposomal ciprofloxacin in patients, the concentration of ciprofloxacin in the sputum exceeded 200 ⁇ g/ml, and even 20 hours later (2 hours prior to the next dose), the
  • liposomal ciprofloxacin is efficacious against intracellular pathogens: M. avium infection: 1) In human peripheral blood monocytes/macrophages, liposomal ciprofloxacin tested over concentrations from 0.1 to 5 ⁇ g/ml caused concentration-related reductions in intracellular M. avium-M. intracellular complex (MAC) colony forming units (CFU) compared to free drug at the same concentrations (Majumdar et al, 1992); 2) In a murine macrophage-like cell line J774, liposomal ciprofloxacin decreased the levels of cell associated M. avium up to 43-fold and these reductions were greater than for free ciprofloxacin (Oh et al, 1995).
  • M. avium infection 1) In human peripheral blood monocytes/macrophages, liposomal ciprofloxacin tested over concentrations from 0.1 to 5 ⁇ g/ml caused concentration-related reductions in intracellular M. avium
  • a formulation made up of both free and liposomal ciprofloxacin combines the potential advantages of an initial transient high concentration of free ciprofloxacin to increase Cmax in the lungs, followed by the slow release of ciprofloxacin from the liposomal component, as demonstrated in BE (Cipolla et al, 2011; Serisier et al, 2013).
  • the free ciprofloxacin component also has a desirable immunomodulatory effect (U.S. Patent Nos. 8,071,127, 8,119,156, 8,268,347 and 8,414,915).
  • the ciprofloxacin- loaded macrophages may migrate from the lungs into the lymphatics to treat infections in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow - as suggested by the systemic effects of pulmonary-delivered CFI in tularemia (Di Ninno et al, 1993; Conley et al, 1997; Hamblin et al, 2011, Wong et al, 1996).
  • Liposome-encapsulated antibiotics are also known to better penetrate bacterial films in the lungs (Meers et al, 2008).
  • the anti- mycobacterial and immunomodulatory effects of the new formulations delivered to the lungs may therefore provide a better alternative to the existing treatments for patients infected with M. avium or M. abscessus, or provide an adjunct for incremental improvements.
  • liposomal ciprofloxacin formulations are notoriously sensitive to freeze-thaw.
  • agglomerates of lipids are observed indicating that many of the liposomes do not retain their integrity in response to the stress of freeze-thaw.
  • These thawed formulations certainly could not be effectively used, e.g., as aerosolized due to the physical agglomerates.
  • sugars can stabilize phospholipid vesicles during freezing and this stabilization requires direct interaction between sugar and the phospholipid head group (Strauss et al, 1986; Crowe et al, 1988; Izutsu et al, 2011; Stark et al, 2010, Siow et al, 2007; Siow et al, 2008).
  • sugar e.g. polyols
  • liposomes containing drug nanocrystals following freeze-thaw.
  • the presence of drug in the form of nanocrystals within the liposomes would have the potential to alter the release properties of the drug, as there are now two factors or constraints affecting the rate of release; i.e., the liposome membrane is one barrier and the requirement for dissolution of the drug from the crystal form prior to transport through the lipid bilayer is the second. Modifying the size and shape of the crystals in the liposomes will allow the release rate to be further adjusted.
  • the size and shape of the crystals can be adjusted by changing the proportions of excipients in the formulation, i.e., increasing or decreasing the concentration of the drug, liposomal lipids, cryopreservative and surfactant.
  • the presence of drug nanocrystals within the liposomes has the potential to improve other properties of the formulation, including its stability characteristics. These modifications in total may improve the therapeutic effect of the liposome formulation or allow for greater convenience in administration profile; e.g., a reduction in the frequency of administration.
  • the improved administration profile could lead to greater patient compliance and thus increased efficacy.
  • the absence of peaks of drug concentration due to slower dissolution and release could also reduce or eliminate undesirable adverse effects with drug crystals that dissolve slowly.
  • Another opportunity is to create an immediate release profile that is
  • cryopreservatives may include polyols, sugars, including sucrose, trehalose, lactose, mannital, etc.
  • Surfactants may include non-ionic surfactants including the polysorbates such as polysorbate 20 (also called tween 20).
  • the cryopreservatives may be present either on the inside (intraliposomally) of the liposomes, and on the outside of the liposomes (extraliposomally), or both.
  • liposomal formulations that contain drug in a precipitated, gel or crystalline form within the liposomes, but all of these drug precipitates are created during the initial drug loading process.
  • crystallized doxorubicin Lasic et al, 1992; Lasic et al, 1995; Li et al, 1998), topotecan (Abraham et al, 2004) and vinorelbine (Zhigaltsev et al. 2006) in liposomes after ion/pH gradient loading (Drummond et al, 2008).
  • liposomes containing encapsulated drug wherein some of the drug forms drug crystals following freeze-thaw.
  • a formulation comprises of a solution having a plurality of microenvironments therein which encapsulate a solution and nanocrystals of an active ingredient.
  • the formulation provides controlled release in three waves.
  • the nanocrystals disclose and release the active ingredient at the target site.
  • the microenvironment is a spherical structure having a diameter in a range of from 50 nanometers 100 microns which encapsulate a solution of a solvent with active ingredient dissolved therein.
  • the microenvironment is frozen and thawed in a manner which results in the formation of nanocrystals of the active ingredient.
  • the active ingredient may be a pharmaceutically active drug, an herbicide, an insecticide, a perfume, a deodorant, a food, a spice, a diagnostic agent, a paint, a dye, a bactericide etc.
  • nanocrystals which are crystals of molecules such as drug molecules.
  • microenvironments which may be liposomes which encapsulate and hold the nanocrystals.
  • aerosolized particles of the formulation which particles can be comprised of one or more microenvironments or liposomes present in a carrier.
  • the nanocrystals are smaller than the microenvironments or liposomes which are in turn smaller than the particles.
  • a nanocrystal may be sized such that its largest dimension is only slightly smaller such as 20%, 10%, 5% or 1% smaller than the largest dimension of the microenvironment such as the liposome.
  • the microenvironment or liposome also may have a size which is only slightly smaller than the aerosolized particle and as such be 20% smaller, 10% smaller, 5% smaller, 1% smaller as compared to the largest dimension of the largest aerosolized particle.
  • the aerosolized particles may vary greatly in size depending on the use. For example, in connection with an aerosolized particle may be used for aerosolized drug delivery.
  • the particle size should be in the range of 1 micron to 8 microns or 2 microns to 6 microns.
  • the liposomes are generally measured in nanometers and can have a size in the range of 10 nanometers to 300 nanometers or 50 nanometers to 200 nanometers.
  • the liposomes can have a size that is only slightly smaller than the aerosolized particles.
  • the liposomes may have and can have a size in the range of 10 nanometers to 300 nanometers or 50 nanometers to 200 nanometers.
  • a formulation is disclosed which is comprised of liposomes which
  • liposomes are comprised of a lipid bilayer which surrounds a pharmaceutically active drug which drug is comprised of nanocrystals which have dimensions of 200 nanometers or less, 100 nanometers or less, 50 nanometers or less, 10 nanometers or less on 1 or more dimensions of the crystals.
  • the bilayer may be comprised of a cryopreservative which may be a polyol such as trehalose or sucrose and further comprised of a surfactant which may be a non-ionic detergent such as polysorbate 20 or BRIJ 30.
  • the drug may be an anti-infective agent such as ciprofloxacin.
  • the invention further includes the formulation of the invention as produced by a particular method whereby the drug such as ciprofloxacin is dissolved in an aqueous solution at a concentration in a range of 10 mg/mL or more, 25 mg/mL or more, 50 mg/mL or more, 100 mg/mL or more, 200 mg/mL or more and encapsulated into a lipid bilayer of liposomes.
  • the liposomes are then included within a solution which may, include an anti-infective which may be the same or different from the anti-infective compound encapsulated within the liposomes and as such may be ciprofloxacin.
  • the formulation is frozen such as being frozen at very low temperatures in the range of -20°C to -80°C.
  • the frozen formulation may be maintained frozen over long periods of time for storage such as one week or more, one month or more, one year or more or may be immediately rethawed for use.
  • drug inside of the liposomes forms nanocrystals.
  • the drug dissolved in the solvent carrier surrounding the liposomes provides for immediate release of drug followed by a drug being released when the liposomes dissolve in the lung followed by an additional release of drug when the nanocrystals dissolve.
  • the formulation provides for controlled release of an anti- infective drug such as ciprofloxacin over a long period of time in the lungs thereby making it possible to effectively eradicate infections which occur as a biofilm.
  • One aspect of the invention is a formulation with a specific release profile wherein the release profile is modified after freeze-thaw.
  • This formulation may be administered in a variety of ways. For example, it can be subsequently aerosolized to create inhalable droplets or particles with a modified and/or predetermined release profile.
  • the droplets or particles comprise a free drug (e.g., an anti- infective compound) in which drug is not encapsulated and which may be ciprofloxacin.
  • the particles further comprise a liposome which encapsulates a drug such as an anti-infective compound which also may be ciprofloxacin and a proportion of the encapsulated drug is present as nanocrystals within the liposomes.
  • the shape and length of the nanocrystals inside the liposomes can be selected by incorporation of specific cryopreservatives, and additionally surfactant, at selected concentrations which are elaborated in the examples.
  • the free and liposome encapsulated drug are included within a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient which is formulated for aerosolized delivery.
  • the particles may further include a second therapeutic agent which may be free and/or in a liposome and which can be any pharmaceutically active drug different from the first drug.
  • the freezing can be done at a variety of freezing rates, and freezing
  • the sample can be frozen rapidly using liquid nitrogen and then stored in a freezer at -20°C, or -50°C, or -80°C or another temperature below 0°C.
  • the sample to be frozen could also be placed directly into a freezer, for example, a -20°C, or -50°C, or -80°C freezer, and allowed to freeze at a slow or fast freezing rate, dependent upon the design of the freezer.
  • the freezing rate will also depend upon the volume of the sample to be frozen, and the heat transfer properties of its storage container, and this invention anticipates a range in volumes from 50 ⁇ ⁇ up to 50 or 100 L or more. More preferably the volume will be between 1 mL and 10 mL.
  • the container material can also vary in composition from glass to plastic, to metal, or combinations thereof.
  • the formulation and the resulting particles created when the formulation is aerosolized are comprised of a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, a
  • cryopreservative, free drug, and drug encapsulated within liposomes in the form of drug nanocrystals can be completely eliminated such as when the free drug is in a liquid state.
  • the carrier is generally necessary to provide a solvent for the free drug and that solvent may be water, ethanol, a combination of water and ethanol or other useful solvents that are not harmful to humans and animals.
  • the percentage of solvent in the formulation may vary from 0% to 90%, 1% to 50%, 2% to 25% by weight but is generally kept at a level which is sufficiently high to maintain the drug in solution at the pH of the formulation. That level will vary from drug to drug and vary as the pH varies.
  • the carrier can be present in the formulation in an amount by weight of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60% etc. or more or any incremental amounts there in between.
  • the formulation includes the drug in two different forms.
  • the drug is in a free form which is either liquid or dissolved in a solvent.
  • the drug is encapsulated in liposomes.
  • the ratio of the free drug to the drug encapsulated in liposomes can vary. Generally, the free drug makes up 0%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, etc. up to 80% of the formulation by weight.
  • the drug present within the liposome makes up the remaining percentage of drug present in the formulation.
  • drug present in the liposomes can be present in a weight amount of from 20% up to 100% of the total drug present in the formulation.
  • a portion of the drug present in the liposomes is in the form of drug nanocrystals.
  • the formulation may have a pH of 6.0 ⁇ 20%. In some aspects of the
  • the formulation is prepared at a relatively low pH such as 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, or 5.5.
  • the formulation includes liposomes which have the encapsulated
  • Controlled release of this aspect of the invention indicates that the drug may be released in an amount of about 0.1% to 100% per hour over a period of time of 1-24 hours or 0.5% to 20% per hour over a period of time of 1-12 hours, or alternatively, releases about 2% to 10% per hour over a period of time of about 1 to 6 hours.
  • Incremental amounts in terms of the percentage of the drug and the number of hours which are between the ranges provided above in half percentage amounts and half hour amounts and other incremental amounts are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
  • One aspect of the invention is a formulation comprising liposomes which are delivered via an aerosol to the lungs of a human patient, the liposomes comprising free and encapsulated ciprofloxacin or other anti-infective agent.
  • the liposomes may be unilamellar or multilamellar, and may be bioadhesive, containing a molecule such as hyaluronic acid.
  • At least one therapeutic agent in addition to the free and liposome-encapsulated anti-infective may also be included in the composition. That therapeutic agent may be free drug or encapsulated drug present with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier useful for direct inhalation into human lungs.
  • the other drugs may include enzymes to reduce the viscoelasticity of the mucus such as DNase or other mucolytic agents, chemicals to upregulate the chloride ion channel or increase flow of ions across the cells, including lantibiotics such as duramycin, agents to promote hydration or mucociliary clearance including epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) inhibitors or P2Y2 agonists such as denufosol, elastase inhibitors including Alpha- 1 antitrypsin (A AT), bronchodilators, steroids, N-acetylcysteine, interferon gamma, interferon alpha, agents that enhance the activity of the antibiotic against biofilm bacteria such as sodium salicylate (Polonio RE et al., 2001), or antibiotics known to those skilled in the art.
  • enzymes to reduce the viscoelasticity of the mucus such as DNase or other mucolytic agents
  • chemicals to upregulate the chloride ion channel or increase flow of ions across the cells including
  • bronchodilators such as 2-adrenergic receptor agonists and antimuscarinics
  • anti-inflammatory agents including inhaled corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, leukotriene receptor antagonists or synthesis inhibitors, and others, may also be combined with an anti-infective.
  • a further aspect of the invention is a method for treating cystic fibrosis in a patient, the method comprising administering a formulation comprising the anti- infective; e.g., ciprofloxacin, encapsulated in liposomes to the patient.
  • the formulation is preferably administered by inhalation to the patient.
  • Another aspect of the invention is a method for treating intracellular lung infections, in particular NTM infections.
  • the presence of drug nanocrystals in the liposomes following freeze-thaw is associated with a delayed release profile.
  • This delayed release profile provides another benefit of allowing more time for uptake of the liposomes by the infected cells, in particular the alveolar macrophages, thus increasing the amount of active drug delivered to the intracellular infections.
  • Another benefit is that once the infected cells take up the liposomes containing the drug nanocrystals, the drug release rate inside the cells may be extended in duration, thus improving the efficacy of treatment.
  • a free and encapsulated anti-infective provides an initially high therapeutic level of the anti-infective in the lungs to eradicate bacteria which are only susceptible to high concentration of the drug, while maintaining a sustained release of anti-infective over time for the bacteria which are more susceptible to the long exposure rather than brief high peaks.
  • the liposomal encapsulation can also aid the penetration of the biofilms and the protracted exposure is likely more effective against dormant or slowly replicating bacteria.
  • biofilm resistance While some aspects of biofilm resistance are poorly understood, the dominant mechanisms are thought to be related to: (i) modified nutrient environments and suppression of growth rate within the biofilm; (ii) direct interactions between the exopolymer matrices, and their constituents, and antimicrobials, affecting diffusion and availability; and (iii) the development of biofilm/attachment-specific phenotypes (Gilbert P et al., 1997).
  • the intent of the immediate-release anti-infective; e.g., ciprofloxacin is thus to rapidly increase the antibiotic concentration in the lung to therapeutic levels around the difficult to eradicate bacteria.
  • the sustained-release anti-infective serves to maintain a therapeutic level of antibiotic in the lung thereby providing continued therapy over a longer time frame, increasing efficacy, reducing the frequency of administration, and reducing the potential for resistant colonies to form.
  • the sustained release of the anti-infective may ensure that the anti-infective agent never falls below the sub-inhibitory concentration and so reduces the likelihood of forming resistance to the anti-infective.
  • Another aspect of the invention is related to methods of treatment of
  • liposome formulations are known to be taken up by macrophages, for example alveolar macrophages, which are the site of intracellular infections.
  • delivery using certain liposome formulations will increase the ability to target the encapsulated drug to the macrophages which contain the intracellular infections.
  • significant amounts of encapsulated drug may be released from the liposomes during the nebulization process or after deposition in the airways, prior to uptake by the macrophages.
  • Liposomes which contain drug in nanocrystals consisting of a relatively poorly soluble drug form will have a slower rate of release from the liposomes, due to the requirement for the crystalline drug to dissolve prior to transport across the liposome bilayer. Thus, it is expected that this may also lead to a reduction in the in vivo release rate, thereby further increasing the ability to target intracellular infections in the lung using the formulations of this invention.
  • ciprofloxacin is a particularly useful anti-infective in this invention, there is no desire to limit this invention to ciprofloxacin.
  • Other antibiotics or anti-infectives can be used such as those selected from the group consisting of: an aminoglycoside, a tetracycline, a sulfonamide, p-aminobenzoic acid, a diaminopyrimidine, a quinolone, a .beta.
  • -lactam, a .beta.-lactam and a .beta.- lactamase inhibitor chloraphenicol, a macrolide, penicillins, cephalosporins, corticosteroid, prostaglandin, linomycin, clindamycin, spectinomycin, polymyxin B, colistin, vancomycin, bacitracin, isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, ethionamide, aminosalicylic acid, cycloserine, capreomycin, a sulfone, clofazimine, thalidomide, a polyene antifungal, flucytosine, imidazole, triazole, griseofulvin, terconazole, butoconazole ciclopirax, ciclopirox olamine, haloprogin, tolnaftate, naftifine, terbinafine, peptide antibiotics or
  • An aspect of the invention is a formulation, comprising:
  • liposomes wherein the liposomes comprise:
  • nanocrystals have dimensions of 200 nm or less.
  • Another aspect of the invention is the formulation comprising a surfactant such as a non-ionic detergen in combination with a cryopreservative which is a polyol such as trehalose and sucrose.
  • a surfactant such as a non-ionic detergen
  • a cryopreservative which is a polyol such as trehalose and sucrose.
  • the formulation includes a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and the carrier may alternatively be a pharmaceutically active drug in liquid form or an aqueous carrier with drug dissolved therein.
  • the pharmaceutically active drug is an anti-infective drug which may be selected from the group consisting of a quinolone, a sulfonamide, an aminoglycoside, a tetracycline, para-aminobenzoic acid, a diaminopyrimidine, a beta-lactam, a beta-lactam and a beta-lactamase inhibitor, chloramphenicol, a macrolide, lincomycin, clindamycin, spectinomycin, polymyxin B, colistin, vancomycin, bacitracin, isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, ethionamide, aminosalicylic acid, cycloserine, capreomycin, a sulfone, clofazimine, thalidomide, polyene antifungal, flucytosine, imidazole, triazole, griseofulvin, ter
  • the bilayer is comprised of a lipid selected from the group consisting of fatty acids; lysolipids; sphingolipids; sphingomyelin; glycolipids; glucolipids; glycosphingolipids;
  • lipids bearing sulfonated mono-, di-, oligo- or polysaccharides lipids with ether and ester-linked fatty acids, polymerized lipids, diacetyl phosphate, stearylamine, cardiolipin, phospholipids, synthetic phospholipids with asymmetric acyl chains; and lipids bearing a covalently bound polymer.
  • Another aspect of the invention is the formulation wherein the liposome comprises a phospholipid selected from the group consisting of
  • phosphatidylcholines lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylinositols, phosphatidylglycerols, phosphatidic acid,
  • phosphatidylserines and mixtures thereof; wherein said phospholipid is provided in admixtures with a modifying agent selected from the group consisting of cholesterols, stearyl amines, stearic acid, tocopherols, and mixtures thereof; and wherein the liposomes are unilamellar or multilamellar.
  • Another aspect of the invention includes formulations wherein the
  • nanocrystals have dimensions of 10 nanometers or less
  • the cryopreservative is a sucrose or trehalose
  • the surfactant is a polysorbate surfactant such as polysorbate 20 and BRIJ 30 and wherein the drug is preferably ciprofloxacin.
  • the formulation is aerosolized and the aerosolized particles have an aerodynamic diameter in a rage of from 1 micron to 12 microns and when aerosolized 90% or more, 95% or more, 98% or more of the liposomes maintain their structural integrity.
  • the formulation is frozen by reducing the temperature to a range of from -20° C to -80°C, stored for one week or more followed by thawing at a temperature in a range of 5°C to 30°C after which 90% or more of the liposomes maintain their structural integrity or 95% or more, or 98% or more of the liposomes maintain their structural integrity.
  • Another aspect of the invention is using any of the formulations as
  • Another aspect of the invention is a method of treating an infection in a
  • aerosolizing a formulation comprising a free first pharmaceutically active
  • Another aspect is the method as described above wherein the infection is an
  • Another aspect of the invention is a method wherein:
  • Another aspect of the invention is a method wherein:
  • Another aspect of the invention is a method wherein:
  • the liposomes comprise cholesterol and hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (HSPC) at a ratio of 29.4 to 70.6, and are unilamellar and wherein 98% or more of the liposomes maintain integrity when aerosolized, and provide a
  • HSPC hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine
  • ciprofloxacin release rate of 2% to 6% per hour.
  • Another aspect of the invention is a method wherein:
  • the liposomes are further comprised of 0.1 to 0.3% polysorbate 20, and 200 to 400 mg/mL sucrose.
  • An aspect of the invention is a method of adjusting a drug release profile
  • the surfactant is a nonionic detergent; and wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of polysorbate 20 and BRIJ
  • Another aspect of the invention is a method of treatment whereby any method as described above is carried out based on a measured symptom of a patient;
  • administering of the formulation is carried out by a route selected from the group consisting of injection, inhalation, nasal administration, orally, and IV infusion.
  • An aspect of the invention is a method of treating an infection in a patient
  • aerosolizing a formulation comprising a free first pharmaceutically active drug and a second pharmaceutically active drug encapsulated in liposomes in the form of nanocrystals formed after freeze thaw;
  • the infection is an infection of a microorganism selected from the group consisting of mycobacteria, P. aeruginosa and F. tularensis.
  • An aspect of the invention is a method of treating an antibiotic resistant infection in a patient, comprising:
  • liposomes maintain structural integrity after being aerosolized
  • the antibiotic resistant infection comprises microorganisms in a biofilm or microorganisms engulfed in macrophage;
  • the infection is an infection of microorganisms in a biofilm
  • the infection is an infection of microorganisms engulfed in macrophage
  • the infection is an infection of microorganisms selected from the group consisting of mycobacteria, P. aeruginosa and F. tularensis;
  • the liposomes have an average particle size of about 75 nm to about 120 nm and are unilamellar;
  • liposomes are comprised of cholesterol and hydrogenated soy
  • HSPC phosphatidyl-choline
  • an excipient suitable for pulmonary delivery comprised of sodium acetate and an isotonic buffer
  • the invention further includes any method as described here, wherein the
  • liposomes comprise cholesterol and hydrogenated soy phosphatidyl-choline (HSPC) at a ratio of 29.4 to 70.6, and are unilamellar and wherein 98% or more of the liposomes maintain integrity when aerosolized, and provide a ciprofloxacin release rate of 2% to 6% per hour.
  • HSPC hydrogenated soy phosphatidyl-choline
  • the invention further includes any method as described here, wherein the liposomes are further comprised of 0.1 to 0.3% polysorbate 20, and 200 to 400 mg/mL sucrose.
  • the invention further includes any method as described here, wherein the
  • aerosolizing and inhaling are repeated once each day over a period of seven days or more.
  • the invention further includes any method as described here, wherein the
  • aerosolizing and inhaling are repeated once each day over a period of seven days to fifty- six days.
  • the invention further includes any method as described here, wherein the
  • formulation comprises 50 mg to 500 mg of ciprofloxacin.
  • the invention further includes any method as described here, wherein the
  • formulation comprises 75 mg to 300 mg of ciprofloxacin.
  • the invention further includes any method as described here, wherein the
  • formulation is nebulized and comprises 150 mg of ciprofloxacin.
  • FIG. 1 is a graph showing the encapsulation of ciprofloxacin following freeze- thaw at -50°C, as a function of the ratio of surfactant (polysorbate 20) to lipid in the liposomes.
  • surfactant polysorbate 20
  • the desired % encapsulation can be designed into the formulation depending upon the choice of surfactant, surfactant concentration, ratio of surfactant to lipid in the liposomes, drug concentration, choice of sugar, sugar concentration, and ratio of sugar to lipid in the liposomes.
  • FIG. 2 is a similar graph to Figure 1 except that it is after each formulation
  • FIG 3 is a cryoTEM micrograph showing the presence of ciprofloxacin
  • the scale bar is 100 nm.
  • the formulation was 12.5 mg/mL liposomal ciprofloxacin that contained 67.5 mg/mL sucrose and 0.1% polysorbate 20.
  • the lipid content was approximately 22.5 mg/mL implying a ratio of sucrose to lipid of approximately 3: 1 on a weight basis.
  • the cryoTEM was performed by diluting the sample from 12.5 mg/mL ciprofloxacin to 5 mg/mL and then freezing the samples in liquid ethane and vitrification.
  • Fig 4 is a cryoTEM micrograph of the same liposome formulation prior to freeze thaw, demonstrating the absence of nanocrystals or precipitated drug in the liposomes. The methodology was as described in Figure 3.
  • Fig 5 through Fig 9 show profiles of the In Vitro Release (IVR) rate of
  • Fig 10 through 12 show cryoTEM images of CFI formulations after freeze-thaw.
  • Figure 13 shows cryoTEM image of the CFI formulation in Fig 11 after freeze- thaw and subsequent mesh nebulization using the PARI eFlow nebulizer.
  • anti-infective refers to agents that act against infections
  • Anti-infectives covered by the invention include but are not limited to
  • quinolones such as nalidixic acid, cinoxacin, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin and the like
  • sulfonamides e.g., sulfanilamide, sulfadiazine, sulfamethaoxazole,
  • aminoglycosides e.g., streptomycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, netilmicin, kanamycin, and the like
  • tetracyclines such as chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, methacycline, doxycycline, minocycline and the like
  • para-aminobenzoic acid diaminopyrimidines (such as trimethoprim, often used in conjunction with sulfamethoxazole, pyrazinamide, and the like)
  • penicillins such as penicillin G, penicillin V, ampicillin, amoxicillin, bacampicillin, carbenicillin, carbenicillin indanyl, ticarcillin, azlocillin, mezlocillin, piperacillin, and the like
  • penicillinase resistant penicillin such as methicillin, oxacillin, cloxacillin, dicloxacillin, nafcillin and the like
  • cephalosporins such as cefadroxil, cephalexin, cephradine, cephalothin, cephapirin, cefazolin, and the like
  • second generation cephalosporins such as cefaclor, cefamandole, cefonicid, cefoxitin, cefotetan, cefuroxime, cefuroxime axetil, cefinetazole, cefprozil, loracarbef, ceforanide, and the like
  • third generation cephalosporins such as cefepime, cefoperazone, cefotaxime, ceftizoxime,
  • ceftriaxone ceftazidime, cefixime, cefpodoxime, ceftibuten, and the like
  • other beta-lactams such as imipenem, meropenem, aztreonam, clavulanic acid
  • sulbactam tazobactam, and the like
  • beta-lactamase inhibitors such as clavulanic acid
  • chloramphenicol macrolides (such as erythromycin, azithromycin,
  • Anti-infectives can include antifungal agents, including polyene antifungals (such as amphotericin B, nystatin, natamycin, and the like), flucytosine, imidazoles (such as miconazole, clotrimazole, econazole, ketoconazole, and the like), triazoles (such as itraconazole, fluconazole, and the like), griseofulvin, terconazole, butoconazole ciclopirax, ciclopirox olamine, haloprogin, tolnaftate, naftifine, terbinafine, or any other antifungal that can be lipid encapsulated or complexed and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and combinations thereof. Discussion and the examples are directed primarily toward ciprofloxacin but the scope of the application is not intended to be limited to this anti-infective. Combinations of drugs can be used.
  • a biofilm is any group of microorganisms in which cells stick to each other on a surface. These adherent cells are frequently embedded within a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS).
  • EPS extracellular polymeric substance
  • Biofilm extracellular polymeric substance which is also referred to as slime (although not everything described as slime is a biofilm), is a polymeric conglomeration generally composed of extracellular DNA, proteins, and polysaccharides. Biofilms may form on living or non-living surfaces and can be prevalent in natural, industrial and hospital settings.
  • the microbial cells growing in a biofilm are physiologically distinct from planktonic cells of the same organism, which, by contrast, are single-cells that may float or swim in a liquid medium.
  • Biofilms have been found to be involved in a wide variety of microbial infections in the body, by one estimate 80% of all infections. Infectious processes in which biofilms have been implicated include common problems such as urinary tract infections, catheter infections, middle-ear infections, formation of dental plaque, gingivitis, coating contact lenses, and less common but more lethal processes such as endocarditis, infections in cystic fibrosis, and infections of permanent indwelling devices such as joint prostheses and heart valves. More recently it has been noted that bacterial biofilms may impair cutaneous wound healing and reduce topical antibacterial efficiency in healing or treating infected skin wounds.
  • Bronchodilators covered by the invention include but are not limited to ⁇ 2- adrenergic receptor agonists (such as albuterol, bambuterol, salbutamol, salmeterol, formoterol, arformoterol, levosalbutamol, procaterol, indacaterol, carmoterol, milveterol, procaterol, terbutaline, and the like), and antimuscarinics (such as trospium, ipratropium, glycopyrronium, aclidinium, and the like). Combinations of drugs may be used.
  • ⁇ 2- adrenergic receptor agonists such as albuterol, bambuterol, salbutamol, salmeterol, formoterol, arformoterol, levosalbutamol, procaterol, indacaterol, carmoterol, milveterol, procaterol, terbutaline, and the like
  • antimuscarinics such as trospium
  • Anti-inflammatories covered by the invention include but are not limited to inhaled corticosteroids (such as beclometasone, budesonide, ciclesonide, fluticasone, etiprednol, mometasone, and the like), leukotriene receptor antagonists and leukotriene synthesis inhibitors (such as montelukast, zileuton, ibudilast, zafirlukast, pranlukast, amelubant, tipelukast, and the like), cyclooxygenase inhibitors (such as ibuprofen, ketoprofen, ketorolac, indometacin, naproxen, zaltoprofen, lornoxicam, meloxicam, celecoxib, lumiracoxib, etoricoxib, piroxicam, ampiroxicam, cinnoxicam, diclofenac, felbinac, lornoxi
  • Formulation refers to the liposome-encapsulated anti- infective, with any excipients or additional active ingredients, either as a dry powder or suspended or dissolved in a liquid.
  • any vertebrate particularly any mammal and most particularly including human subjects, farm animals, and mammalian pets.
  • the subject may be, but is not necessarily under the care of a health care professional such as a doctor.
  • a “stable” formulation is one in which the protein or enzyme therein
  • Stability can be measured at a selected temperature for a selected time period.
  • mammal for purposes of treatment refers to any animal classified as a mammal, including humans, domestic and farm animals, and zoo, sports, or pet animals, such as dogs, horses, cats, cows, etc. Preferably, the mammal is human.
  • a "disorder” is any condition that would benefit from treatment with the claimed methods and compositions.
  • Polysorbate 20 is a surfactant and some common commercial brand names include Alkest TW 20 and Tween 20. Chemically it is a polysorbate surfactant whose stability and relative non-toxicity allows it to be used in pharmacological applications. It is a polyoxyethylene derivative of sorbitan monolaurate, and is distinguished from the other members in the polysorbate range by the length of the polyoxyethylene chain and the fatty acid ester moiety.
  • BRIJ 30 is a Surfactant. Chemically it is a polyoxyethylenated straight chain alcohol, having an average molecular weight of 362. It has an empirical formula of
  • a "microenvironment” is a spherical structure comprised of a polymeric shell consisting of a diameter in a range of from 0.5 micron to 100 microns.
  • structures that are microenvironments including, but not limited to for example, unilameller liposomes, multilamellar liposomes, pegylated liposomes ("stealth liposomes"), niosomes (similar to liposomes but made from synthetic surfactants different from phospholipids), micelles or reverse micelles, nanocapsules, pharmacosomes, transferosomes, ethosomes, nanotubes, fullerenes, chitosan nanoparticles, nanoemulsions and so on.
  • the major types of liposomes are the multilamellar vesicle (MLV, with several lamellar phase lipid bilayers), the small unilamellar liposome vesicle (SUV, with one lipid bilayer), the large unilamellar vesicle (LUV), and the cochleate vesicle.
  • MLV multilamellar vesicle
  • SUV small unilamellar liposome vesicle
  • LUV large unilamellar vesicle
  • cochleate vesicle Another form is a multivesicular liposome in which one vesicle contains one or more smaller vesicles.
  • Useful liposomes rarely form spontaneously. They typically form after supplying enough energy to a dispersion of (phospho) lipids in a polar solvent, such as water, to break down multilamellar aggregates into oligo- or unilamellar bilayer vesicles.
  • Liposomes can hence be created by sonicating a dispersion of amphipatic lipids, such as phospholipids, in water. Low shear rates create multilamellar liposomes. The original aggregates, which have many layers like an onion, thereby form progressively smaller and finally unilamellar liposomes (which are often unstable, owing to their small size and the sonication-created defects). Sonication is generally considered a "gross" method of preparation as it can damage the structure of the drug to be encapsulated. Newer methods such as extrusion and Mozafari method are employed to produce materials for human use. Using lipids other than phosphatidylcholine can greatly facilitate liposome preparation.
  • amphipatic lipids such as phospholipids
  • PEGylation is the process of both covalent and non-covalent attachment or amalgamation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymer chains to molecules and macrostructures, such as a drug, therapeutic protein or vesicle, which is then described as PEGylated (pegylated). PEGylation is routinely achieved by incubation of a reactive derivative of PEG with the target molecule.
  • the covalent attachment of PEG to a drug or therapeutic protein can "mask" the agent from the host's immune system (reduced immunogenicity and antigenicity), and increase the hydrodynamic size (size in solution) of the agent which prolongs its circulatory time by reducing renal clearance.
  • PEGylation can also provide water solubility to hydrophobic drugs and proteins.
  • a Niosome is a non-ionic surfactant-based Vesicle (biology and chemistry).
  • Niosomes are formed mostly by non-ionic surfactant and cholesterol incorporation as anexcipient. Other excipients can also be used. Niosomes have more penetrating capability than the previous preparations of emulsions. They are structurally similar to liposomes in having a bilayer, however, the materials used to prepare niosomes make them more stable and thus niosomes offer many more advantages over liposomes.
  • Niosomes are lamellar structures that are microscopic in size. They are comprised of non-ionic surfactant of the alkyl or dialkyl poly glycerol ether class and cholesterol with subsequent hydration in aqueous media.
  • the surfactant molecules tend to orient themselves in such a way that the hydrophilic ends of the non-ionic surfactant point outwards, while the hydrophobic ends face each other to form the bilayer.
  • the figure in this article on Niosomes gives a better idea of the lamellar orientation of the surfactant molecules.
  • a micelle or micella is an aggregate of surfactant molecules dispersed in a liquid colloid.
  • a typical micelle in aqueous solution forms an aggregate with the hydrophilic "head” regions in contact with surrounding solvent, sequestering the hydrophobic single-tail regions in the micelle centre. This phase is caused by the packing behavior of single-tail lipids in a bilayer. The difficulty filling all the volume of the interior of a bilayer, while accommodating the area per head group forced on the molecule by the hydration of the lipid head group, leads to the formation of the micelle.
  • This type of micelle is known as a normal-phase micelle
  • Inverse micelles have the head groups at the centre with the tails extending out (water-in-oil micelle).
  • Micelles are approximately spherical in shape. Other phases, including shapes such as ellipsoids, cylinders, and bilayers, are also possible.
  • the shape and size of a micelle are a function of the molecular geometry of its surfactant molecules and solution conditions such as surfactant concentration, temperature, pH, and ionic strength.
  • the process of forming micelles is known as micellisation and forms part of the phase behavior of many lipids according to their polymorphism.
  • Nanocapsules are nanoscale shells made out of a nontoxic polymer. They are vesicular systems that are made up of a polymeric membrane which
  • Nanocapsules have a myriad of uses, which include promising medical applications for drug delivery, food enhancement, nutraceuticals, and for the self-healing of materials.
  • the benefits of encapsulation methods are for protection of these substances to protect in the adverse environment, for controlled release, and for precision targeting.
  • Nanocapsules can potentially be used as MRI-guided nanorobots or "nanobots," although challenges remain.
  • Pharmacosomes are the colloidal dispersions of drugs covalently bound to lipids and may exist as ultrafine vesicular, micellar, or hexagonal aggregates, depending on the chemical structure of the drug-lipid complex. Because the system is formed by linking a drug (pharmakon) to a carrier (soma), they are called pharmacosomes .
  • vesicular constructs has been used in common for pharmacosomes, liposomes, niosomes, and biosomes and encapsulated the antibiotic amoxicillin in their aqueous domains, which were prepared using phosphatidylethanolamine with various molar ratios of phosphatidyl-choline and cholesterol. They stabilized the formulation using an acylated protein base and reportedly improved cytoprotection and treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections in male rats.
  • pharmacosomes provide advantages over the use of other vesicular systems such as transferosomes, liposomes, and niosomes.
  • Any drug possessing a free carboxyl group or an active hydrogen atom (-OH, NH2) can be esterified (with or without a spacer group) to the hydroxyl group of a lipid molecule, thus generating an amphiphilic prodrug.
  • An amphiphilic prodrug is converted to pharmacosomes upon dilution with water. The prodrug conjoins hydrophilic and lipophilic properties (thereby acquiring amphiphilic
  • Transferosomes possess an infrastructure consisting of hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties together and as a result can accommodate drug molecules with a wide range of solubility. Transferosomes can deform and pass through narrow constriction (from 5 to 10 times less than their own diameter) without measurable loss. This high deformability gives better penetration of intact vesicles.
  • Transferosomes are self- aggregates, with an ultra-flexible membrane which delivers the drug reproducibly into or through the skin. These vesicular vesicles are several orders of magnitude more elastic than the standard liposomes.
  • Transferosomes overcome the skin penetration difficulty by squeezing themselves along the intracellular sealing lipids of the stratum corneum.
  • the concept of transferosomes as a carrier for transdermal delivery was first developed by Cevc and coworkers, in 1992. Since then, many investigations have been carried out on transferosomes and their possible application as drug carriers. Delivery of peptides by transferosomes provides a very successful means for the non-invasive therapeutic use of large molecular weight drugs like insulin on the skin.
  • Transferosomes for potential transdermal application contain a mixture of lipids and biocompatible membrane softeners. The optimal mixture leads to flexibility of the elastic liposomal membranes and to the possibility of penetration through channels of the skin, which are opened by the carriers.
  • Transferosome is a supramolecular entity that can pass through a permeability barrier and there by transport material from the application to the destination site. These are more elastic than the standard liposomes and therefore are used as a novel carrier for effective transdermal drug delivery. They have easily deformable properties which make them easily squeeze out from the stratum corneum and the mechanism for penetration is the generation of Osmotic gradient' due to the evaporation of water while applying the lipid suspension (transferosomes) on the skin surface.
  • Transferosomes penetrate the stratum corneum by either intracellular route or transcellular route. With the excellent distribution properties of transferosomes, they have been widely used as a carrier for various proteins, anti-cancer drugs, antifungal drugs, analgesics, anesthetics, corticosteroids, sex hormone, insulin, albumin etc.
  • Ethosomes are noninvasive delivery carriers to reach the deep skin layers and/or the systemic circulation.
  • Ethosomes are "soft vesicles” represents novel vesivular carries for enhanced delivery of active agents to/through skin. They are composed mainly of phospholipids, (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatitidic acid), high concentration of ethanol and water. The sizes of phospholipids, (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatitidic acid), high concentration of ethanol and water. The sizes of
  • Ethosomes vesicles can be modulated from tens of nanometers to microns.
  • a fullerene is a molecule of carbon in the form of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, tube, and many other shapes.
  • Spherical fullerenes are also called buckyballs, and they resemble the balls used in football (soccer). Cylindrical ones are called carbon nanotubes or buckytubes.
  • Fullerenes are similar in structure to graphite, which is composed of stacked graphene sheets of linked hexagonal rings; but they may also contain pentagonal (or sometimes heptagonal) rings. Chitosan
  • Chitosan is an interesting polymer that has been used extensively in the medical field. It is either partially or fully deacetylated chitin. As chitin occurs naturally (for example in fungal cell walls and crustacean shells), chitosan is a fully biodegradable and biocompatible natural polymer, and can be used as an adhesive and as an antibacterial and antifungal agent.
  • Chitosan has been investigated extensively as a potential drug carrier, due to its biocompatible properties. Some studies have suggested using chitosan to coat nanoparticles made of other materials, in order to reduce their impact on the body and increase their bioavailability.
  • the degree of deacetylation and the molecular weight of chitosan can be modified in order to obtain different physico-mechanical properties.
  • the elemental composition of the chitosan polymer is carbon (44.11%), hydrogen (6.84%) and nitrogen (7.97 %).
  • the viscosity average molecular weight of chitosan is -5.3x105 Dal tons.
  • Chitosan is soluble in acidic conditions - in solution the free amino groups on its polymeric chains can protonate, giving it a positive charge.
  • Chitosan nanoparticles can be formed by incorporating a polyanion such as tripolyphosphate (TPP) into a chitosan solution under constant stirring.
  • TPP tripolyphosphate
  • nanoparticles can then be used for drug delivery and gene therapy applications. Due to its poor solubility at pH more than 6.5, a number of chemically modified chitosan derivatives with improved water solubility can be used as well.
  • An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally
  • Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Although the terms colloid and emulsion are sometimes used interchangeably, emulsion should be used when both phases, dispersed and continuous, are liquids. In an emulsion, one liquid (the dispersed phase) is dispersed in the other (the continuous phase). Examples of emulsions include vinaigrettes, milk, mayonnaise, and some cutting fluidsfor metal working.
  • microemulsions are spontaneously formed by "solubilizing" oil molecules with a mixture of surfactants, co- surfactants, and co-solvents.
  • the required surfactant concentration in a microemulsion is, however, several times higher than that in a translucent nanoemulsion, and significantly exceeds the concentration of the dispersed phase. Because of many undesirable side-effects caused by surfactants, their presence is disadvantageous or prohibitive in many applications.
  • the stability of a microemulsion is often easily compromised by dilution, by heating, or by changing pH levels.
  • Ciprofloxacin is a well-established and extensively utilized broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone antibiotic that is indicated for the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections due to P. aeruginosa, which is common in patients with cystic fibrosis.
  • the primary advantage of inhaled antimicrobials is that they target antibiotic delivery to the area of primary infection and bypass Gl-related side effects; however, the poor solubility and bitterness of the drug have limited development of a formulation suitable for inhalation.
  • the rapid tissue distribution of ciprofloxacin means a short drug residence time in the lung thus limiting therapeutic benefit over oral or IV drug administration.
  • a liposome - encapsulated formulation of ciprofloxacin that can be frozen, and after thawing provides a modified bi-phasic release profile, will decrease the limitations and improve management of pulmonary infections due to P. aeruginosa pulmonary infections in patients with CF through improved biopharmaceutical characteristics and mechanisms such as altered drug PK and biodistribution, sustained drug release from the carrier, enhanced delivery to disease sites, and protection of the active drug species from degradation.
  • the invention includes a formulation that combines ciprofloxacin (or a different immune blunting agent; e.g., zithromax) with another drug; e.g., liposomal ciprofloxacin, delivered via the inhalation route.
  • the liposomal encapsulated ciprofloxacin may be substituted with an antibiotic other than ciprofloxacin and may be formulated without using liposomes.
  • the other drug does not have to be an antibiotic and may be any drug that is believed to have some beneficial properties when delivered to the lung.
  • One or more of these drugs also form liposomally encapsulated nanocrystals during the freeze-thaw process.
  • the invention is not limited to the treatment of patients with PA or NTM lung infections but includes other intracellular infections and general lung infections including patients with CF. In fact, there are many patients and indications for which this therapy may be beneficial, including non-CF
  • bronchiectasis bronchiectasis, pneumonia, and other lung infections.
  • This treatment paradigm would also apply to other lung diseases including COPD, asthma, pulmonary hypertension and others in which a formulation of free and encapsulated ciprofloxacin is delivered in combination with another drug to allow higher dosing of the other drug or safer administration of the other drug.
  • the invention also relates to the use of inhaled free ciprofloxacin (or a
  • these other drugs may include nucleotides (DNA, RNA, siRNA), enzymes to reduce the viscoelasticity of the mucus such as DNase and other mucolytic agents, chemicals to upregulate the chloride ion channel or increase flow of ions across the cells, nicotine, P2Y2 agonists, elastase inhibitors including Alpha- 1 antitrypsin (AAT), N-acetylcysteine, antibiotics and cationic peptides, such as lantibiotics, and specifically duramycin, short-acting bronchodilators (e.g., ⁇ 2- adrenergic receptor agonists like albuterol or indacaterol), M3 muscarinic antagonists (e.g., ipatropium bromide), K+-channel openers, long-acting bronchodilators (e.g., formoterol, salmetero
  • nucleotides DNA, RNA, siRNA
  • immunomodulators including those that block T-cell signaling by inhibition of calcineurin (Tacrolimus), heparin neutralizers (Talactoferrin alfa), cytosolic PLA2 inhibitors (Efipladib), or combinations thereof.
  • the delivery of the combination products may be achieved by combining the drugs into one stable formulation, or providing the drugs in separate containers to be combined at the time of administration or alternatively by sequentially delivering the products.
  • compositions of the invention can be prepared from liquid formulations of liposomes containing a polyol and a surfactant. Such ingredients can, e.g., provide protection to the bioactive material, structural stability, enhanced solubility, and other desirable characteristics to the compositions.
  • Polyols of the compositions can be present in the liquid formulation in an amount ranging from about 1 weight percent to up to 40 weight percent, or from about 5 weight percent to about 20 weight percent.
  • a "polyol” is a substance with multiple hydroxyl groups, and includes sugars (reducing and nonreducing sugars), sugar alcohols and sugar acids. Preferred polyols herein have a molecular weight which is less than about 600 kDa (e.g. in the range from about 120 to about 400 kDa).
  • a “reducing sugar” is a polyol which contains a hemiacetal group that can reduce metal ions or react covalently with lysine and other amino groups in proteins.
  • a “nonreducing sugar” is a sugar which does not have these properties of a reducing sugar. Examples of reducing sugars are fructose, mannose, maltose, lactose, arabinose, xylose, ribose, rhamnose, galactose and glucose.
  • Nonreducing sugars include, e.g., sucrose, trehalose, sorbose, melezitose and raffinose.
  • Mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, threitol, sorbitol and glycerol are examples of sugar alcohols.
  • sugar acids these include L- gluconate and metallic salts thereof.
  • the polyols can include, e.g., sucrose, trehalose, sorbose, melezitose, raffinose, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, threitol, sorbitol, glycerol, fructose, mannose, maltose, lactose, arabinose, xylose, ribose, rhamnose, galactose, glucose, L-gluconate, and/or the like.
  • Surfactants of the compositions can be present in the liquid formulations in amounts ranging from about 0.01 weight percent to about 2 weight percent.
  • the surfactants can include, e.g., nonionic detergents, such as polyethylene glycol sorbitan monolaurate (Tween 20, or polysorbate 20), polyoxyethylenesorbitan monooleate (Tween 80, or polysorbate 80), BRIJ 30, block copolymers of polyethylene and polypropylene glycol (Pluronic), and/or the like.
  • Surfactants can also include alkylphenyl alkoxylates, alcohol alkoxylates, fatty amine alkoxylates, polyoxyethylene glycerol fatty acid esters, castor oil alkoxylates, fatty acid alkoxylates, fatty acid amide alkoxylates, fatty acid polydiethanolamides, lanolin ethoxylates, fatty acid polyglycol esters, isotridecyl alcohol, fatty acid amides, methylcellulose, fatty acid esters, silicone oils, alkyl poly glycosides, glycerol fatty acid esters, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyethylene
  • glycol/polypropylene glycol block copolymers polyethylene glycol alkyl ethers, polypropylene glycol alkyl ethers, polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol ether block copolymers, polyacrylates, acrylic acid graft copolymers, alkylarylsulfonates, phenylsulfonates, alkyl sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, alkyl ether sulfates, alkyl aryl ether sulfates, alkyl polyglycol ether phosphates, polyaryl phenyl ether phosphates, alkylsulfosuccinates, olefin sulfonates, paraffin sulfonates, petroleum sulfonates, taurides, sarcosides, fatty acids, alkylnaphthalenesulfonic acids, naphthalenesulfonic acids, lignosulfonic acids
  • compositions can include other ingredients, such as a pH buffer, other drugs, and other excipients.
  • Buffers of the compositions can include, e.g., potassium phosphate, sodium phosphate, sodium acetate, sodium citrate, histidine, glycine, arginine, phosphate, imidazole, sodium succinate, ammonium bicarbonate, and/or a carbonate, to maintain pH at between about pH 3 to about pH 8, or about pH 4 to pH 6 or around pH 5.
  • the invention includes a method of treatment whereby the formulation of the invention is administered by any known route of administration such as injection, inhalation, nasal administration, orally, and IV infusion.
  • a preferred method of administration is by inhalation in that the invention is particularly suited for the treatment of infections in the form of biofilms in the lungs.
  • the formulations of the invention are particular suited for the eradication of infections formed as biofilms in the lung for a number of reasons.
  • the liposomes of the invention are particular resistant to rupture upon aerosolization in that 90% or more, 95% or more, 98% or more of the liposomes maintain their structural integrity and thereby maintain the drug formulations held within them after being aerosolized either by a nebulizer or being moved through the pores of a porous membrane.
  • drug dissolved in the solvent carrier which may be an aqueous carrier at a relatively low pH such as 6.5 or less, 6.0 or less, 5.5 or less, 5.0 or less, drug in that carrier provides for immediate release and contact with bacteria.
  • the liposomes dissolve or their bilayers become more permeable, and provide for release of formulation encapsulated within the liposomes.
  • the nanocrystals slowly dissolve. Accordingly, the formulations of the invention can be delivered on a once a day basis and provided for controlled release of the drug such as ciprofloxacin over a long period of time.
  • Biofilms are resistant to eradication by antibiotics due to a number of
  • the formulation is subjected to temperatures below freezing, the water in contact with the cold surface (e.g., usually the bottom or sides of the vial) will preferentially start to freeze forming water crystals, resulting in the excipients and other components in the formulation becoming more concentrated in the remaining liquid volume. Over time all of the liquid will eventually freeze but this concentrating effect is known to reduce the stability of many products.
  • the pH can also change during the freezing process and in the frozen state and this can also affect the stability of the formulation. Finally, the freezing process itself can compromise the
  • Liposomes are particularly unstable to the freezing process because water is present both in the interior and exterior of the lipid bilayer.
  • the lipid bilayer can form hydrogen bonds with the water molecules. As the water crystals form, they can cause liposome vesicles to rupture. Upon thawing, the lipid components will not reform into vesicles but instead they will remain in a precipitated or agglomerated state.
  • sugars e.g., sucrose and trehalose
  • Cryo/lyoprotectants limit mechanical damage and rupture of the lipid bilayer caused by ice crystals during the freeze-drying and the rehydration process by maintaining the membrane in a flexible state, by adding bulk to the solution to prevent direct contact between vesicles and reduce mobility of vesicles.
  • the sugar molecules can form hydrogen bonds with the liposome and thus "replace" the water molecules around the liposome.
  • Another novel aspect of this invention is that the specific concentration of sugar and surfactant in the formulation will determine how much free drug is released from the liposomes after freeze-thaw (Figure 1). Judicious choice of those excipient concentrations will allow a wide range of encapsulated and free drug to be created in the final vial.
  • One embodiment is to create a stable frozen formulation that after thawing matches the composition and specific property of an existing formulation, such as the mixture of approximately 30% free ciprofloxacin and 70% liposomally encapsulated ciprofloxacin (Pulmaquin®). This could be achieved by addition of -0.1 to 0.3% Tween 20 and 200 to 400 mg/mL sucrose.
  • Figure 3 shows the presence of liposomes which do not contain nanocrystals, and which are lighter in density, consistent with having lost some, or all, of their encapsulated drug.
  • a cryoTEM micrograph of the same formulation prior to freeze-thaw indicates the absence of nanocrystals ( Figure 4) and the liposomes are of darker shading, indicating the presence of drug within. These images confirm that the nanocrystals are formed in response to freeze-thaw.
  • a method for formulating ciprofloxacin and other anti-infectives by encapsulating these drugs in liposomes is provided.
  • Composed of naturally-occurring materials which are biocompatible and biodegradable, liposomes are used to encapsulate biologically active materials for a variety of purposes. Having a variety of layers, sizes, surface charges and compositions, numerous procedures for liposomal preparation and for drug encapsulation within them have been developed, some of which have been scaled up to industrial levels.
  • Liposomes can be designed to act as sustained release drug depots and, in certain applications, aid drug access across cell membranes.
  • the sustained release property of the liposomes may be regulated by the nature of the lipid membrane and by the inclusion of other excipients in the composition of the liposomes.
  • the rate of drug release has been primarily controlled by changing the nature of the phospholipids, e.g. hydrogenated (-H) or unhydrogenated (-G), or the phospholipid/cholesterol ratio (the higher this ratio, the faster the rate of release), the hydrophilic/lipophilic properties of the active ingredients and by the method of liposome manufacturing.
  • the rate of drug release can be also controlled by formation of nanocrystals within the liposomes, and more specifically by their formation through a freeze-thaw process using specific formulation tools and excipients.
  • the liposome-encapsulated ciprofloxacin is administered to a patient in an aerosol inhalation device but could be administered by the IV route, by injection or another route of delivery.
  • ciprofloxacin is encapsulated in the liposomes in combination with other pharmaceuticals that are also encapsulated.
  • ciprofloxacin is encapsulated in the liposomes in combination with other pharmaceuticals that are not encapsulated.
  • the liposomes are administered in combination with ciprofloxacin that is not encapsulated, with pharmaceuticals that are not encapsulated, or various combinations thereof.
  • droplets or particles for inhalation in the range of about 0.5 ⁇ to 12 ⁇ , preferably 1 ⁇ to 6 ⁇ , and more preferably about 2-4 ⁇ .
  • inhaled particles which have a relatively narrow range of size, it is possible to further increase the efficiency of the drug delivery system and improve the repeatability of the dosing.
  • the particles not only have a size in the range of 0.5 ⁇ to 12 ⁇ or 2 ⁇ to 6 ⁇ or about 3-4 ⁇ but that the mean particle size be within a narrow range so that 80% or more of the particles being delivered to a patient have a particle diameter which is within ⁇ 20% of the average particle size, preferably ⁇ 10% and more preferably ⁇ 5% of the average particle size.
  • the formulations of the invention may be administered to a patient using a disposable package and portable, hand-held, battery-powered device, such as the AERx device (US Patent No. 5,823,178, Aradigm, Hayward, CA).
  • the formulations of the instant invention may be carried out using a mechanical (non-electronic) device.
  • Other inhalation devices may be used to deliver the formulations including conventional jet nebulizers, ultrasonic nebulizers, soft mist inhalers, dry powder inhalers (DPIs), metered dose inhalers (MDIs), and other systems.
  • the proportion of free ciprofloxacin to encapsulated ciprofloxacin should remain constant after nebulization compared to the initial proportion; i.e., there should be no damage to the liposomes during nebulization that would result in premature release of a portion of the encapsulated antibiotic.
  • This finding observed with our novel formulations is unexpected (Niven RW and Schreier H, 1990) but ensures that the animal or human inhaling the aerosol will get a reproducible proportion of free to encapsulated drug depositing throughout the lung.
  • An aerosol may be created by forcing drug through pores of a membrane wherein the pores have a size in the range of about 0.25 to 6 microns (US Patent 5,823,178). When the pores have this size the particles which escape through the pores to create the aerosol will have a diameter in the range of 0.5 to 12 microns. Drug particles may be released with an air flow intended to keep the particles within this size range.
  • the creation of small particles may be facilitated by the use of the vibration device which provides a vibration frequency in the range of about 800 to about 4000 kilohertz.
  • an object of some embodiments is to provide aerosolized particles having a diameter in the range of about 0.5 to 12 microns.
  • the liposome formulation may be a low viscosity liquid formulation.
  • the viscosity of the drug by itself or in combination with a carrier should be sufficiently low so that the formulation can be forced out of openings to form an aerosol, e.g., using 20 to 200 psi to form an aerosol preferably having a particle size in the range of about 0.5 to 12 microns.
  • a low boiling point, highly volatile propellant is
  • the liposomes may be provided as a suspension or dry powder in the propellant, or, in another embodiment, the liposomes are dissolved in solution within the propellant. Both of these formulations may be readily included within a container which has a valve as its only opening. Since the propellant is highly volatile, i.e. has a low boiling point, the contents of the container will be under pressure. [00183] In accordance with another formulation, the ciprofloxacin-containing liposomes are provided in a solution formulation prior to freeze-thaw.
  • Any formulation, which after freeze-thaw makes it possible to produce aerosolized forms of ciprofloxacin-containing liposomes with modified release rates which can be inhaled and delivered to a patient via the intrapulmonary route may be used in connection with the present invention.
  • ciprofloxacin-containing liposome formulations by inhalation.
  • Such patients may have symptoms of cystic fibrosis, be diagnosed as having lung infections, including intracellular infections, or have symptoms of a medical condition, which symptoms may benefit from administration to the patient of an antibiotic such as
  • the formulations of the invention may also be used diagnostically.
  • a patient may receive a dose of a formulation of the invention as part of a procedure to diagnose lung infections, wherein one of more of the patient's symptoms improves in response to the formulation.
  • a patient will typically receive a dose of about 0.01 to 10 mg/kg/day of ciprofloxacin ⁇ 20% or ⁇ 10%.
  • This dose will typically be administered by at least one, preferably several "puffs" from the aerosol device.
  • the total dose per day is preferably administered at least once per day, but may be divided into two or more doses per day.
  • Some patients may benefit from a period of "loading" the patient with ciprofloxacin with a higher dose or more frequent administration over a period of days or weeks, followed by a reduced or maintenance dose.
  • cystic fibrosis is typically a chronic condition, patients are expected to receive such therapy over a prolonged period of time.
  • liposome- encapsulated fluoroquinolone antibiotics may be effective in treatment of lung infections and were shown to be superior to the free or unencapsulated fluoroquinolone in a mouse model of F. tularensis (CA 2,215,716, CA 2,174,803 and CA 2,101,241).
  • the authors did not anticipate the potential benefit of freezing the liposome formulation and after freeze-thaw providing a modified release profile, especially one in which there are nanocrystals within the liposomes which attenuate, or modify, the release of encapsulated drug.
  • high concentrations of an antibiotic are delivered immediately while also providing a sustained release of the therapeutic over hours or a day.
  • the formulations according to some aspects of the invention include free or non-encapsulated ciprofloxacin in combination with the liposome-encapsulated ciprofloxacin.
  • Such formulations may provide an immediate benefit with the free ciprofloxacin resulting in a rapid increase in the antibiotic concentration in the lung fluid surrounding the bacterial colonies or biofilm and reducing their viability, followed by a sustained benefit from the encapsulated ciprofloxacin which continues to kill the bacteria or decrease its ability to reproduce, or reducing the possibility of antibiotic resistant colonies arising.
  • the skilled practitioner will understand that the relative advantages of the formulations of the invention in treating medical conditions on a patient-by -patient basis.
  • Liposome formulations of the invention may be administered concurrently with other drugs as described here.
  • the liposomes of the invention may be used along with drugs such as DNase, a mucolytic agent, chemicals that up- regulate the chloride ion channel or increase flow of ions across the epithelial surface of cells, a bronchodilator, a steroid, a P2Y2 agonist, an elastase inhibitor such as Alpha- 1 antitrypsin (AAT), N-acetylcysteine, agents that enhance the activity of the antibiotic against biofilm bacteria such as sodium salicylate, interferon gamma, interferon alpha, or a fluoroquinolone selected from the group consisting of amifloxacin, cinoxacin, ciprofloxacin, danofloxacin, difloxacin, enoxacin, enrofloxacin, fleroxacin, irloxacin, lomefloxacin,
  • This method of treatment applies to other disease states which involve infections of the nasal passages, airways, inner ear, or lungs; including but not limited to: bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, pneumonia; including but not limited to ventilator associated pneumonia, community acquired pneumonia, bronchial pneumonia, lobar pneumonia; infections by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Chlamydia, Mycoplasma pneumonia, staphylococci, prophylactive treatment or prevention for conditions in which infection might arise, e.g., intubated or ventilated patients, infections in lung transplant patient, bronchitis, pertussis (whooping cough), inner ear infections, streptococal throat infections, inhalation anthrax, tularemia, or sinusitis.
  • bronchiectasis tuberculosis
  • pneumonia including but not limited to ventilator associated pneumonia, community acquired pneumonia, bronchial pneumonia, lobar pneumonia
  • Ciprofloxacin (50 mg/mL) is encapsulated into liposomes consisting of hydrogenated soy phosphatidyl-choline (HSPC) (70.6 mg/mL), a semi-synthetic fully hydrogenated derivative of natural soy lecithin (SPC), and cholesterol (29.4 mg/mL).
  • HSPC hydrogenated soy phosphatidyl-choline
  • SPC semi-synthetic fully hydrogenated derivative of natural soy lecithin
  • cholesterol 29.4 mg/mL
  • the lipid is organized in a bilayer, with an average particle size of 75 to 120 nm.
  • the sterile suspension is suspended in an isotonic buffer (25 mM histidine, 145 mM NaCl at pH 6.0, 300 mOsm/kg).
  • liposomal ciprofloxacin preparations contain approximately 1 % unencapsulated ciprofloxacin and can be administered as an aerosol, for example by nebulization, to a patient.
  • the liposomal ciprofloxacin can also be combined with free ciprofloxacin, at 20 mg/mL, in a sodium acetate buffer, and administered as an aerosol, to a patient.
  • CFI liposomal ciprofloxacin
  • polysorbate 20 90 mg/mL sucrose at ⁇ pH 5.
  • the release from the CFI preparations after freeze-thaw is consistent with the formation of ciprofloxacin nanocrystals which delay the release profile compared to the control CFI ( Figure 5).
  • ARA054-01 intraliposomal sucrose and extraliposomal sucrose.
  • ARA054-02 had 50 mM sucrose internally (-17.1 mg/mL) while the second, ARA054-02, had 150 mM sucrose internally (-51.3 mg/mL). Both were formulated in 25 mM histidine and 300 mM sucrose (-102.6 mg/mL) external to the liposomes, pH 6.0.
  • the lots were diluted four-fold by adding 0.25 mL to 0.5 mL water and 0.25 mL 180 mg/mL sucrose to end up with an external sucrose concentration of -70.7 mg/mL. None of the formulations contained any surfactant.
  • Duplicate vials were prepared and one vial of each formulation was frozen in liquid nitrogen and then thawed to see if the formulations could withstand the freeze-thaw process and also if ciprofloxacin nanocrystals can be imputed to be present based on a slower IVR profile. Control CFI lot 0060 was also used.
  • the IVR assay was performed as described in Example 2 and the data are shown in Figure 7.
  • the control CFI sample was comparable to the two formulations prior to freeze-thaw.
  • the control samples had approximately 60 to 70% release versus 30% and 40% release for lot ARA054-01 and ARA054- 02, respectively after freeze-thaw. Both profiles are consistent with the formation of ciprofloxacin nanocrystals causing a delayed release profile.
  • Batch ARA054-01 had a slower release rate than batch ARA054-02, suggesting that the nanocrystals in the liposomes with lower internal sucrose had slower release than for the batch with higher internal sucrose.
  • the IVR assay was performed as described in Example 2 and the data are shown in Figure 8.
  • the control CFI sample was comparable to that for previous control CFI formulations in the IVR assay (Examples 2 through 4).
  • the control sample had approximately 70% release versus 30% release for the sample after freeze-thaw.
  • the IVR profile for the CFI sample after freeze-thaw is consistent with the formation of ciprofloxacin nanocrystals causing a delayed release profile.
  • the control sample had approximately 70% release versus 30 to 60% release for the samples containing BRIJ 30 after freeze-thaw.
  • the IVR profiles for the CFI samples after freeze-thaw are consistent with the formation of ciprofloxacin nanocrystals causing a delayed release profile.
  • the cryoTEM was performed by diluting the sample from 12.5 mg/mL ciprofloxacin to 5 mg/mL and then freezing the samples in liquid ethane and vitrification.
  • the sample with the least polysorbate 20 (Fig 10) has more elongated liposomes with longer nanocrystals, while the sample with 0.1% polysorbate 20 (Fig 11) has more circular liposomes with shorter nanocrystals and appeared unchanged after mesh nebulization (Fig 13).
  • the sample with 0.2% polysorbate 20 has more 'empty' liposomes consistent with the release of more encapsulated drug, thus increasing the portion of immediate release drug.
  • Blanchard JD Pulmonary drug delivery as a first response to bioterrorism.
  • Ciprofloxacin for Inhalation /. Pharm. Sci. 103, 1, 314-327. doi: 10.1002/jps.23795.
  • Fiel SB Aerosolized antibiotics in cystic fibrosis: current and future trends. Expert Rev Respir Med 2: 479-487, 2008. PMID: 20477211
  • Fitzsimmons SC The changing epidemiology of cystic fibrosis. / Pediatr. 1993 Jan;122(l): l-9.
  • Mycobacterium avium ssp. hominissuis biofilm is composed of distinct phenotypes and influenced by the presence of antimicrobials. Clin Microbiol Infect 17(5) 697-703 (2012). PMID: 20636426
  • Polonio RE Mermel LA Paquette GE, Sperry JF., Eradication of biofilm- forming Staphylococcus epidermidis (RP62A) by a combination of sodium salicylate and vancomycin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2001 Nov;45(l l):3262-6.
  • Ciprofloxacin in Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis (ORB IT- 2) - a Randomised, Double- Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Thorax. Vol. 68, No. 9, pp. 812-817 doi:

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Abstract

L'invention concerne une formulation qui comprend un premier solvant ayant un premier principe actif dissous dans celle-ci, une pluralité de micro-environnements dispersés dans le premier solvant, le micro-environnement étant constitué d'une coque sphérique ayant un diamètre compris entre 0,5 et 100 micromètres, la coque comprenant un volume interne comprenant un second solvant ayant un second agent actif dissous et des nanocristaux du second principe actif.
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WO2020242996A1 (fr) * 2019-05-28 2020-12-03 Nevakar Inc. Méthodes et compositions de liposomes de vancomycine
CN112574260A (zh) * 2020-11-29 2021-03-30 宁夏泰益欣生物科技有限公司 一种酒石酸泰乐菌素的纯化方法
EP3927328A4 (fr) * 2019-02-22 2022-11-30 Cila Therapeutic Inc. Agent thérapeutique inhalable

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JP5983608B2 (ja) * 2011-07-15 2016-09-06 コニカミノルタ株式会社 溶解助剤を利用したリポソーム含有製剤およびその製造方法
EP3508220A1 (fr) * 2011-08-31 2019-07-10 GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals S.A. Liposomes pégylés pour l'administration d'arn codant un immunogène
EP3129004A4 (fr) * 2014-04-08 2017-11-15 Aradigm Corporation Formulations de ciprofloxacine liposomale ayant une activité contre les mycobactéries non tuberculeuses
US9968555B2 (en) * 2014-04-08 2018-05-15 Aradigm Corporation Liposomal formulations that form drug nanocrystals after freeze-thaw

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EP3927328A4 (fr) * 2019-02-22 2022-11-30 Cila Therapeutic Inc. Agent thérapeutique inhalable
AU2020224153B2 (en) * 2019-02-22 2025-03-06 Cila Therapeutic Inc. Inhalable therapeutic agent
WO2020242996A1 (fr) * 2019-05-28 2020-12-03 Nevakar Inc. Méthodes et compositions de liposomes de vancomycine
CN112574260A (zh) * 2020-11-29 2021-03-30 宁夏泰益欣生物科技有限公司 一种酒石酸泰乐菌素的纯化方法

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