Title:  Process for preparing pharmaceutical compositions for use with soft gelatin formulations

United States Patent:  6,387,400

Assignee:  R.P. Scherer Technologies, Inc. (Paradise Valley, NV)

Filed:  August 29, 2000

The invention disclosed herein is a process for increasing the achievable concentration of a pharmaceutically active ingredient relative to fill composition viscosity for dosage units. The process is particularly useful in the preparation of soft gelatin capsules containing ibuprofen, naproxen, indomethacin, and acetaminophen, as the pharmaceutically active ingredient. As a result of the process, lesser quantities of composition ingredients other than the pharmaceutically active ingredient are needed to accomplish the same therapeutically effective dosage, thereby significantly increasing the concentration of the pharmaceutically active ingredient resulting in either a reduction in overall fill volume and dosage unit size or an increase in concentration of pharmaceutically active ingredient per dosage form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, the term "soft gelatin dosage unit" is intended to encompass any dosage unit and/or form which employs a gelatin or gelatin-like casing. Numerous casing materials have been proposed for soft capsules including gums, carrageenans, hydroxypropylated starches, celluloses, and the like. As used herein, the term "soft gelatin dosage unit" means a dosage form constructed of mammalian gelatin, fish gelatin, gums, guars, carrageenans, modified starches and the like.

The terms "fill" and "fill composition" are meant to describe that portion of a dosage unit (e.g., pill, capsule, and the like) that is encased or otherwise contained within the outermost portion. When used in reference to soft gelatin dosage units, the terms refer to compositions encased inside the gelatin containment.

As used herein, the phrase "workable viscosity" refers to the lack of substantive and/or disadvantageous resistance, or increase in effort required, in the physical agitation necessary to combine the ingredients during the process of the invention.

The general steps of the process of the invention comprise the gradual and incremental addition of the pharmaceutically active ingredient and hydroxide ion source to the polyethylene glycol in order to balance of ingredients in the solvent system with respect to the active ingredient during the process thereby achieving higher concentrations of pharmaceutically active ingredient relative to fill viscosity. In the first step of the process, a first portion of pharmaceutically active ingredient is combined with all of the polyethylene glycol or substantially all of the polyethylene glycol, to be used in the fill composition and mixed to form an initial suspension. Subsequently, a first portion of hydroxide ion source is added to the suspension and the ingredients are mixed until dissolved to an extent sufficient to produce a workable viscosity. To this mixture, a second portion of pharmaceutically active ingredient is added and mixed. Then, a second portion of hydroxide ion source is added and the ingredients dissolved until the resultant liquid fill composition is obtained.

The gradual and incremental addition of the total pharmaceutically active ingredient and hydroxide ion source amounts, respectively, in the interchanging manner as described produces a solvent system for the active ingredient which balances the interaction between the active ingredient and the viscosity of the fill in such a manner that accommodates higher concentrations of the active ingredient per-total volume of fill without creating excessively high viscosities. Otherwise, preparations of such high concentrations of pharmaceutically active ingredient in this system would result in suspensions too viscous to stir on a commercial and/or practical scale when using conventional equipment. As a result, it would not accommodate the addition of the hydroxide component. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that homogeneous mixtures are critical in the pharmaceutical art, and that adequate mixing or agitation is required to accomplish homogeneous mixtures suitable for encapsulation in gelatin capsules and the like.

The relative amounts of pharmaceutically active ingredient and hydroxide ion source which are added each time during the process, as well as the number of addition steps for each ingredient, can vary provided a workable viscosity is maintained throughout the process. The active ingredient can be added in a proportionate amount to the total active ingredient in a range from about 10% to about 90% of the total amount (100%) of the active ingredient to be added. Likewise, each addition of hydroxide ion source can be in an amount ranging from about 10% to about 90% of the total hydroxide ion source to be added. The amounts of each ingredient added during the process need not be identical. Accordingly, various combinations of number and amount of ingredient repetitions are possible according to the invention provided a workable viscosity is maintained throughout the process. The quantity of each portion of ingredient added will vary according to the chemical properties of active ingredient, the interaction between the ingredients, and the reaction parameters employed in the process.

In a "two-step addition" process embodiment, half of the active ingredient can be added followed by half of the hydroxide ion source in each respective addition step, for example. Alternatively, half of the active ingredient can be added, followed by the addition of a third of the hydroxide ion source, and subsequently the other half of the active ingredient and the remaining two-thirds of the hydroxide ion source. Three or more addition steps can also be used for each respective ingredient in the process.

Pharmaceutically active ingredients useful in the present invention include acidic compounds such as ibuprofen, naproxen, indomethacin, and acetaminophen. A preferred pharmaceutically active ingredient is ibuprofen.

The hydroxide ion source used in the invention is generally present in an amount of about 5.5% or less of the total fill composition volume, since degradation of gelatin casings tends to occur above about 5.5% hydroxide content. Suitable hydroxide ion sources include, but are not limited to, potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. A preferred hydroxide ion source is potassium hydroxide. Most preferred for use in the invention is a 50% aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide. Potassium hydroxide is preferred as the hydroxide ion source because it enhances the solubility of acidic pharmaceutical ingredients more than sodium hydroxide and is less likely to result in precipitation over a wide variety of concentrations at lower temperatures.

The initial suspension used in the process typically contains the total amount of polyethylene glycol which will be used for the fill composition. Polyethylene glycols (PEG) which can be used in accordance with the invention include those having a molecular weight range from about 200 Daltons to about 100,000 Daltons, and preferably ranging from about 400 Daltons to about 700 Daltons.

In an alternative embodiment, polyethylene glycol derivatives can be used in accordance with the invention. Suitable polyethylene glycol derivatives include, but are not limited to, polyethylene glycol ethers of alcohols and co-polymers of polyethylene glycol. An example of a polyethylene glycol ether of an alcohol is tetraglycol, which is a polyethylene glycol ether of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol.

In an alternative embodiment, other solvent systems can be used in accordance with the invention. For example, suitable solvent systems include those described in Makino et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,011 and Morton et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,688, the entire texts of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Additional ingredients which enhance the solubility of the active pharmaceutical ingredient in polyethylene glycol can be used as well, provided such ingredients are present only in amounts sufficient to preserve the desired viscosity and that do not degrade the gelatin capsule. Examples of additional ingredients include, but are not limited to, glycerin, propylene glycol, and polyvinylpyrrolidone, and combinations thereof. The amount and combination of additional ingredient(s) used will vary according to the chemical properties of the other ingredients used in the process.

Conventional additives can be used in conjunction with the process of the invention as well, including but not limited to, preservatives, stabilizers, wetting agents, coloring agents, and the like.

The chemical interaction between the pharmaceutically active ingredient and the polyethylene glycol/potassium hydroxide solvent system as applied according to the process of the invention are substantially optimized producing the capability of higher concentrations of active ingredient relative to a given viscosity of the PEG/KOH solvent system. Throughout the process of the invention, the viscosity of the composition at each stage is controlled by virtue of the chemical properties of each ingredient with the other in conjunction with particular incremental proportions added.

Claim 1 of 22 Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A process for increasing the concentration of a pharmaceutically active ingredient relative to fill composition viscosity for dosage units comprising the steps of:

a) combining a first portion of a pharmaceutically active ingredient with substantially the total amount of polyethylene glycol to be used in the fill composition to form an initial suspension, said polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight ranging from about 200 Daltons to about 100,000 Daltons;

b) mixing said suspension;

c) adding a first portion of hydroxide ion source to the suspension;

d) mixing the ingredients until dissolved in solution;

e) adding a second portion of pharmaceutically active ingredient to the solution to form another suspension;

f) mixing the suspension;

g) adding a second portion of hydroxide ion source to the suspension; and

h) mixing the ingredients until dissolved in solution;

wherein said first and second portions of the pharmaceutically active ingredient and first and second portions of the hydroxide ion source are each less than the total amount of the respective ingredient used in the resulting fill composition.

____________________________________________
If you want to learn more about this patent, please go directly to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Web site to access the full patent.