Title:  Prolonged anesthesia in joints and body spaces

United States Patent:  6,534,081

Issued:  March 18, 2003

Inventors:  Goldenheim; Paul (Wilton, CT); Donigi-Gale; Donna (Richfield, CT); Sackler; Richard (Greenwich, CT); Lacouture; Peter (Newton, CT); Chasin; Mark (Manalapan, NJ)

Assignee:  Euro-Celtique S.A. (Luxembourg, LU)

Appl. No.:  824465

Filed:  April 2, 2001

Sustained release local anesthetic formulations are administered intra articularly and/or into body spaces/cavities. The formulation is preferably a plurality of injectable microparticles including a local anesthetic and an effective amount of a biocompatible, biodegradable, sustained release material prolonging the release of the local anesthetic and optionally and a pharmaceutically acceptable, i.e., non-toxic, augmenting agent effective to prolong the duration of the local anesthesia for a time period longer than that obtainable without the augmenting agent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in a surprising and unexpected finding, methods are provided for the administration of microparticles in a form suitable for injection and containing one or more active agents suitable for treating and/or diagnosing a disease or painful condition in one or more articular joints in a patient in need thereof. Thus, the invention provides a safe and effective procedure for the intra articular administration of such active agents in sustained release form without causing damage, irritation or inflammation to the treated tissue. Prior to the invention, it was believed that the microparticles might cause injury and thus be intolerable intra articularly. However, as demonstrated herein, the microparticles were adequately tolerated. In further embodiments, the microparticles are administered into a body space or cavity.

Thus, the present invention provides formulations and methods for the safe and effective treatment of localized joint conditions by the administration, e.g., by injection, infusion or infiltration of extended duration local anesthetic microparticles into an intra articular space and/or body space in need of such treatment.

In a preferred aspect, the invention provides methods for relieving localized joint pain and/or inflammation. In this aspect of the invention, the formulations according to the invention include an effective amount of a local anesthetic agent and preferably an amount of an augmenting agent, e.g., a glucocorticosteroid or nonglucocorticoid agent that may be provided in any form suitable for intra articular placement, including forms molded for insertion into a joint space, pastes, solutions and the like. The augmentation of efficacy provided by the use of the augmenting agent cannot be predicted based on in-vitro release (dissolution) of the local anesthetic in sustained release form. The inclusion of the augmenting agent within the sustained release formulations of the invention does not substantially alter or prolong the in-vitro dissolution rate of the local anesthetic agent from the formulation; yet, the same formulation when administered in-vivo provides a rapid onset of local anesthesia and a significant increase in the time period of local anesthesia at the site of administration. The augmenting agents disclosed herein are both glucocorticoid and non-glucocorticoid agents and can be administered prior to, along with, or after administration, e.g., topical application, infiltration and/or injection of the local anesthetic agent in sustained release form, in each case with a substantial prolongation of local anesthesia in-vivo.

The augmenting agent can be compounded in the same sustained release formulation as a local anesthetic agent or agents, in a separate sustained release formulation, e.g., different injectable microspheres, or in a non-sustained release, i.e, immediate release formulation. The augmenting agent may be administered before, simultaneously with, or after injection or infiltration, implantation or insertion of the sustained release local anesthetic formulation at the desired site.

In those embodiments of the invention directed to formulations where the augmenting agent is included in the formulation with the local anesthetic, the augmenting agent may be included in sustained release form or in immediate release form. The augmenting agent may be incorporated into any pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and preferably a carrier providing sustained release, including, e.g., a sustained release matrix along with the local anesthetic; incorporated into a sustained release coating on a sustained release device or formulation; or incorporated as an immediate release layer coating the local anesthetic formulation. On the other hand, the augmenting agent may be incorporated into a pharmaceutically acceptable aqueous medium suitable for infiltration or injection, either in sustained release form or in immediate release form.

The sustained release formulations and methods of the invention may be used in conjunction with any system for application, infiltration, implantation, insertion, or injection known in the art, including but not limited to microparticles, e.g., microspheres or microcapsules, gels, pastes, and the like.

As used herein, the terms, "sustained release" and "controlled release" indicate a prolongation of the duration of release and/or duration of action of an active agent and are well understood in the art and are intended to be interchangeable, unless otherwise indicated.

As used herein, the term, "active agent" includes, without limitation, any substance that it is desired to incorporate into microparticles for sustained or controlled intra articular delivery and/or release. An active agent can be either soluble or insoluble in a polymer solvent and may be in any state, including liquids, solutions, pastes, solids, and the like. The active agent may be a pharmaceutically active agent, such as a drug and/or diagnostic substance for human or veterinary use. An active agent can also be an enzyme, antibody, antigen or other biological protein or peptide for pharmaceutical and/or diagnostic use or combinations thereof. An active agent may also be, simply by way of example, any art known agent, e.g., a polypeptide or peptide derivative effective to protect or regenerate cartilage and/or connective tissue.

Additional pharmaceutically active agents that can be incorporated into microparticles for intra articular administration, include, e.g., antibiotics such as sulfisoxazole, penicillin G, ampicillin, cephalosporins, amikacin, gentamicin, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, clindamycin, isoniazid, rifampin, and derivatives, salts and mixtures thereof; antifungals such as amphotericin B, nystatin, ketoconazole; antivirals such as acyclovir, amantadine; anticancer agents such as cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, etretinate and other art known anti-infective or antitumor agents or combinations thereof.

Diagnostic agent that can be administered intra articularly according to the invention include, e.g., dyes, vital dyes, radio-opaque dyes, magnetic resonance imaging dyes, electron spin dyes, radio-isotope labeled moieties and others readily apparent to the artisan, or combinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the formulation can be prepared, e.g., to include any art-known nontoxic and radio-opaque dye, e.g., an iodine compound and the like, to aid in the visualization of the site for improved accuracy of administration and where desirable, to monitor the location of any controlled release material remaining at the site at a later time. In another embodiment, at least a portion of such optional radio-opaque dye is present in the suspending vehicle to assist in the localization of the site of injection.

Prodrugs are well known in the art and include inactive drug precursors which, when exposed to high temperature, metabolizing enzymes, cavitation and/or pressure, in the presence of oxygen or otherwise, or when released from the microspheres, will form active drugs in the intercellular or intracellular environment. Suitable prodrugs will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Examples of antibodies that can be incorporated into microparticles by this method generally include industrial antibodies as well as antibodies and derivatives of antibodies for use in biotechnological process as well as antibodies for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Such antibodies include, for example, IgA, IgD, IgG, IgE IgM, and combinations thereof, in the form of monoclonal, polyclonal and recombinant antibodies, catalytic antibodies and antigen-binding antibodies. Further, fragments of antibodies can be incorporated, together with or separately from, intact antibodies. For example, antibody fragments include light and/or heavy chains, and combinations of light chains or heavy chains, as well as the Fab, Fv, Fc, Fd and smaller fragments, such as active portions of the variable region and non-naturally occurring combinations of such fragments and/or light and heavy chains or combinations thereof. Recombinant polypeptides with antibody activity can also be incorporated into microparticles by this method, as can engineered antibodies or antibodies or antibody fragments that are linked to other molecules, e.g., drugs, prodrugs and/or diagnostic or analytic label moieties or combinations thereof.

Examples of genetic materials that can be incorporated, include, e.g., nucleic acids such as RNA and DNA, of either natural or synthetic origin, including recombinant RNA and DNA and antisense RNA and DNA as well as chemical derivatives of these nucleic acids, e.g., phosphonamides. Types of genetic material that may be incorporated include, for example, genes carried on expression vectors such as plasmids, phagemids, cosmids, yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs), and defective or "helper" viruses, anti-gene nucleic acids, both single and double stranded RNA as well as viral vectors for transforming cells, in vivo or in vitro or for genetic therapy, e.g., retroviral vectors, adenoviral vectors and the like or combinations thereof.

Examples of enzymes that can be incorporated into microparticles by this method include, generally, enzymes for diagnosis and therapeutic purposes, e.g., ribonuclease, neuramidinase, trypsin, glycogen phosphorylase, amino peptidase, trypsin chymotrypsin, amylase, muramidase, diesterase, glutamic acid dehydrogenase, as well as fibrinolytic enzymes, lysozymes, dextranase and ribozymes or combinations thereof, to name but a few that will be readily apparent to the artisan.

As used herein, the terms "local anesthetic agent" or "local anesthetic" means any drug which provides local numbness and/or analgesia. The term also includes, but is not limited to, any drug which, when locally administered, e.g, topically or by infiltration or injection, provides localized full or partial inhibition of sensory perception and/or motor function. Under either definition, the localized condition so induced is also referred to herein as "local anesthesia". Local anesthesia can result, for example, from contact of an effective amount of a local anesthetic with sensory nerve processes at the site at which the painful stimulus is present, or can result from inhibition of nerve transmission at a nerve or nerves proximal to the site at which the painful stimulus is present.

Local anesthetic agents which can be used include, simply by way of example, bupivacaine, ropivacaine, dibucaine, procaine, chloroprocaine, prilocaine, mepivacaine, etidocaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, and xylocaine, as well as anesthetically active derivatives, analogs and mixtures thereof. The local anesthetic can be in the form of a salt, for example, the hydrochloride, bromide, acetate, citrate, carbonate or sulfate.

More preferably, the local anesthetic agent is in the form of a free base. The free base provides a slower initial release and avoids an early "dumping" of the local anesthetic at the injection site. Preferred local anesthetic agents include, e.g., bupivacaine. Local anesthetic agents typically administered systematically may also be used in those cases where the means of administration results only in a local effect, rather than systemic.

The term "local anesthetic" may also encompass, pursuant to the definitions provided herein, a drug of a different class than those traditionally associated with local anesthetic properties, including but not limited to morphine, fentanyl, and agents which, for example, can provide regional blockage or localized anesthesia of nociceptive pathways (afferent and/or efferent).

As used herein, the term "microparticles" includes microspheres and microcapsules in a size range suitable for injection into a desired site of administration by injection, infiltration, infusion and the like. For administration by injection and/or infiltration or infusion, the formulations according to the invention may be suspended (e.g., for microparticles), or dissolved (e.g., for immediate release forms), in any art-known vehicle suitable for injection and/or infiltration or infusion. Such vehicles include, simply by way of example, isotonic saline, buffered or unbuffered and the like and may optionally include any other art known ingredients or agents, e.g., colorants, preservatives, antibiotics, epinephrine and other art known ingredients. A more complete listing of art-known vehicles for administration of formulations by systemic administration and/or local injection and/or infiltration is provided by reference texts that are standard in the art, for example, REMINGTON'S PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, 16th Edition, 1980 and 17th Edition, 1985, both published by Mack Publishing Company, Easton, Pa., the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

Formulations according to the invention provide extended duration local anesthetic and may be referred to hereinbelow as "EDLA" formulations.

As used herein, the term "patient" broadly refers to any animal that is to be treated with the compositions and by the methods herein disclosed. The disclosed extended duration micropartical formulations and methods for intra articular administration can provide prolonged and effective administration of active agents. In particular, the method for intra articular administration of extended duration local anesthetic dosage forms according to the invention can provide localized pain blockade to any animal, e.g., any vertebrate, which it is desired to so anesthetize. In particular, the disclosed methods and compositions will find use in veterinary practice and animal husbandry for, e.g., birds and mammals, wherever prolonged local anesthesia is convenient or desirable. In a preferred embodiment, the term "patient" includes humans in need of or desiring prolonged intra articular treatments, such as for treatment of joint pain.

Augmenting Agents

Augmenting agents according to the invention are compositions or compounds that prolong the duration of local anesthesia and/or enhance the effectiveness of local anesthetic agents when delivered to the site of local anesthetic administration before, simultaneously with or after the local anesthetic is administered.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the augmenting agent can be from one or more of the following general types or classes of agents, including glucocorticosteroid agents, alkalinizing agents, non-glucocorticoid steroids such as, e.g, neuroactive steroids and/or steroid or nonsteroid modulators of gamma amino butyric acid ("GABA") receptors, modulators of ionic transport across cell membranes, including, e.g., modulators of membrane transport of monovalent and divalent metal ions such as, for example, blockers or enhancers of sodium, potassium and/or calcium transport across cell membranes, antipyretic agents, adrenergic receptor agonists or antagonists, such as .alpha.2 receptor agonists, tubulin binding agents, including, e.g., agents that are capable of either causing formation or disruption of intracellular microtubules, osmotic polysaccharides, agonists and antagonists of potassium ATP channels, i.e., able to open or close potassium ATP channels, Na, K-ATPase inhibitors and enhancers, neurokinin antagonists, PLC (i.e., phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C) inhibitors, inhibitors of leukocyte glucose metabolism and anti-convulsants. The augmenting agent can also be an analeptic, a tranquilizing agent, an ataretic, an antidepressant, an anti-seizure agent, leukotriene and prostaglandin agonists and inhibitors, phosphodiesterase agonists and inhibitors, e.g., based on cAMP, and combinations of any of the foregoing. Vasoconstrictive agents provided in controlled release form also provide for unexpected and surprising augmentation of duration and potency of local anesthetics relative to immediate release forms of vasonstrictive agents heretofore known to the art. The aforementioned types of augmenting agents may to used alone or in any mixture or combination of each such agent to provide effective augmentation of local anesthesia where desired.

In one embodiment, the augmenting agent is any art-known glucocorticosteroid agent, such as, simply by way of example, dexamethasone, cortisone, prednisone, hydrocortisone, beclomethasone dipropionate, betamethasone, flunisolide, methylprednisone, paramethasone, prednisolone, triamcinolone, alclometasone, amcinonide, clobetasol, fludrocortisone, diflorasone diacetate, fluocinolone acetonide, fluocinonide, fluorometholone, flurandrenolide, halcinonide, medrysone and mometasone, ropivicaine and pharmaceutically acceptable mixtures and salts thereof and any other derivatives and analogs thereof.

When a glucocorticosteroid agent is included in the controlled release substrates comprising local anesthetic, it has been found that useful loadings of glucocorticosteroid agent are, e.g., from 0.005% to 30% by weight of the substrate.

When the glucocorticosteroid agent is included with a suitable vehicle in which microparticles comprising local anesthetic are suspended, the glucocorticosteroid agent is present, for example, in a weight percent relative to the local anesthetic varying from about 0.005% to about 15%.

In another embodiment, the augmenting agents include an alkalinizing agent. The alkalinizing augmenting agents used herein preferably raise the pH of the medium in which the local anesthetic agents in sustained release form are present (e.g., either an injection medium or the environment at the site of injection) to provide a pH from about 6.0 to about 8.5, preferably from about 7.5 to about 8.5. Preferably, the alkalinizing agent may be, for example, a carbonate buffer such as sodium carbonate. Of course, any other alkalinizing agent that is pharmaceutically acceptable for localized injection or infiltration may also be effectively employed. The augmenting agents also include non-glucocorticoid steroids such as e.g., androgens, such as testosterone and its active derivatives, analogs and metabolites; estrogens, such as estradiol and its active derivatives, analogs and metabolites and progestins, such as progesterone and its active derivatives, analogs and metabolites and mixtures of any of these.

In yet another embodiment, the augmenting agents are neuroactive steroids, such as, e.g., one or more of the class of anesthetic steroids. Neuroactive steroids useful as augmenting agents according to the invention also include those which modulate GABA receptors. Preferred neuroactive steroids include, simply by way of example, althesin and its main component, alphaxalone and active analogs, derivatives and mixtures thereof, as well as 5-alpha-pregnane-3 alpha-21-diol-20-one (tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone or THDOC) and/or allotetrahydrocortisone (the 17-beta configuration); and dehydroepiandrosterone ("DHE") and active analogs, derivatives and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the neuroactive steroids are present as an additive in the vehicle carrying the microspheres in a concentration ranging from about 0.01% to about 1% by weight, and most preferably from about 0.05% to about 0.5% by weight.

The augmenting agents also include non-steroidal modulators of GABA receptors, including those that are capable of potentiating the inhibitory effects of GABA on those receptors. Preferably, these include the benzodiazepines, e.g., diazepam as well as its active derivatives, analogs and metabolites and mixtures thereof. More preferably, the diazepam is present as an additive in the vehicle in a concentration ranging from about 0.01% to about 1% by weight, and most preferably from about 0.05% to about 0.5% by weight. Of course, the artisan will appreciate that the potency of benzodiazepines varies widely, and will adjust these concentration ranges accordingly for other benzodiazepines, relative to the potency of diazepam.

In yet another aspect of the invention, the augmenting agent is a modulator of ionic transport across cell membranes. Monovalent and multivalent metal ion transport can be modulated. Agents include, e.g., sodium, potassium and calcium channel modulators (e.g., nifedipine, nitrendipine, verapamil, etc.). In preferred embodiments, these also include, but are not limited to, aminopyridine, benzamil, diazoxide, 5,5 diphenylhydantoin, minoxidil, tetrethylammonium and valproic acid. Preferably, the ion transport modulating agent is present as an additive in the vehicle carrying the microspheres in a concentration ranging from about 0.01 to about 5 percent by weight, and most preferably from about 0.05 to about 1.5 percent by weight.

Augmenting agents also include, e.g., antipyretic agents such as aminopyrine, phenazone, dipyrone, apazone, phenylbutazone and derivatives and analogs thereof. Aminopyrine is preferably included in the vehicle containing the microspheres in a concentration ranging from about 0.01 to about 0.5 percent and in a more preferred embodiment the concentration ranges from about 0.05 to about 0.5 percent, by weight.

Other preferred augmenting agents include, e.g., adrenergic receptor modulators, such as .alpha.2 receptor agonists, can also be used as augmenting agents. Simply by way of example, the .alpha.2 receptor agonist clonidine provides useful augmentation of local anesthesia, although any other art known .alpha.2 receptor modulators capable of augmenting local anesthesia according to the invention may be used. Clonidine is preferably included in the vehicle containing the microspheres in a concentration ranging from about 0.01% to about 0.5% preferred embodiment the concentration ranges from about 0.05% to about 1%, by weight.

Tubulin binding agents that are capable of promoting the formation or disruption of cytoplasmic microtubules may be employed as augmenting agents according to the invention. Such agents include, for example, colchicine and the vinca alkaloids (vincristine and vinblastine) as well as active derivatives, analogs metabolites and mixtures thereof. Of course, some agents may be classified in more than one category, thus, for example, colchicine is also known to inhibit glucose metabolism in leukocytes. Colchicine is preferably included in the vehicle containing the microspheres in a concentration ranging from about 0.01 to about 1.0 percent and in a more preferred embodiment the concentration ranges from about 0.05 to about 0.5 percent, by weight.

Osmotic polysaccharides are also able to be used as augmenting agents. In one preferred embodiment, the osmotic polysaccharide includes dextran. More preferably, the dextran augmenting agents according to the invention have a molecular weight ranging from about 20 kDa through about 200 kDa, or greater. A solution containing dextran in a form suitable for injection or infiltration into a desired site in a patient is preferably buffered to a pH ranging from about 3.0 to about 8.5, but in a preferred aspect is buffered to a pH ranging from about 7.0 to about 8.5.

Other preferred embodiments of the invention provide for potassium-ATP channel agonists for use as augmenting agents. A preferred potassium-ATP channel agonist is, e.g., diazoxide, as well as its active derivatives, analogs, metabolites and mixtures thereof which are useful as augmenting agents.

Sodium/potassium ATPase inhibitors are also preferred as augmenting agents according to the invention. Preferably, the sodium/potassium ATPase inhibitors are cardiac glycosides that are effective to augment local anesthesia. Cardiac glycosides that are useful according to the invention include, e.g., oubaine, digoxin, digitoxin and active derivatives, analogs and metabolites and mixtures of any of these.

Additionally, augmenting agents according to the invention include, e.g., neurokinin antagonists, such as, e.g., spantide and other peptide inhibitors of substance P receptors that are well known to the art, e.g., as are listed in Receptor and Ion Channel Nomenclature Supplement, Trends in Pharmacological Sciences 18:64-65, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. PLC (i.e., phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C) inhibitors such as, e.g., 1-[6-[[17-beta-3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-triene- 17-yl]amino]hexl]-1-H-pyrrole-2,5-dione, and anti-seizure agents and agents that stabilize cell membrane potential, such as, e.g., benzodiazepines, barbiturates, deoxybarbiturates, carbamazepine, succinamides, valproic acid, oxazalidienbiones, phenacemide and active derivatives, analogs and metabolites and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the anti-seizure augmenting agent is phenytoin, and most preferably is 5,5-diphenylhydantoin.

Surprisingly, locally acting vasoconstrictive agents also provide effective augmentation of local anesthesia that is unexpectedly superior to that provided by immediate release vasoconstrictive agents. While not wishing to be bound by any hypothesis as to how vasconstrictive agents in sustained release form might greatly prolong local anesthetic activity, it is believed that sustained release vasoconstrictor agents provide a controlled and non-toxic vasoconstrictor activity that reduces the rate of local anesthetic washout from the treated tissue area to prolong the presence of effective concentrations of local anesthetic in the tissue. It is known to the art that vasoconstrictors, e.g., epinephrine, prolong local anesthetic activity for, at best, about 1 hour and that if excessive amounts of epinephrine or other vasoconstrictor is administered in an attempt to further prolong local anesthesia, local circulation may be so disrupted as to cause tissue necrosis and gangrene.

It is therefore unexpected that sustained release vasoconstrictor agents can achieve local tissue concentrations that are safe and effective to provide vasoconstrictor activity effective to substantially prolong local anesthesia. More unexpectedly, the local circulatory bed, i.e., blood vessels, remain responsive to the vasoconstrictor agent for prolonged periods, e.g., receptor desensitization or smooth muscle fatigue or tolerance does not prevent the prolongation effect. The gradual release from a sustained release formulation also serves to greatly reduce the risk of toxic reactions such as, e.g., localized tissue necroses.

The previously discussed vasoconstrictive augmenting agents can be administered before, simultaneously with or after the administration of local anesthetic. In one embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the vasoconstrictive agent is formulated in a sustained release formulation together with local anesthetic. In another embodiment, the vasconstrictive agent is prepared in one or separate sustained release formulations. It will be appreciated that by manipulating the loading of, e.g., microspheres containing vasoconstrictor agent, the artisan can determine the number of microspheres necessary to administer a given dose. Thus, simply by way of example, microspheres loaded with about 75 percent by weight of vasoconstrictor agent will require half of the microspheres necessary to administer a predetermined dose than will microspheres loaded with about 45 percent by weight of vasoconstrictor agent.

Vasoconstrictor agents can formulated into, e.g., sustained release microspheres including both a local anesthetic, e.g., bupivacaine free base, and a vasoconstrictor agent. Vasoconstrictor agents can also be formulated into, e.g., sustained release microspheres including local anesthetic without a vasoconstrictive agent.

While not wishing to be bound by any hypothesis as to how vasconstrictive agents in sustained release form might greatly prolong local anesthetic activity, it is believed that sustained release vasoconstrictor agents provide a controlled and non-toxic vasoconstrictor activity that reduces the rate of local anesthetic washout from the treated tissue area to prolong the presence of effective concentrations of local anesthetic in the tissue. It is known to the art that vasoconstrictors, e.g., epinephrine, prolong local anesthetic activity for, at best, about 1 hour and that if excessive amounts of epinephrine or other vasoconstrictor is administered in an attempt to further prolong local anesthesia, local circulation may be so disrupted as to cause tissue necrosis and gangrene.

It is therefore unexpected that sustained release vasoconstrictor agents can achieve local tissue concentrations that are safe and effective to provide vasoconstrictor activity effective to substantially prolong local anesthesia. More unexpectedly, the local circulatory bed, i.e., blood vessels, remain responsive to the vasoconstrictor agent for prolonged periods, e.g., receptor desensitization or smooth muscle fatigue or tolerance does not prevent the prolongation effect. The gradual release from a sustained release formulation also serves to greatly reduce the risk of toxic reactions such as, e.g., localized tissue necroses.

Vasoconstrictor agents can formulated into, e.g., sustained release microspheres including both a local anesthetic, e.g., bupivacaine free base, and a vasoconstrictor agent. Vasoconstrictor agents can also be formulated into, e.g., sustained release microspheres including local anesthetic without a vasoconstrictive agent.

In one embodiment, local anesthetic and vasoconstrictor agents are administered simultaneously in the form of, e.g., separate microspheres suspended in a single medium suitable for injection or infiltration, or in separate microspheres suitable for injection, e.g., at the same site. In a further embodiment, simply by way of example, administration of sustained release microspheres with combined local anesthetic and vasoconstrictor agent can also be followed by one or more additional administrations of such combination formulation and/or of microspheres including as the active agent only local anesthetic or only vasoconstrictor agent.

Augmenting agents that are vasoconstrictor agents in sustained release form include, but are not limited to, catecholamines e.g., epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine as well as, e.g., metaraminol, phenylephrine, methoxamine, mephentermine, methysergide, ergotamine, ergotoxine, dihydroergotamine, sumatriptan and analogs, and alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, such as, e.g., clonidine, guanfacine, guanabenz and dopa (i.e., dihyrdoxyphenylalanine), methyldopa, ephedrine, amphetamine, methamplietamine, methylphenidate, ethylnorepinephrine ritalin, pemoline and other sympathomimetic agents, including active metabolites, derivatives and mixtures of any of the foregoing.

In a more preferred embodiment, at least a portion of any of the augmenting agents enumerated above are included in the sustained release formulation, in combination with a local anesthetic agent or agents in a concentration ranging from about 0.01 to about 30 percent or more, by weight, relative to the weight of the formulation.

The artisan will also appreciate that other augmenting agents according to the invention broadly include any other types and classifications of drugs or active agents known to the art. Such augmenting agents are readily identified by routine screening as discussed hereinbelow using animal sensory and motor quantitation protocols well known to the art.

A local anesthetic according to the invention can also be formulated, e.g., in injectable microspheres, in combination with at least one vasoconstrictor augmenting agent according to the invention. In one embodiment, the vasoconstrictor can be included in the vehicle suitable for injection carrying the microspheres. In a further embodiment, at least a portion of the vasoconstrictor can also be formulated into a sustained release formulation, e.g., injectable microspheres, together with the local anesthetic. In a still further embodiment, at least a portion of the vasoconstrictor can be prepared in a separate sustained release formulation.

The vasoconstrictor can be included in either a single or combination formulation in an amount ranging from about 0.001 percent to about 90 percent, by weight relative to the total weight of the formulation. Preferably, the vasoconstrictor is included in a sustained release formulation in an amount ranging from about 0.005 percent to about 20%, and more preferably, from about 0.05 percent to about 5 percent, by weight, relative to the total weight of the formulation. When a vasoconstrictor is present in the injection vehicle in immediate release form, it is present in amounts ranging from about 0.01% to about 5 percent, or more, by weight, relative to the injection vehicle. The vasoconstrictor can also be provided in a ratio of local anesthetic, e.g., bupivacaine to vasoconstrictor, ranging from about 10:1 to about 20,000 and preferably from about 100:1 to about 2000:1 and from about 500:1 to about 1500:1.

Of course, the artisan will appreciate that the amounts of augmenting agent and local anesthetic will vary depending upon the relative potency of the agents selected, the depth and duration of local anesthesia desired.

Of course, the artisan will appreciate that the optimal concentration and/or quantities or amounts of any particular augmenting agent, whether present in the injection vehicle, separately administered before, during or after local anesthesia is induced or whether included in the microsphere formulation, may be adjusted to accommodate variations in the treatment parameters. Such treatment parameters include the polymer composition of a particular microsphere preparation, the particular local anesthetic utilized, and the clinical use to which the preparation is put, in terms of the site treated for local anesthesia, the type of patient, e.g., human or non-human, adult or child, and the type of sensory stimulus to be anesthetized.

Further, the concentration and/or amount of any particular augmenting agent for a given formulation may be readily identified by routine screening in animals, e.g, rats, by screening a range of concentration and/or amounts of augmenting agent using the hotplate foot withdrawal assay and/or motor function assay described hereinbelow.

Art known methods are also available to assay local tissue concentrations, diffusion rates from microspheres and local blood flow before and after administration of local anesthetic formulations according to the invention. One such method is microdialysis, as reviewed by T. E. Robinson et al., 1991, MICRODIALYSIS IN THE NEUROSCIENCES, Techniques, volume 7, Chapter 1, pages 1-64, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The methods reviewed by Robinson can be applied, in brief, as follows. A microdialysis loop is placed in situ in a test animal. Dialysis fluid is pumped through the loop. When microspheres according to the invention are injected adjacent to the loop, released drugs, e.g., bupivacaine and vasoconstrictor augmenting agents, are collected in the dialysate in proportion to their local tissue concentrations. The progress of diffusion of the active agents can be determined thereby with suitable calibration procedures using known concentrations of active agents. For the vasoconstrictor augmenting agents, decrements and durations of vasoconstriction effects can be measured by clearance rates of marker substances, e.g., methylene blue or radiolabeled albumen from the local tissue.

The data presented hereinbelow by the Examples applies microdialysis to confirm that bupivacaine containing microspheres placed into tissue provides an initial rise of free bupivacaine, followed by the prolonged maintenance of high local concentration.

The optimal concentration of augmenting agent for human clinical use may also be readily determined by routine animal screening as described hereinbelow, and further adjusted, where indicated, by routine clinical experience.

Formulations

Any pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle or formulation suitable for local infiltration or injection into a site to be anesthetized, that is able to provide a sustained release of an active agent may be employed to provide for prolonged local anesthesia as needed. Slow release formulations known in the art include specially coated pellets, polymer formulations or matrices for surgical insertion or as sustained release microparticles, e.g., microspheres or microcapsules, for implantation, insertion or injection, wherein the slow release of the active medicament is brought about through sustained or controlled diffusion out of the matrix and/or selective breakdown of the coating of the preparation or selective breakdown of a polymer matrix. Other formulations or vehicles for sustained or immediate delivery of an agent to a preferred localized site in a patient include, e.g., suspensions, emulsions, liposomes and any other suitable, art known, delivery vehicle or formulation.

In a preferred embodiment, the slow release formulation is prepared as microspheres in a size distribution range suitable for local infiltration or injection. The diameter and shape of the microspheres or other particles can be manipulated to modify the release characteristics. For example, larger diameter microspheres will typically provide slower rates of release and reduced tissue penetration and smaller diameters of microspheres will produce the opposite effects, relative to microspheres of different mean diameter but of the same composition. In addition, other particle shapes, such as, for example, cylindrical shapes, can also modify release rates by virtue of the increased ratio of surface area to mass inherent to such alternative geometrical shapes, relative to a spherical shape. The diameter of injectable microspheres are in a size range, for example, from about 5 microns to about 200 microns in diameter. In a more preferred embodiment, the microspheres range in diameter from about 20 to about 120 microns.

A wide variety of biocompatible materials may be utilized to provide the controlled/sustained release of the local anesthetic. Any pharmaceutically acceptable biocompatible polymers known to those skilled in the art may be utilized. It is preferred that the biocompatible sustained release material degrade in-vivo over a period of less than about two years, with at least 50% of the sustained release material degrading within about one year, and more preferably six months or less. More preferably, the sustained release material will degrade significantly within one to three months, with at least 50% of the material degrading into non-toxic residues which are removed by the body, and 100% of the drug being released within a time period from about two weeks to about two months. A degradable sustained release material should preferably degrade by hydrolysis, and most preferably by surface erosion, rather than by bulk erosion, so that release is not only sustained but also provides desirable release rates. However, the pharmacokinetic release profile of these formulations may be first order, zero order, bi- or multi-phasic, to provide the desired reversible local anesthetic effect over the desired time period.

In the case of polymeric materials, biocompatibility is enhanced by recrystallization of either the monomers forming the polymer and/or the polymer using standard techniques.

Suitable biocompatible polymers can be utilized as the sustained release material. The polymeric material may comprise biocompatible, biodegradable polymers such as a polylactide, a polyglycolide, a poly(lactide-co-glycolide), a polyanhydride, a polyorthoester, polycaprolactones, polyphosphazenes, polysaccharides, proteinaceous polymers, soluble derivatives of polysaccharides, soluble derivatives of proteinaceous polymers, polypeptides, polyesters, and polyorthoesters or mixtures or blends of any of these. The polysaccharides may be poly-1,4-glucans, e.g., starch glycogen, amylose, amylopectin, and mixtures thereof. The biodegradable hydrophilic or hydrophobic polymer may be a water-soluble derivative of a poly-1,4-glucan, including hydrolyzed amylopectin, hydroxyalkyl derivatives of hydrolyzed amylopectin such as hydroxyethyl starch (HES), hydroxyethyl amylose, dialdehyde starch, and the like. Preferred sustained release materials which are useful in the formulations of the invention include the polyanhydrides, co-polymers of lactic acid and glycolic acid wherein the weight ratio of lactic acid to glycolic acid is no more than 4:1 (i.e., 80% or less lactic acid to 20% or more glycolic acid by weight), and polyorthoesters containing a catalyst or degradation enhancing compound, for example, containing at least 1% by weight anhydride catalyst such as maleic anhydride. Other useful polymers include protein polymers such as gelatin and fibrin and polysaccharides such as hyaluronic acid. Since polylactic acid takes at least one year to degrade in-vivo, this polymer should be utilized by itself only in circumstances where such a degradation rate is desirable or acceptable.

The polymeric material may be prepared by any method known to those skilled in the art. For example, where the polymeric material is comprised of a copolymer of lactic and glycolic acid, this copolymer may be prepared by the procedure set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,539 (Ludwig, et al.), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. In brief, Ludwig prepares such copolymers by condensation of lactic acid and glycolic acid in the presence of a readily removable polymerization catalyst (e.g., a strong acid ion-exchange resin such as Dowex HCR-W2-H). The amount of catalyst is not critical to the polymerization, but typically is from about 0.01 to about 20 parts by weight relative to the total weight of combined lactic acid and glycolic acid. The polymerization reaction may be conducted without solvents at a temperature from about 100^oC. to about 250^oC. for about 48 to about 96 hours, preferably under a reduced pressure to facilitate removal of water and by-products. The copolymer is then recovered by filtering the molten reaction mixture to remove substantially all of the catalyst, or by cooling and then dissolving the reaction mixture in an organic solvent such as dichloromethane or acetone and then filtering to remove the catalyst.

Various commercially available poly (lactide-co-glycolide) materials (PLGA) may be used in the preparation of the microspheres of the present invention. For example, poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) are commercially available from Medisorb Technologies International L.P. (Cincinnati, Ohio). A preferred product commercially available from Medisorb is a 50:50 poly (D,L) lactic co-glycolic acid known as MEDISORB 5050 DL. This product has a mole percent composition of 50% lactide and 50% glycolide. Other suitable commercially available products are Medisorb 65:35 DL, 75:25 DL, 85:15 DL and poly(d,l-lactic acid) (d,l-PLA). Poly(lactide-co-glycolides) are also commercially available from Boerhinger Ingelheim (Germany) under its Resomer.COPYRGT. mark, e.g., PLGA 50:50 (Resomer RG 502), PLGA 75:25 (Resomer RG 752) and d,l-PLA (resomer RG 206), and from Birmingham Polymers (Birmingham, Ala.). These copolymers are available in a wide range of molecular weights and ratios of lactic to glycolic acid.

Pharmaceutically acceptable polyanhydrides which are useful in the present invention have a water-labile anhydride linkage. The rate of drug release can be controlled by the particular polyanhydride polymer utilized and its molecular weight. The polyanhydride polymer may be branched or linear. Examples of polymers which are useful in the present invention include homopolymers and copolymers of poly(lactic acid) and/or poly(glycolic acid), poly[bis(p-carboxyphenoxy)propane anhydride] (PCPP), poly[bis(p-carboxy)methane anhydride] (PCPM), polyanhydrides of oligomerized unsaturated aliphatic acids, polyanhydride polymers prepared from amino acids which are modified to include an additional carboxylic acid, aromatic polyanhydride compositions, and co-polymers of polyanhydrides with other substances, such as fatty acid terminated polyanhydrides, e.g., polyanhydrides polymerized from monomers of dimers and/or trimers of unsaturated fatty acids or unsaturated aliphatic acids. Polyanhydrides may be prepared in accordance with the methods set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,128, hereby incorporated by reference. For example, polyanhydrides may be synthesized by melt polycondensation of highly pure dicarboxylic acid monomers converted to the mixed anhydride by reflux in acetic anhydride, isolation and purification of the isolated prepolymers by recrystallization, and melt polymerization under low pressure (10^-4 mm) with a dry ice/acetone trap at a temperature between 140^oC.-250^oC. for 10-300 minutes. High molecular weight polyanhydrides are obtained by inclusion of a catalyst which increases the rate of anhydride interchain exchange, for example, alkaline earth metal oxides such as CaO, BaO and CaCO₃. Polyorthoester polymers may be prepared, e.g., as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,347, hereby incorporated by reference.

Proteinaceous polymers may also be used. Proteinaceous polymers and their soluble derivatives include gelation biodegradable synthetic polypeptides, elastin, alkylated collagen, alkylated elastin, and the like. Biodegradable synthetic polypeptides include poly-(N-hydroxyalkyl)-L-asparagine, poly-(N-hydroxyalkyl)-L-glutamine, copolymers of N-hydroxyalkyl-L-asparagine and N-hydroxyalkyl-L-glutamine with other amino acids. Suggested amino acids include L-alanine, L-lysine, L-phenylalanine, L-valine, L-tyrosine, and the like.

In embodiments where the biodegradable polymer comprises a gel, one such useful polymer is a thermally gelling polymer, e.g., polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide (PEO-PPO) block copolymer such as Pluronic.RTM. F127 from BASF Wyandotte. In such cases, the local anesthetic formulation may be injected via syringe as a free-flowing liquid, which gels rapidly above 30^oC. (e.g., when injected into a patient). The gel system then releases a steady dose of local anesthetic at the site of administration.

In additional embodiments, the sustained release material, which in effect acts as a carrier for the local anesthetic and/or the augmenting agent, can further include a bioadhesive polymer such as pectins (polygalacturonic acid), mucopolysaccharides (hyaluronic acid, mucin) or non-toxic lectins or the polymer itself may be bioadhesive, e.g., polyanhydride or polysaccharides such as chitosan.

Definitions or further descriptions of any of the foregoing terminology are well known in the art and may be found by referring to any standard biochemistry reference text such as "Biochemistry" by Albert L. Lehninger, Worth Publishers, Inc. and "Biochemistry" by Lubert Stryer, W.H. Freeman and Company, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The aforementioned biodegradable hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymers are particularly suited for the methods and compositions of the present invention by reason of their characteristically low human toxicity and virtually complete biodegradability.

The substrates of the presently described formulations in certain preferred embodiments are manufactured using a method that evenly disperses the local anesthetic throughout the formulation, such as emulsion preparation, solvent casting, spray drying or hot melt, rather than a method such as compression molding. A desired release profile can be achieved by using a mixture of polymers having different release rates and/or different percent loading of local anesthetic and/or augmenting agent, for example, polymers releasing in one day, three days, and one week. In addition, a mixture of microspheres having one or more different local anesthetic agents, having the same or different controlled release profile, can be utilized to provide the benefits of different potencies and spectrum of activity during the course of treatment.

Methods for manufacture of microspheres are well known and are typified in the following examples. Examples of suitable methods of making microspheres include solvent evaporation, phase separation and fluidized bed coating.

In solvent evaporation procedures, the local anesthetic agent, if soluble in organic solvents, may be entrapped in the biodegradable polymer by dissolving the polymer in a volatile organic solvent, adding the drug to the organic phase, emulsifying the organic phase in water which contains less than 2% polyvinyl alcohol, and finally removing the solvent under vacuum to form discrete, hardened monolithic microspheres.

Phase separation microencapsulation procedures are suitable for entrapping water-soluble agents in the polymer to prepare microcapsules and microspheres. Phase separation involves coacervation of the polymer from an organic solvent by addition of a nonsolvent such as silicone oil. In a preferred embodiment, the microspheres may be prepared by the process of Ramstack et al., 1995, in published international patent application WO 95/13799, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. The Ramstack et al. process essentially provides for a first phase, including an active agent and a polymer, and a second phase, that are pumped through a static mixer into a quench liquid to form microparticles containing the active agent. The first and second phases can optionally be substantially immiscible and the second phase is preferably free from solvents for the polymer and the active agent and includes an aqueous solution of an emulsifier. In fluidized bed coating, the drug is dissolved in an organic solvent along with the polymer. The solution is then processed, e.g., through a Wurster air suspension coating apparatus to form the final microcapsule product.

The biodegradable sustained release materials may be used in order to prepare sustained release local anesthetic implants. The implants may be manufactured, e.g., by compression molding, injection molding, and screw extrusion, whereby the local anesthetic agent is loaded into the polymer. Implantable fibers can be manufactured, e.g., by blending the local anesthetic agent with the sustained release material and then extruding the mixture, e.g., under pressure, to thereby obtain biodegradable fibers. In certain preferred embodiments, the augmenting agent may be incorporated into the implant, or may be coated onto a surface of the implant.

In other embodiments of the invention, the sustained release material comprises an artificial lipid vesicle, or liposome. The use of liposomes as drug delivery systems is known, and comprehensive review articles on their properties and clinical applications are available; see, e.g., Barenholz and Amselem, in "Liposome Technology", 2nd ed., G. Gregoriadis, ed., CRC Press, 1992; Lichtenberg and Barenholz, in Methods for Biochemical Analysis, 33, D. Glick, ed., 1988. A liposome is defined as a structure consisting of one or more concentric lipid bilayers separated by water or aqueous buffer compartments. These hollow structures, which have an internal aqueous compartment, can be prepared with diameters ranging from 20 nm to 10 .mu.m. They are classified according to their final size and preparation method as: SUV, small unilamellar vesicles (0.5-50 nm); LUV, large unilamellar vesicles (100 nm); REV, reverse phase evaporation vesicles (0.5 .mu.m); and MLV, large multilamellar vesicles (2-10 .mu.m).

Liposomes as described herein will vary in size. Preferably, the liposomes have a diameter between 100 nm and 10 microns or greater. A wide variety of lipid materials may be used to form the liposomes including natural lecithins, e.g., those derived from egg and soya bean, and synthetic lecithins, the proviso being that it is preferred that the lipids are non-immunogenic and biodegradable. Also, lipid-based materials formed in combination with polymers may be used, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,837 to Domb, (incorporated by reference herein).

Examples of synthetic lecithins which may be used together with their respective phase transition temperatures, are di-(tetradecanoy)phosphatidylcholine (DTPC) (23 C), di-(hexadecanoyl)phosphatidylcholine (DHPC) (41 C) and di-(octandecanoyl) phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) (55 C). Di-(hexadecanoyl) phosphatidylcholine is preferred as the sole or major lecithin, optionally together with a minor proportion of the di-(octadecanoyl) or the di-(tetradecanoyl) compound. Other synthetic lecithins which may be used are unsaturated synthetic lecithins, for example, di-(oleyl)phosphatidyl-choline and di-(linoleyl)phosphatidylcholine. In addition to the main liposome-forming lipid or lipids, which are usually phospholipids, other lipids (e.g. in a proportion of 5-40% w/w of the total lipids) may be included, for example, cholesterol or cholesterol stearate, to modify the structure of the liposome membrane, rendering it more fluid or more rigid depending on the nature of the main liposome-forming lipid or lipids.

In certain embodiments, the augmenting agent is incorporated along with the local anesthetic agent into the lipid. In other preferred formulations, the lipids containing the local anesthetic agent are dispersed in a pharmaceutically acceptable aqueous medium. The augmenting agent may be incorporated into this aqueous medium. In a further embodiment, a portion of the dose of the local anesthetic is incorporated into the aqueous medium in immediate release form. The resultant formulation is an aqueous suspension which may comprise the local anesthetic and/or augmenting agent partitioned between a free aqueous phase and a liposome phase.

As an even further alternate embodiment, liposomes containing local anesthetic may be combined in an aqueous phase where liposomes containing the augmenting agent form an aqueous pharmaceutical suspension useful for administration at the desired site in the patient to be anesthetized. This may be accomplished via injection or implantation. Liposomes may be prepared by dissolving an appropriate amount of a phospholipid or mixture or phospholipids together with any other desired lipid soluble components (e.g., cholesterol, cholesterol stearate) flowing in a suitable solvent (e.g., ethanol) and evaporating to dryness. An aqueous solution of the local anesthetic, optionally with augmenting agent, may then be added and mixed until a lipid film is dispersed. The resulting suspension will contain liposomes ranging in size, which may then fractionated to remove undesirable sizes, if necessary. This fractionation may be effected by column gel chromatography, centrifugation, ultracentrifugation or by dialysis, as well known in the art.

The above method of preparation of liposomes is representative of a possible procedure only. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are many different methods of preparing liposomes, all of which are deemed to be encompassed by the present disclosure.

In additional embodiments of the invention, the substrate comprises a plurality of microcapsules laden with the local anesthetic agent with or without the augmenting agent. Microcapsules may be prepared, for example, by dissolving or dispersing the local anesthetic agent in an organic solvent and dissolving a wall forming material (polystyrene, alkylcelluloses, polyesters, polysaccharides, polycarbonates, poly(meth)acrylic acid ester, cellulose acetate, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate, dibutylaminohydroxypropyl ether, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl formal, polyvinylacetaldiethylamino acetate, 2-methyl-5-vinyl pyridine methacrylate-methacrylic acid copolymer, polypropylene, vinylchloride-vinylacetate copolymer, glycerol distearate, etc.) in the solvent; then dispersing the solvent containing the local anesthetic agent and wall forming material in a continuous-phase processing medium, and then evaporating a portion of the solvent to obtain microcapsules containing the local anesthetic agent in suspension, and finally, extracting the remainder of the solvent from the microcapsules. This procedure is described in more detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,389,330 and 4,530,840, hereby incorporated by reference.

The sustained release dosage forms of the present invention preferably provide a sustained action in the localized area to be treated. For example, it would be desirable that such a formulation provides localized anesthesia to the site for a period of one day, two days, three days, or longer. The formulations can therefore, of course, be modified in order to obtain such a desired result.

Microspheres and other injectable substrates described herein may be incorporating an effective amount of the same into a pharmaceutically acceptable solution (e.g., water) or suspension for injection. The final reconstituted product viscosity may be in a range suitable for the route of administration. In certain instances, the final reconstituted product viscosity may be, e.g., about 35 cps. Administration may be via the subcutaneous or intramuscular route. However, alternative routes are also contemplated, and the formulations may be applied to the localized site in any manner known to those skilled in the art, such that a localized effect is obtained. The substrate formulations of the invention can be implanted at the site to be treated. Thereby, the formulations of the present invention, when including a local anesthetic, may be used in the control of post-operative pain.

The local anesthetic is incorporated into the polymer or other sustained-release formulation in a percent loading between 0.1% and 90% or more, by weight, preferably between 5% and 80%, or more, by weight and more preferably between 65 and 80%, or more, by weight. In an even more preferred embodiment, the local anesthetic is loaded at about 75% by weight.

It is possible to tailor a system to deliver a specified loading and subsequent maintenance dose by manipulating the percent drug incorporated in the polymer and the shape of the matrix or formulation, in addition to the form of local anesthetic (e.g., free base versus salt) and the method of production. The amount of drug released per day increases proportionately with the percentage of drug incorporated into the formulation, e.g., matrix (for example, from 5 to 10 to 20%). In the preferred embodiment, polymer matrices or other formulations with about 75% drug incorporated are utilized, although it is possible to incorporate substantially more drug, depending on the drug, the method used for making and loading the device, and the polymer.

When the augmenting agent is included in the sustained release substrates (e.g., microparticles) comprising local anesthetic, it has been found that useful loadings of augmenting agent are from about 0.001% to about 30% by weight of the substrate or preferably from about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of the substrate. When the augmenting agent is included in sustained release substrates (e.g., microparticles) without local anesthetic, it has been found that useful loadings of augmenting agent are from about 0.001% to about 90%, or more, by weight of the substrate, or preferably from about 0.001% to about 30% by weight of the substrate or more preferably from about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of the substrate.

When the augmenting agent is included as part of the (aqueous) injection medium, the augmenting agent may be present in a weight percent relative to the local anesthetic varying from about 0.01% to about 15%.

The dosage of the sustained release microsphere formulations is dependent upon the kind and amount of the drug to be administered, the recipient animal, and the objectives of the treatment. For example, when the local anesthetic included in the microspheres of the present invention is bupivacaine, the formulation may include, e.g., from about 0.5 to about 2 mg/kg body weight. The effective dose of bupivacaine, or an amount of another local anesthetic sufficient to provide proportional potency, can range from about 1 to 50 mg of bupivacaine injected or inserted at each site where the release of a local anesthetic agent is desired. In certain preferred embodiments, the dose of bupivacaine in the sustained release dosage form of the invention is sufficient to provide a sustained release of about 1 to 4 mg per day at the release site for at least 1 to 4 days. Since the formulations of the present invention are sustained release, it is contemplated that formulations may include much more than usual immediate release doses, e.g., as much as 120 mg/kg bupivacaine or more.

In certain preferred embodiments, the sustained release substrate (e.g., microparticles) comprising local anesthetic and/or augmenting agent provides from about 10 to about 60 percent release of drug, e.g., local anesthetic after 24 hours, from about 20 to about 80 percent release after 48 hours and from about 40 to about 100 percent release after 72 hours. In such embodiments, it is preferred that the sustained release formulation provide anesthesia and/or local numbness and/or pain relief at the desired site for about 3-5 days. More preferably, the sustained release substrate comprising local anesthetic provides from about 25 to about 40 percent release of local anesthetic after 24 hours, from about 40 to about 50 percent release after 24 hours and from about 45 to about 55 percent release after 72 hours and 80 to 100 percent cumulative release is provided after about 280 hours. In such embodiments, it is preferred that the sustained release formulation provide anesthesia and/or local numbness and/or pain relief at the desired site for about 3-5 days.

In order to obtain a local anesthetic effect in-vivo when combined with the augmenting agent as described herein of at least about 40 hours the augmenting agent is placed into approximately the same site in a patient (e.g., human or veterinary) before, simultaneously with, or after the placement of a local anesthetic at that site. The presence of augmenting agent in the sustained release formulation does not significantly affect the in-vitro release rates of local anesthetic.

In a preferred embodiment the local anesthetic effect is prolonged by the use of an augmenting agent by at least about 15%, e.g., from about 15% to about 1400% or more preferably from about 300% to about 1000% or more and more preferably from about 300% to about 500%, or more of the duration of the local anesthetic effect that is obtained from the same formulation without benefit of an augmenting agent. The duration of the local anesthetic effect prolonged by an augmenting agent ranges from about 30 minutes to about 150 hours, or more, and preferably from 1 hour to about 1 to about 24 hours or more, and more preferably from about 1 hour to about 12 hours, or more.

The rate of release of local anesthetic agent or other drugs incorporated into the formulation will also depend on the solubility properties of the local anesthetic or drug. The greater the solubility in water, the more rapid the rate of release in tissue, all other parameters being unchanged. For example, those local anesthetic agents having pH dependent solubility will be released more rapidly at the optimum pH for those compounds. Thus, the formulation may be optimized for the desired local anesthetic release rate by selecting local anesthetic agents having a desired water solubility in tissue, e.g., at tissue pH. Thus, a local anesthetic agent that is more soluble at acid pH will have a faster release rate in a relatively acidic (e.g., pH less than about 7.2) tissue. For example, in one embodiment, the formulation will have released, in vitro, at least 70 percent of a local anesthetic at 48 hours at about pH 6 and will have released at least 40 percent of a local anesthetic at a pH ranging from about 7.4 to about 8, at 48 hours. Other combinations are pH independent in their release.

The examples demonstrate that the above-described augmenting agents prolong the duration of local anesthesia in-vivo and do not significantly alter the time course of release of bupivacaine in-vitro.

Applications

Potential applications include any condition for which intra articular sustained release of one or more of the active agents enumerated hereinabove is desirable. In a preferred embodiment, potential applications include any condition for which localized anesthesia and/or anti inflammatory activity is desirable. Preferably, the formulations according to the invention are inserted, injected, infiltrated or infused into an articular joint in need of local anesthesia, e.g., prevention or reduction of pain sensation. Thus, painful joints can be treated with local anesthetic having prolonged effect. Conditions to be treated by the formulations according to the invention include lower back pain, neck pain, including, e.g., whiplash pain in the affected joint or joints, e.g., the zygopohyseal joints, pain in the joints of the extremities such as knee and elbow joints caused by disease and/or by trauma.

In a preferred embodiment, the methods of the invention are particularly suited for the treatment of arthritic joint disease, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis where a combination of local anesthetic and a glucocorticosteroid antiinflammatory agent provides both immediate and prolonged local anesthetic activity, as well as the additional antiinflammatory activity when the glucocorticosteroid is administered in an amount effective for antiinflammatory activity.

In an especially preferred embodiment, the formulation according to the invention is in the form of a plurality of sustained release microparticles also referred to herein as extended duration local anesthetic (EDLA).

Of course, the aforementioned applications of the methods of the invention are merely mentioned as examples, and additional applications for both human and veterinary practice will be immediately apparent to the artisan.

The formulations of the invention are also suitable for administration in all body spaces/cavities, including but not limited to pleura, peritoneum, cranium, mediastinum, pericardium, bursae or bursal, epidural, intrathecal, intraocular, etc.

The uses of the formulations of the invention includes both local anesthesia for the relief of pain and motor symptoms as well as local anesthesia for other medical purposes. The formulations and methods according to the invention can be used to provide two to five day intercostal blockade for thoracotomy, or longer term intercostal blockade for thoracic post-therapeutic neuralgia, lumbar sympathetic blockade for reflex sympathetic dystrophy, or three-day ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric blockade for hernia repair. Other potential applications include obstetrical or gynecological procedures. Yet further potential applications include providing localized temporary sympathectomy, e.g., blockade of sympathetic or parasympathetic ganglia to treat a variety of autonomic diseases, including circulatory dysfunction or cardiac dysrhythmias. The formulations may also be used to treat trigeminal neuralgia and other diseases of the cranial nerves as well as to provide a temporary nerve block to treat localized muscle spasm and treatment of retrobulbar conditions, e.g., eye pain. Other uses include intra-operative administration in order to reduce pain during and after the operative procedure, especially for plastic surgery procedures where prolonged local anesthesia will enhance the outcome. These systems can also be used for the management of various forms of persistent pain, such as postoperative pain, sympathetically maintained pain, or certain forms of chronic pain such as the pain associated with many types of cancer. These systems may also be used for blockade of nociceptive pathways (afferent and efferent) in patients with acute pancreatitis, ileus, or other visceral disorders. These are merely examples, and additional uses for both human and veterinary practice are immediately apparent to one skilled in the art.

Methods of Administration

In a preferred method of administration an EDLA dosage form, e.g., microparticles such as microspheres or microcapsules, are administered by injection into a site where local anesthetic agent is to be released. Microspheres may be injected through a syringe or a trochar. Pellets, slabs or solid formulations shaped to fit particular locations, e.g., articular joints, may be surgically placed into a site where release of oral anesthetic agent is desired. Sustained release gels, pastes or suspensions, including gels, pastes or suspension containing microparticles, may also be administered topically to a skin or mucosal surface of the body to obtain topical, localized anesthesia. For treatment of joint pain of the back or neck the EDLA may be administered by intra articular injection into one or more facet joints.

As described below, microspheres according to the invention can be administered alone or in combination with a solution including a glucocorticoid or non-glucocorticosteroid augmenting agent in an amount effective to prolong the duration of local anesthesia. Alternatively, the microspheres include an amount of a non-glucocorticosteroid augment agent effective to prolong the duration of local anesthesia.

In another alternative, one or more augmenting agents can be administered before, simultaneously with or after administration of the sustained release local anesthetic, wherein the augmenting agent is formulated into a separate microsphere formulation for sustained release. The controlled release rate for the augmenting agents may be the same as or different than the controlled release rate for the local anesthetic. The separate microsphere can be administered in a single injection, i.e., in a single injection vehicle, or in separate injections simultaneously or at different times. In a further embodiment, it has been found that additional dose of augmenting agent may also be administered as an injectable solution, in an injectable carrier or in a sustained release carrier to the nerve to be blockaded after the sustained release local anesthesia has worn off, in order to reactivate the initial local anesthesia without the co-administration of additional local anesthetic.

The microspheres may be prepared from PLGA polymers ranging from, for example, PLGA in a ratio of 50/50, 65/35 or 75/25. An optimum composition has been determined to be PLGA 65/35. The microspheres, formulated with, e.g., PLGA 65/35 microspheres are administered in a dose ranging from, for example, 2 through 450 mg of microspheres 75% (w/w) loaded with a local anesthetic such as bupivacaine, per kg of the patient to be treated. In a preferred embodiment the dose ranges from 5 through 450 mg/kg. In a more preferred embodiment the dose ranges from about 10 to about 150 mg/kg with PLGA 65/35. Certainly, the artisan will appreciate the fact that the dose ranges mentioned above are based on the potency of bupivacaine, and that exact effective dosages will vary with the particular relative potency and pharmacokinetics of each local anesthetic and will be able to readily adjust the dose according to the degree of blockade experienced by the patient.

The use of the above-described augmenting agents before, simultaneously with or after administration of a sustained release local anesthesia, results in prolonged anesthesia.

A suspension of microspheres prepared in a form suitable for intra articular injection can be injected into a joint using methods well known to the art. For most body spaces, the use of a needle or "skinny needle" is acceptable. The chosen needle is one that is small in bore (large) gauge as possible, and as long as necessary. Commonly, for a joint, epidural, intraperitoneal, intrapleural or bursae, 22-28 gauge, 1-2 inch is used. For the microparticles used in the present invention, one should allow for increased bore size (e.g., to 18 gauge). This also allows for the puncturing needle to be removable, being encased in a plastic infusion catheter. For a few procedures, "skinny needles" are used. Such needles have the same bores but are longer, and hence look "skinny". For locations such as intrapericardial, the gauges for the skinny needle are the same, but the needles can be up to 3-4 inches long. For epidural, and other locations, there is a metal puncturing needle of the same gauges and up to 3 inches long, often encased in a plastic catheter, through which another catheter, fromm 22-28 gauge, and up to 6-12 inches long, can be inserted into the space.

Claim 1 of 31 Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of treating localized pain, comprising administering a formulation into a body space selected from the group consisting of pleura, peritoneum, cranium, mediastinum, pericardium, bursae, epidural space, intrathecal space, and intraocular space, said formulation comprising (a) a local anesthetic incorporated in an effective amount of a biocompatible, biodegradable sustained release material, which prolongs the release of the local anesthetic from the formulation, and (b) a non-toxic augmenting agent in an amount effective to prolong the effect of the local anesthetic in-vivo, to treat pain arising from said body space.
 

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