Formulations for parenteral delivery of compounds and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides formulations that achieve effective delivery of methylnaltrexone compositions. The provided formulations are useful for preventing, treating delaying, diminishing or reducing the severity of side effects resulting from use of analgesic opioids.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present invention claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 835,574, filed Aug. 4, 2006, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Opioids are widely used in patients with advanced cancers and other terminal diseases to lessen suffering. Opioids are narcotic medications that activate opioid receptors located in the central nervous system to relieve pain. Opioids, however, also react with receptors outside of the central nervous system, resulting in side effects including constipation, nausea, vomiting, urinary retention and severe itching. Most notable are the effects in the gastrointestinal tract (GI) where opioids inhibit gastric emptying and propulsive motor activity of the intestine, thereby decreasing the rate of intestinal transit which can produce constipation. The effectiveness of opioids for pain is often limited due to resultant side effects...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides methylnaltrexone formulations with improved shelf-life stability at refrigeration and room temperature conditions. These formulations are useful for parenteral administration of methylnaltrexone. The invention also provides methods for production and use of the formulations, as well as products and kits containing the formulations. The formulations are useful for preventing, treating, or reducing the severity of side effects resulting from opioid use, including gastrointestinal dysfunction, inhibition of gastrointestinal motility, and inhibition of gastric emptying. The formulations can be used for patients receiving short term opioid treatment, as well as for patients receiving chronic opioid administration. The formulations can also be used for preventing, treating, or reducing the severity of symptoms associated with disorders or conditions resulting from normal or aberrant activity of endogenous opioids.

Problems solved by technology

Opioids, however, also react with receptors outside of the central nervous system, resulting in side effects including constipation, nausea, vomiting, urinary retention and severe itching.

The effectiveness of opioids for pain is often limited due to resultant side effects, which can be debilitating and often cause patients to cease use of opioid analgesics.

Thus, an abnormal physiological level of endogenous compounds and / or receptor activity may lead to bowel dysfunction.

For example, patients who have undergone surgical procedures, especially surgery of the abdomen, often suffer from bowel dysfunction, such as post-operative (or post-surgical) ileus, that may be caused by fluctuations in natural opioid levels.

Administration of opioid analgesics to a patient after surgery, which is now an almost universal practice, may exacerbate bowel dysfunction, thereby delaying recovery of normal bowel function, prolonging hospital stays, and increasing medical care costs.

However, these agents act not only on peripheral opioid receptors, but also on central nervous system sites, so that they sometimes reverse the beneficial analgesic effects of opioids, or cause symptoms of opioid withdrawal.

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