Transdermal Donepezil Free Base Formulation for Reduced Skin Irritation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional transdermally absorbable donepezil-containing preparations often cause skin irritation such as pruritus, flushing, rash, pain, eczema, and dermatitis, while reducing donepezil content to minimize irritation compromises skin permeability rates necessary for treatment.

Innovation Solution

A transdermal preparation combining donepezil with cholesterol compounds, such as cholesterol derivatives and analogs, as skin irritation-reducing agents, to enhance skin permeability while minimizing irritation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the content of donepezil in transdermal preparation is decreased to reduce skin irritation, then skin irritation is reduced, but skin permeability rate necessary for treatment cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveskin irritationVSAvoidskin permeability rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical form of donepezil from hydrochloride salt to free base form, and controls the pH of the preparation to be between 3-7. This parameter change allows the donepezil to maintain higher skin permeability while reducing skin irritation, as the free base form is more lipophilic and can penetrate skin more effectively without causing severe irritation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite transdermal preparation system combining donepezil free base with specific excipients including pH buffers, transdermal absorption enhancers, and adhesion promoters. This composite formulation achieves both reduced skin irritation and sufficient skin permeability through synergistic interactions among components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If conventional transdermal preparation formulations are used, then skin permeability can be achieved, but skin irritation such as pruritus, flushing, rash, pain, eczema and dermatitis occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveskin permeability rateVSAvoidskin irritation
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adjusts the pH parameter of the preparation to be between 3-7, which is closer to physiological pH, thereby reducing skin irritation. Additionally, converting donepezil hydrochloride to donepezil free base changes the chemical form to be less irritating while maintaining or improving skin permeability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces transdermal absorption enhancers and pH buffers as intermediary substances that facilitate donepezil penetration into the skin while simultaneously reducing direct contact irritation. These intermediaries mediate between the drug and skin tissue to achieve both permeability and comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Quantity of substance

If donepezil hydrochloride is used in transdermal preparation, then sufficient skin permeability can be achieved, but severe skin irritation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveskin permeability rateVSAvoidskin irritation
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent fundamentally changes the chemical parameter of donepezil from hydrochloride salt form to free base form. This parameter change reduces the ionic character and hygroscopy of the compound, resulting in reduced skin irritation while the free base form's increased lipophilicity enhances skin permeability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the conventional hydrochloride salt formulation approach with a free base formulation approach. This substitution of the chemical system allows for better skin compatibility and permeability characteristics that cannot be achieved with the hydrochloride form alone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The use of cholesterol compounds in the transdermal preparation achieves a sufficient skin permeability rate for donepezil while significantly reducing skin irritation, as demonstrated by reduced production of skin irritation mediators and lower primary irritation indices.

Implementation Method 1

it has been well known that steroids with steroidal backbone generally have anti-inflammatory effects

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAnti-inflammatory effect:

Implementation Method 2

since skin does not generally allow drugs to penetrate, it is difficult to allow a therapeutically effective amount of drug absorbed from the skin into the body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPermeation: Permeation

Data Source

PatentEP2564848B1Transdermally absorbable donepezil-containing preparation
Publication Date: 2015.09.02 HISAMITSU PHARM CO INC
  • EP2564848B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2564848B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Provided is a transdermal preparation having low skin irritation as well as a sufficient skin permeability rate of donepezil, which comprises one or more drugs selected from donepezil and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Also provided are a manufacturing method thereof, and a method for reducing skin irritation of a transdermally absorbable donepezil-containing preparation. An embodiment is a transdermal preparation comprising one or more drugs selected from donepezil and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and a skin irritation-reducing agent.