Claims for Patent: 8,404,276

Summary for Patent: 8,404,276

Title:	Pulmonary delivery for levodopa
Abstract:	In one aspect, the invention is related to a method of treating a patient with Parkinson's disease, the method including administering to the respiratory tract of the patient particles that include more than about 90 weight percent (wt %) of levodopa. The particles are delivered to the patient's pulmonary system, preferably to the alveoli or the deep lung.
Inventor(s):	Jackson; Blair (Quincy, MA), Bennett; David J. (Brighton, MA), Bartus; Raymond T. (San Diego, CA), Emerich; Dwaine F. (Cranston, RI)
Assignee:	Civitas Therapeutics, Inc. (Chelsea, MA)
Application Number:	12/972,824
Patent Claims:	1. A method of treating a patient with Parkinson's disease, that comprises: administering to the respiratory tract of the patient particles that include about 90 weight percent levodopa or more, a salt wherein the salt is sodium chloride, and a phospholipid, wherein the particles are delivered to the pulmonary system. 2. A method of treating a patient with Parkinson's disease, that comprises: administering to the respiratory tract of the patient particles that consist essentially of about 90 weight percent or more of levodopa an optional non-reducing sugar, a phospholipid, and a salt, wherein the salt is sodium chloride and wherein the particles are delivered to the pulmonary system and have a tap density less than about 0.4 g/cm.sup.3, a volume median geometric diameter greater than about 5 micrometers, and an aerodynamic diameter of from about 1 micrometer to about 5 micrometers. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the particles have an aerodynamic diameter of from about 1 micrometer to about 3 micrometers. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the particles have an aerodynamic diameter of from about 3 micrometer to about 5 micrometers. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the particles have a tap density less than about 0.3 g/cm.sup.3. 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the particles have a tap density less than about 0.2 g/cm.sup.3. 7. The method of claim 3, wherein the particles have a tap density less than about 0.1 g/cm.sup.3. 8. A method of treating a patient with Parkinson's disease, that comprises: administering to the respiratory tract of the patient particles that include about 90 weight percent levodopa or more, a salt wherein the salt is sodium chloride and a phospholipid or a combination of phospholipids, wherein the particles are delivered to the pulmonary system. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the particles comprise 3% or less by weight of sodium chloride. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the phospholipid is dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC). 11. A method of delivering an effective amount of L-Dopa to the pulmonary system, comprising: providing a mass of particles comprising, by weight, about 90% or more L-Dopa, a salt wherein the salt is sodium chloride and about 10% or less DPPC; and administering via simultaneous dispersion and inhalation the particles, from a receptacle having the mass of the particles, to a human subject's respiratory tract. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the particles comprise, by weight, about 3% or less sodium chloride. 13. A method of treating a patient with Parkinson's disease, that comprises administering to the respiratory tract of the patient, particles that include about 90 weight percent levodopa or more and a salt, wherein the salt is sodium chloride and wherein the particles are delivered to the pulmonary system. 14. A method of treating Parkinson's disease in a patient in need thereof comprising: administering to the respiratory tract of the patient, particles comprising levodopa, sodium chloride and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine wherein the ratio of levodopa:DPPC:sodium chloride is about 90:8:2.