Claims for Patent: 9,827,241

Summary for Patent: 9,827,241

Title:	Injectable flowable composition comprising buprenorphine
Abstract:	The present invention is directed to a buprenorphine sustained release delivery system capable of delivering buprenorphine, a metabolite, or a prodrug thereof for a duration of about 14 days to about 3 months. The buprenorphine sustained release delivery system includes a flowable composition and a solid implant for the sustained release of buprenorphine, a metabolite, or a prodrug thereof. The implant is produced from the flowable composition. The buprenorphine sustained release delivery system provides in situ 1-month and 3-month release profiles characterized by an exceptionally high bioavailability and minimal risk of permanent tissue damage and typically no risk of muscle necrosis.
Inventor(s):	Norton; Richard L. (Fort Collins, CO), Watkins; Andrew (Fort Collins, CO), Zhou; Mingxing (Fort Collins, CO)
Assignee:	Indivior UK Limited (Berkshire, GB)
Application Number:	15/623,191
Patent Claims:	1. An injectable composition comprising: (i) 8 wt % to 30 wt % of buprenorphine in the form of a free base or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt; (ii) 15 wt % to 70 wt % of a poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer; and (iii) 10 wt % to 70 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; wherein the composition is transformed in situ into an implant by contact with a bodily fluid. 2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises from 3 milligrams to about 300 milligrams of buprenorphine in the form of the free base or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt. 3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the copolymer is a 50/50 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer has an average molecular weight from 5,000 Daltons to 40,000 Daltons. 5. An injectable composition consisting of: (i) 8 wt % to 30 wt % of buprenorphine in the form of a free base or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt; (ii) 15 wt % to 70 wt % of a poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer; and (iii) 10 wt % to 70 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; wherein the composition is transformed in situ into an implant by contact with a bodily fluid. 6. The composition of claim 5, wherein the poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer is a 50/50 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 7. The composition of claim 5, wherein the poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer has an average molecular weight from 5,000 Daltons to 40,000 Daltons. 8. The composition of claim 5, wherein the composition comprises from 3 milligrams to about 300 milligrams of buprenorphine in the form of a free base or pharmaceutically acceptable salt. 9. The composition of claim 5, wherein the poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer is a 50/50, 55/45, 60/40, 65/35, 70/30, 75/25, 80/20, 85/15, 90/10, or 95/5 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 10. An injectable composition comprising: (i) 8 wt % to 30 wt % of buprenorphine in the form of a free base or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt; (ii) 15 wt % to 70 wt % of a poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer; and (iii) 10 wt % to 70 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. 11. A method for treating opioid dependency in a patient in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of claim 1 to treat the opioid dependency. 12. A method for treating opioid dependency in a patient in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of claim 5 to treat the opioid dependency. 13. A method for treating opioid dependency in a patient in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of claim 10 to treat the opioid dependency. 14. An injectable composition consisting of: (i) 8 wt % to 30 wt % of buprenorphine in the form of a free base or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt; (ii) 15 wt % to 70 wt % of a poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer; and (iii) 10 wt % to 70 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. 15. A method for treating opioid dependency in a patient in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of claim 14 to treat the opioid dependency. 16. The composition of claim 1, wherein the buprenorphine is in the form of the free base. 17. The composition of claim 5, wherein the buprenorphine is in the form of the free base. 18. The composition of claim 17, wherein the composition comprises from 3 milligrams to about 300 milligrams of the buprenorphine. 19. The composition of claim 10, wherein the buprenorphine is in the form of the free base. 20. The composition of claim 10, wherein the poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer is a 50/50 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 21. The composition of claim 14, wherein the buprenorphine is in the form of the free base. 22. The composition of claim 21, wherein the composition comprises from 3 milligrams to about 300 milligrams of the buprenorphine. 23. The composition of claim 14, wherein the poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer is a 50/50 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 24. The method of claim 11, comprising subcutaneously administering the composition to the patient once per month. 25. The method of claim 12, comprising subcutaneously administering the composition to the patient once per month. 26. The method of claim 13, comprising subcutaneously administering the composition to the patient once per month. 27. The method of claim 15, comprising subcutaneously administering the composition to the patient once per month. 28. An injectable composition comprising: (i) 8 wt % to about 22 wt % of buprenorphine free base; (ii) 15 wt % to about 50 wt % of a poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 5,000 Daltons to about 40,000 Daltons; and (iii) 30 wt % to 70 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. 29. The composition of claim 28, wherein the composition is transformed in situ into an implant by contact with a bodily fluid. 30. The composition of claim 28, wherein the copolymer is a 50/50 poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 31. The composition of claim 28, wherein the copolymer has an average molecular weight of 5,000 Daltons to 40,000 Daltons. 32. The composition of claim 28, wherein the copolymer has a carboxy terminal group. 33. The composition of claim 28, wherein the weight ratio of buprenorphine to copolymer is between about 0.01:1 and about 2:1. 34. A method for treating opioid dependency in a patient in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of claim 28 to treat the opioid dependency. 35. The method of claim 34, comprising subcutaneously administering the composition to the patient once per month. 36. The composition of claim 28, wherein the composition comprises from 3 milligrams to about 300 milligrams of the buprenorphine. 37. The composition of claim 1, comprising from 20 wt % to 70 wt % of the poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 38. The composition of claim 5, comprising from 20 wt % to 70 wt % of the poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 39. The composition of claim 10, comprising from 20 wt % to 70 wt % of the poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 40. The composition of claim 14, comprising from 20 wt % to 70 wt % of the poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 41. An injectable pharmaceutical composition comprising: (i) 8 wt % to about 30 wt % of buprenorphine in the form of a free base or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt; (ii) 5 wt % to about 70 wt % of a poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer; and (iii) 10 wt % to about 70 wt % of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. 42. The composition of claim 41, comprising about 8 wt % to about 22 wt % of the buprenorphine in the form of the free base or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt. 43. The composition of claim 41, comprising about 15 wt % to 70 wt % of the poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 44. The composition of claim 41, comprising 15 wt % to about 50 wt % of the poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 45. The composition of claim 41, comprising 3 mg to about 300 mg of buprenorphine in the form of the free base or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt. 46. The composition of claim 41, wherein the polymer is a 50/50 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer, a 55/45 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer, a 60/40 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer, a 65/35 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer, a 70/30 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer, a 75/25 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer, an 80/20 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer, an 85/15 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer, a 90/10 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer, or a 95/5 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 47. The composition of claim 41, wherein the polymer is a 50/50 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 48. The composition of claim 41, wherein the polymer is a 75/25 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer or an 85/15 poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer. 49. The composition of claim 41, consisting of (i), (ii), and (iii). 50. The composition of claim 41 having a 24 hour burst release of less than 10%. 51. The composition of claim 41, wherein the poly(lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer has an average molecular weight from about 5,000 Daltons to about 20,000 Daltons. 52. The composition of claim 41, wherein the buprenorphine is in the form of the free base. 53. A method for treating opioid addiction in a human in need thereof comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition of claim 41 to the human to treat the opioid addiction. 54. The method of claim 53, wherein the composition is administered once per month by subcutaneous injection. 55. The method of claim 53, wherein the composition is administered once every three months by subcutaneous injection. 56. The method of claim 53, wherein the therapeutically effective amount of the buprenorphine in the form of the free base or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt is from 3 mg to about 300 mg. 57. The method of claim 53, wherein the therapeutically effective amount of the buprenorphine in the form of the free base or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt is from 9 mg to about 900 mg. 58. A method for treating pain in a human in need thereof comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition of claim 41 to the human to treat the pain.