Patent ID: 6576255
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: A61J,A61K

Abstract:
A process for making a molded article, comprising:a) melting a mixture comprising A1) a (meth)acrylate copolymer, which comprises 1) 30 to 80 wt % of a radical-polymerized C1 to C4 alkyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid and 2) 70 to 20 wt % of a (meth)acrylate monomer having a tertiary ammonium group in an alkyl residue; A2) 1 to 70 wt % of a plasticizer and a desiccant in a ratio of 1:1 to 1:20; wherein said plasticizer is present in an amount of at least 1 wt %; A3) 0.05 to 5 wt % of a release agent; A4) an additive or adjuvant; and A5) optionally a pharmaceutical active principle, to obtain a melted mixture; wherein, before said melting, said mixture has a content of more than 0.5 wt % of low-boiling constituents with a vapor pressure of at least 1.9 bar at 120Â° C.; b) degassing said melted mixture in a thermoplastic condition at a temperature temperatures of at least 120Â° C., whereby said content of low-boiling constituents with a vapor pressure of at least 1.9 bar at 120Â° C. is lowered to not more than 0.5 wt %, to obtain a degassed mixture; c) injecting said degassed mixture into a mold cavity of an injection-molding die, to obtain a molded mixture; wherein said mold cavity has a temperature which is at least 10Â° C. below a glass transition temperature of said (meth)acrylate copolymer; d) cooling of said molded mixture, to obtain a molded article; and e) removal of said molded article from said injection-molding die.