Patent ID: 6623761
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: A61K,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of making nanoparticles of a substantially water insoluble therapeutic agent selected from the group consisting of progesterone, testosterone, methotrexate and ibuprofen, said method comprising the steps of:(a) dissolving said therapeutic agent in a first liquid component of an emulsion system to form a solution; (b) adding to the solution a second liquid component of an emulsion system and a surfactant functioning as an emulsifier to form a mixture; (c) applying mechanical force to the mixture of (b) in order to transform the mixture into an emulsion comprising a continuous phase and a dispersed phase in which the continuous phase comprises the second liquid component of the emulsion system and the surfactant, and the dispersed phase comprises globules of the therapeutic agent dissolved in the first liquid component, said globules having a diameter of between 10 and 200 nm; and (d) treating the emulsion formed in step (c) with an additional amount of the second component thereby transforming the emulsion into a liquid-solid suspension, whereby the solid phase comprises nanoparticles of the agent.