Patent ID: 7595348

Claim:
An emulsion for use in precipitating water-insoluble drug nanoparticles, the emulsion comprising: from about 50% to about 95% by weight of a continuous phase comprising: water; and an external surfactant in an amount not greater than about 50% by weight of the continuous phase; and from about 5% to about 50% by weight of a discontinuous phase comprising: butyl lactate; an internal surfactant; a water-insoluble drug in an amount not greater than about 50% by weight of the discontinuous phase, wherein the water-insoluble drug is solubilized in the discontinuous phase, and wherein the weight ratio of the internal surfactant to the water-insoluble drug is from about 1:1to about 10:1; and a co-solvent selected from the group consisting of C6to C10 straight-chain alkanes, dichloromethane, chloroform and C 1 -C 4 linear alcohols, said co-solvent being present in an amount sufficient to solubilize the water-insoluble drug and/or the internal surfactant in the butyl lactate and thereby form an organic solution that forms the entire discontinuous phase of the emulsion.