Patent ID: 7829109

Claim:
A catheter injectable depot composition in the form of a thixotropic gel, said gel comprising: (a) approximately 5 wt. % to approximately 90 wt. % of a bioerodible, biocompatible polymer, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polylactides, polyglycolides, polycaprolactones, polyanhydrides, polyamines, polyurethanes, polyesteramides, polyorthoesters, polydioxanones, polyacetals, polyketals, polycarbonates, polyphosphoesters, polyorthocarbonates, polyphosphazenes, succinates, poly(malic acid), poly(amino acids), polyethylene glycol, polyhydroxycellulose, chitin, chitosan, hyaluronic acid, and copolymers, terpolymers and mixtures thereof; (b) approximately 5 wt % to approximately 95 wt % of an aromatic alcohol having miscibility in water of less than or equal to 7% at 25° C., in an amount effective to plasticize the polymer and form a gel therewith, wherein the aromatic alcohol has the structural formula (I) Ar-(L) n -OH (I) in which Ar is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl group, n is zero or 1, and L is a linking moiety; (c) a thixotropic amount of a thixotropic agent mixed with the polymer effective to form a thixotropic composition, the thixotropic agent being selected from the group consisting essentially of lower alkanols and said amount being greater than or equal to 0.01 wt % and less than or equal to 15 wt % of the combined weight of the aromatic alcohol and the thixotropic agent; and (d) approximately 0.1 wt % to approximately 50 wt % of a beneficial agent.