Patent ID: 7687054

Claim:
A sustained release medicinal aerosol formulation comprising: (a) a propellant; (b) A therapeutically effective amount of a drug; and (c) a sufficient amount of a biocompatible polymer, at least four times the amount of drug on a weight to weight basis, dissolved in the formulation so as to provide for sustained release of the drug; wherein the sustained release formulation results in discrete, nonfilm forming particles upon delivery, and wherein the formulation is contained in a metered dose inhaler for oral and/or nasal inhalation, and wherein the biocompatible polymer comprises at least one chain having a plurality of units of the formula —[X—R 1 —C(O)]— wherein: (a) each R 1 is an independently selected straight chain, branched chain, or cyclic organic group containing 1-6 carbon atoms optionally containing carbonyl groups, oxygen atoms, thiol groups, or catenary nitrogen atoms that links the X group to the carbonyl group; and (b) each X is independently oxygen, sulfur, or catenary nitrogen.