Crystalline forms of 1-chloro-4-(β-D-glucopyranos-1-yl)-2-[4-ethynyl-benzyl)-benzene, methods for its preparation and the use thereof for preparing medicaments

1. A crystalline complex of 1-chloro-4-(β-D-glucopyranos-1-yl)-2-(4-ethynyl-benzyl)-benzene and proline, wherein said complex has an X-ray powder diffraction pattern that comprises peaks at 5.07, 7.28, 16.75, 17.55, 18.91, 20.34, 21.62, 23.21, and 28.75 degrees 2Θ (±0.05 degrees 2Θ), wherein said X-ray powder diffraction pattern is made using CuK α1 radiation.

2. A crystalline complex according to claim 1 wherein said complex is of 1-chloro-4-(β-D-glucopyranos-1-yl)-2-(4-ethynyl-benzyl)-benzene and proline with a molar ratio of about 1:1.

3. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the crystalline complex in accordance with claim 1 .

4. A crystalline hydrate of 1-chloro-4-(β-D-glucopyranos-1-yl)-2-(4-ethynyl-benzyl)-benzene, said crystalline hydrate having an X-ray powder diffraction pattern that comprises peaks at 4.53, 13.11, 17.16, 18.53, 19.10, 20.16, 20.86, 21.64 and 22.94 degrees 2Θ (±0.05 degrees 2Θ), wherein said X-ray powder diffraction pattern is made using CuK α1 radiation.

5. A crystalline hydrate according to claim 4 characterized by a content of water in the range from about 1 to 2 mol per mol of 1-chloro-4-(β-D-glucopyranos-1-yl)-2-(4-ethynyl-benzyl)-benzene.

6. A crystalline hydrate of 1-chloro-4-(β-D-glucopyranos-1-yl)-2-(4-ethynyl-benzyl)-benzene wherein at least 50% of said substance is present in the form of a crystalline hydrate in accordance with claim 4 .

7. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a crystalline hydrate according to claim 4 .

8. A method of treating metabolic disorders, said method comprised of the step of administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a crystalline complex according to claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said metabolic disorder is selected from the group consisting of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, complications of diabetes, metabolic acidosis or ketosis, reactive hypoglycaemia, hyperinsulinaemia, glucose metabolic disorder, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidaemias of different origins, atherosclerosis and related diseases, obesity, high blood pressure, chronic heart failure, oedema and hyperuricaemia.

10. A method of treating metabolic disorders said method comprised of the step of administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a compound according to claim 4 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said metabolic disorder is selected from the group consisting of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, complications of diabetes, metabolic acidosis or ketosis, reactive hypoglycaemia, hyperinsulinaemia, glucose metabolic disorder, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidaemias of different origins, atherosclerosis and related diseases, obesity, high blood pressure, chronic heart failure, oedema and hyperuricaemia.

12. A method of inhibiting the sodium dependent glucose cotransporter SGLT2 said method comprised of administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a crystalline complex according to claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

13. A method of inhibiting the sodium dependent glucose cotransporter SGLT2 said method comprised of administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a crystalline complex according to claim 4 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

14. A method of treating the degeneration of pancreatic beta cells and/or for improving and/or restoring the functionality of pancreatic beta cells, said method comprised of the step of administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a crystalling complex according to claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

15. A method of treating the degeneration of pancreatic beta cells and/or for improving and/or restoring the functionality of pancreatic beta cells said method comprised of the step of administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a crystalline complex according to claim 4 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

16. A method of making the crystalline complex in accordance with claim 1 , said method comprising the following steps:

(a) preparing a solution of 1-chloro-4-(β-D-glucopyranos-1-yl)-2-(4-ethynyl-benzyl)-benzene and proline in a solvent or a mixture of solvents;

(b) storing the solution to precipitate the crystalline complex out of solution;

(c) removing the precipitate from the solution; and

(d) drying the precipitate until any excess of said solvent or mixture of solvents has been removed.

17. A method for making the crystalline hydrate in accordance with claim 4 , said method comprising the following steps:

(a) dissolving 1-chloro-4-(β-D-glucopyranos-1-yl)-2-(4-ethynyl-benzyl)-benzene in a solvent or a mixture of solvents to form a solution, with the proviso that the starting material of 1-chloro-4-(β-D-glucopyranos-1-yl)-2-(4-ethynyl-benzyl)-benzene and/or said solvent or mixture of solvents contain an amount of H 2 O which is at least the quantity required to form a hydrate;

(b) storing the solution to precipitate the crystalline hydrate out of solution;

(c) removing the precipitate from the solution; and

(d) drying the precipitate until any excess of said solvent or mixture of solvents has been removed.