Method to improve characteristics of spray dried powders and granulated materials, and the products thereby produced

1. A method for preparing a spray dried composition having residual solvent content of less than about 10% by weight comprising:

a) providing a mixture comprising a polymer and an active agent in a blend of a solvent and non-solvent for the polymer wherein the solvent has a lower boiling point than the non-solvent, wherein the polymer comprises polyvinyl pyrrolidone, the solvent comprises dichloromethane and the non-solvent comprises acetone;

b) distributing the mixture into either droplets or granules, and

c) evaporating the solvent and non-solvent mixture to form particles having an average size of from about 0.5 μm to about 5000 μm; wherein the active agent is selected from the group consisting of abacavir sulfate, acebutolol, acetaminophen, acemetacin acetylcysteine, acetylsalicylic acid, acyclovir, adefovir dipivoxil, alprazolam, albumin, alfacalcidol, allantoin, allopurinol, ambroxol, amikacin, amiloride, aminoacetic acid, amiodarone, amitriptyline, amlodipine, amoxicillin, amoxicillin trihydrate, amiodarone hydrochloride, amphotericin B, ampicillin, amprenavir, aprepitant, anastrozole, ascorbic acid, aspartame, astemizole, atazanavir sulfate, atenolol, atorvastatin calcium, azathioprine, azithromycin, azithromycin dihydride, beclomethasone, benserazide, benzalkonium hydroxide, benzocaine, benzoic acid, betametasone, bezafibrate, biotin, biperiden, bisoprolol, bosentan, bromazepam, bromhexine, bromocriptine, budesonide, bufexamac, buflomedil, buspirone, caffeine, camphor, candesartan cilexetil, captopril, carbamazepine, carbidopa, carboplatin, carvedilol, cefachlor, cefalexin, cefadroxil, cefazolin, cefdinir, cefixime, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, celecoxib, chloramphenicol, chlorhexidine, chlorpheniramine, chlortalidone, choline, cilastatin, cilostazol, cimetidine, ciprofloxacin, cisapride, cisplatin, citalopram hydrobromide, clarithromycin, clavulanic acid, clomipramine, clonazepam, clonidine, clopidogrel bisulfate, clotrimazole, clozapine, codeine, colestyramine, coenzyme Q10, cromoglycic acid, cyanocobalamin, cyclosporin, cyproterone, danazole, delavirdine mesylate, desipramine, desloratadine, desmopressin, desogestrel, dexamethasone, dexpanthenol, dextromethorphan, dextropropoxiphene, diazepam, diclofenac, digoxin, dihydrocodeine, dihydroergotamine, diltiazem, diphenhydramine, dipyridamole, dipyrone, disopyramide, docetaxel, domperidone, dopamine, doxycycline, doxorubicin hydrochloride, dronabinol, dutasteride, efavirenz, eletriptan hydrobromide, emtricitabine, enalapril, enrofloxacin, entacapone, ephedrine, epinephrine, eplerenone, eprosartan mesylate, ergocalciferol, ergoloid mesylate, ergotamine tartrate, erythromycin, escitalopram oxalate, estradiol, ethinylestradiol, etoposide, exemestane, ezetimibe, famotidine, felodipine, fenofibrate, fenoterol, fentanyl, fexofenadine hydrochloride, finasteride, flavin mononucleotide, fluconazole, flunarizine, fluorouracil, fluoxetine, flurbiprofen, fluphenazine hydrochloride, flutamide, fluticasone propionate, fluvastatin, fosamprenavir, fosamprenavir calcium, furosemide, gabapentin, galantamine hydrobromide, ganciclovir, gemfibrozil, gentamicin, Ginkgo biloba , glibenclamide, glimepiride, glipizide, Glycyrrhiza glabra , glyburide, guaifenesin, guanabenz, haloperidol, heparin, hyaluronic acid, hydrochlorothiazide, hydrocodone, hydrocortisone, hydromorphone, hydroxytetracycline, ipratropium hydroxide, ibuprofen, idarubicin, imipenem, imipramine hydrochloride, indinavir sulfate, indomethacin, iohexol, iopamidol, irinotecan, isosorbide dinitrate, irbesartan, isosorbide mononitrate, isotretinoin, isradipine, itraconazole, ketotifen, ketoconazole, ketoprofen, ketorolac, labetalol, lactulose, lamivudine, lamotrigine, lansoprazole, lecithin, levetiracetam, levocarnitine, levodopa, levoglutamide, levonorgestrel, levothyroxine, lidocaine, lipase, lisinopril, loperamide, lopinavir, loratadine, lorazepam, lovastatin, medroxyprogesterone, meloxicam, melphalan, menthol, mercaptopurine, mesalamine, methotrexate methyldopa, N-methylephedrine, methylprednisolone, metoclopramide, metolazone, metoprolol, miconazole, midazolam, minocycline, minoxidil, misoprostol, mitotane, modafanil, mometasone, morphine, mosapride, multivitamins and minerals, nabumetone, nadolol, naftidrofuryl, naproxen, nefazodone, nelfinavir mesylate, neomycin, nevirapine, nicardipine hydrochloride, nicergoline, nicotinamide, nicotine, nicotinic acid, nifedipine, nimodipine, nisoldipine, nitrendipine, nizatidine, norethisterone, norfloxacin, norgestrel, nortriptyline, nystatin, ofloxacin, olanzepine, olmesartan medoxomil, omeprazole, ondansetron, orlistat, oxcarbazepine, paclitaxel, pancreatin, panthenol, pantoprazole, pantothenic acid, paracetamol, paroxetine hydrochloride, penicillin G, penicillin V, perphenazine, phenobarbital, phenylephrine, phenylpropanolamine, phenytoin, pimecrolimus, pimozide, pioglitazone hydrochloride, piroxicam, polymyxin B, povidone-iodine, pravastatin sodium, prazepam, prazosin, prednisolone, prednisone, proglumetacin, propafenone hydrochloride, propranolol, propofol, pseudoephedrine, pyridoxine, quinaprile hydrochloride, quinidine, raloxifine hydrochloride, ramipril, ranitidine, reserpine, retinol, ribavirin, riboflavin, rifampicin, risperidone, ritonavir, rosuvastatin calcium, rutoside, saccharin, salbutamol, salcatonin, salicylic acid, salmetrol xinafoate, saquinavir, sertaline, sildenafil citrate, simvastatin, sirolimus, somatropin, sotalol, spironolactone, stavudine, sucralfate, sulbactam, sulfamethoxazole, sulphasalazine, sulpiride, tacrolimus, tadalafil, tamoxifen, tamsulosin hydrochloride, tegafur, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, tenoxicam, teprenone, terazosin, terbinafine hydrochloride, tegaserod maleate, telmisartan, terbutaline, terfenadine, thalidomide, theophylline, thiamine, tiaprofenic acid, ticlopidine, timolol, tizanidine hydrochloride, topiramate, trandolapril, tranexamic acid, tretinoin, triamcinolone acetonide, triamterene, triazolam, trimethoprim, troxerutin, uracil, valdecoxib, valgancyclovir hydrochloride, valproic acid, valrubicin, valsartan, vancomycin, verapamil, vardenafil hydrochloride, vitamin E, zafirlukast, zalcitabine, zalephon, zidovudine, ziprasidone, zolpidem tartrate, zonisamide, zotepine and mixtures thereof, and wherein the resulting spray dried composition has said residual solvent content of less than about 10% by weight.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mixture further comprises one or more pharmaceutically acceptable ingredients.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of: aliphatic polyesters, carboxyalkylcelluloses, alkylcelluloses, gelatins, hydroxyalkylcelluloses, hydroxyalkylalkylcelluloses, hydroxyalkylalkylcellulose derivatives, polyamines, polyethylene glycols, methacrylic acid polymers and copolymers, homo- and copolymers of N-vinyl pyrrolidone, homo- and copolymers of vinyllactam, starches, polysaccharides, poly glycols, polyvinyl esters, refined/modified shellac and mixtures thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the solvent and non-solvent are present at a ratio of from about 5% solvent:95% non-solvent to about 95% solvent:5% non-solvent by weight.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the ratio of solvent to non-solvent is selected such that the polymer is dissolved in the mixture.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the polymer in the mixture is from about 1% to about 90% by weight.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid composition contains less residual solvent immediately after spray drying or granulation than a solid composition produced from a mixture containing solvent alone.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said solid composition contains less than 2% residual solvent by weight.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid materials comprise particles and said particles have a higher density than particles produced from a mixture containing solvent alone.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the mixture has a solids content of more than 1% by weight.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the active agent is rendered into an amorphous state using less polymer than can be achieved using a mixture without a non-solvent.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the active agent exhibits increased dissolution compared to a control composition prepared from a mixture without a non-solvent.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the active agent exhibits an increased rate of dissolution compared to a control composition prepared from a mixture without a non-solvent.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the active agent exhibits an increased extent of dissolution compared to a control composition prepared from a mixture without a non-solvent.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising depositing said droplets onto a particulate substrate.

16. A composition comprising particles produced in accordance with claim 1 .

17. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the composition of claim 16 .

18. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16 in the form of an oral, solid-dosage form.

19. A spray dried composition produced by the method of claim 13 .