ABSORPTION ENHANCING AGENTS
Disclosed are new compounds that increase the absorption of pharmaceutical agents across mucous membranes. These absorption enhancers allow higher bioavailability of administered drugs. The enhancers advantageously have low or no cytotoxicity.
1 . A composition comprising at least one pharmaceutically active agent, and at least one enhancer, wherein said enhancer is an acid selected from a group consisting of N-alkylated amino acid, thioctic acid, sebacic acid, shikimic acid, and salts thereof, wherein the enhancer is present in the composition in an amount effective to increase the biological absorption of the active agent.
2 . A composition of claim 1 , wherein said N-alkylated amino acid is an N-methylated amino acid.
3 . A composition of claim 2 , wherein the amino acid is selected from a group consisting of isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, arginine, histadine, alanine, asparagine, aspartate, cysteine, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, and tyrosine.
4 . A composition of claim 3 , wherein the amino acid is glycine.
5 . A composition of claim 4 , wherein said enhancer is selected from a group consisting of N,N-dimethylglycine, trimethylglycine and salts and combinations thereof.
6 . A composition of claim 5 , wherein said enhancer is N,N-dimethylglycine.
7 . A composition of claim 1 , wherein said enhancer is selected from a group consisting of thioctic acid, sebacic acid, shikimic acid, and salts thereof.
8 . The composition of claim 3 , wherein the concentration of the enhancer is from about 0.01% to about 99% by weight.
9 . The composition of claim 4 , wherein the concentration of enhancer is from about 0.01% to about 50% by weight.
10 . The composition of claim 4 , wherein the concentration of enhancer is from about 0.1% to about 30% by weight.
11 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the active agent is a protein, peptide, or nucleic acid.
12 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the active agent is selected from sampatrilat and hydrochlorothiazide.
13 . The composition of claim 1 , which is an oral pharmaceutical in the form of a liquid, suspension, emulsion, powder, pill, tablet, capsule, gel caps, troche, cachet or pellet.
14 . The composition of claim 1 , which is in the form of a solution, suspension, aerosol, or emulsion, which can be sprayed or inhaled.
15 . A method for enhancing the absorption of a pharmaceutically active agent across a mucosal membrane in a mammal, comprising administering to the mammal a composition comprising at least one active agent and at least one enhancer, wherein said enhancer is an acid selected from a group consisting of N-alkylated amino acid, thioctic acid, sebacic acid, shikimic acid, and salts thereof, wherein the enhancer is present in the composition in an amount effective to increase the biological absorption of the active agent.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said N-alkylated amino acid is a N-methylated amino acid.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the aminoacid is selected from a group consisting of isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, arginine, histadine, alanine, asparagine, aspartate, cysteine, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, and tyrosine.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the amino acid is glycine.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said enhancer is selected from a group consisting of N,N-dimethylglycine, trimethylglycine and salts and combinations thereof.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said enhancer is N,N-dimethylglycine.
21 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said enhancer is selected from a group consisting of thioctic acid, sebacic acid, shikimic acid, and salts thereof.
22 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the concentration of the enhancer is from about 0.01% to about 99% by weight.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the concentration of the enhancer is from about 0.01% to about 50% by weight.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the concentration of the enhancer is from about 0.1% to about 30% by weight.
25 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the mucosal membrane is the gastrointestinal tract and the composition is administered orally, buccally or sublingually.
26 . A process for preparing the composition of claim 1 , comprising bringing into association at least one pharmaceutically active agent with one or more enhancer, optionally adding a carrier, and forming a liquid, suspension, emulsion, aerosol, powder, pill, tablet, capsule, gel caps, troche, cachet or pellet therewith.