Galenic formulation for colon-targeted delivery of active ingredients

1. A method of reducing the concentration of an antibiotic in the colon of a patient, the method comprising:

orally administering a drug delivery composition to a patient in need thereof wherein said patient has been, is being, or will be treated with antibiotics, for colonic release of an active agent, wherein the drug delivery composition comprises:

a) said active agent which is an enzyme capable of inactivating a β-lactam, macrolide or quinolone antibiotic, and

b) a pectinate composition suitable for administering the active agent to the colon, wherein the active agent is incorporated into the pectinate composition.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the enzyme is a beta-lactamase or erythromycin esterase.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pectinate composition comprises a cationic pectinate salt in the form of a pectin bead which encloses the active agent.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pectin is reticulated by a cationic polymer.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pectin salt is a calcium pectinate.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pectin is an amidated pectin.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein reducing the concentration of the antibiotic in the colon of the patient reduces the risk of the patient developing antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

8. A method of preparing a composition for oral administration, and colonic delivery, of an active agent that inactivates an antibiotic, comprising:

a) preparing a 4-10% (m/v) pectin solution containing an active agent that inactivates an antibiotic,

wherein the active agent is an enzyme capable of inactivating a β-lactam, macrolide or quinolone antibiotic,

b) adding the pectin solution to a 2-10% (m/v) calcium chloride solution to form pectin cationically crosslinked beads, and

c) reticulating the pectin beads with a 0.5-2% (m/v) polyethylenimine solution.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the pectin solution further comprises a second active agent, where the second active agent is selected from the group consisting of an antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory compound, an anti-histamine, an anti-cholinergic, an antiviral, an antimitotic, a peptide, a protein, and an immunosuppressive agent.

10. A method of inhibiting the generation of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the colon of a patient, comprising administering to a patient in need of treatment thereof an isolated active agent which is an enzyme capable of inactivating a beta-lactam, macrolide, or quinolone antibiotic in a composition comprising a pectinate wherein said composition is suitable for selectively administering the active agent to the colon.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the enzyme is a beta-lactamase or erythromycin esterase.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the composition comprises a cationic pectinate salt in the form of a pectin bead which encloses the active agent.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pectin is reticulated by a cationic polymer.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pectin salt is a calcium pectinate.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pectin is an amidated pectin.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising administering a second active agent, wherein the second agent is selected from the group consisting of an antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory compound, an anti-histamine, an anti-cholinergic, an antiviral, an antimitotic, a peptide, a protein, and an immunosuppressive agent.

17. A method of reducing the concentration of a macrolide, beta-lactam or quinolone antibiotic in the colon of a patient, comprising orally administering an effective, antibiotic-reducing amount of the drug delivery composition of claim 12 to a patient in need thereof wherein said patient has been, is being, or will be administered a macrolide, beta-lactam, or quinolone antibiotic.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the method administers the active agent to the colon.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the active agent is a beta-lactamase or an erythromycin esterase.

20. A method of reducing the concentration of an antibiotic in the colon of a patient, comprising administering to a patient in need of treatment thereof a composition comprising

a) a first isolated active agent capable of inactivating an antibiotic, wherein the active agent is an enzyme capable of inactivating a β-lactam, macrolide or quinolone antibiotic, and

b) a second active agent, where the second active agent is selected from the group consisting of an antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory compound, an anti-histamine, an anti-cholinergic, an antiviral, an antimitotic, a peptide, a protein, and an immunosuppressive agent, wherein the first active agent is an isolated enzyme capable of inactivating a beta-lactam, macrolide, or quinolone antibiotic,

wherein the first and second active agents are administered in a drug delivery composition which selectively delivers the active agents to the colon following oral administration.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the composition comprises a cationic pectinate salt in the form of a pectin bead which encloses the active agents.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the composition comprises beads of pectin in the form of a cationic salt enclosing the active agents.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the pectin is reticulated by a cationic polymer.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the second active agent is specific for treating the symptoms of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

25. A method of reducing the concentration of an antibiotic in the colon of a patient, comprising orally administering an effective, antibiotic-reducing amount of the composition of claim 20 to a patient in need thereof wherein said patient has been, is being, or will be administered an antibiotic.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the enzyme is a beta-lactamase or an erythromycin esterase.

27. A method of reducing the concentration of an antibiotic in the colon of a patient, the method comprising administering a drug delivery composition to a patient in need thereof wherein said patient has been, is being, or will be treated with antibiotics, and wherein said drug delivery composition is for oral administration, and colonic-specific release of an enzyme capable of inactivating beta-lactam, macrolide or quinolone antibiotics and wherein the drug delivery composition comprises:

a) an active agent comprising an isolated enzyme capable of inactivating beta-lactam, macrolide or quinolone antibiotics, and

b) a composition suitable for specifically administering the isolated enzyme to the colon, which incorporates the active agent into the drug delivery composition, and which comprises one or more of:

i) a polymer sensitive to variations in pH,

ii) a time-dependent release form, or

iii) a polymer degradable by bacteria in the flora,

wherein the enzyme is delivered to the colon in a sufficient amount to reduce the concentration of said antibiotic.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein reducing the concentration of the antibiotic in the colon of the patient reduces the risk of developing antibiotic resistant bacteria therein.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein reducing the concentration of an antibiotic in the colon of the patient inhibits the generation of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the colon of the patient.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the enzyme capable of inactivating beta-lactam, macrolide or quinolone antibiotics is co-administered with a second active agent, wherein the second active agent is selected from the group consisting of an antibiotic, an anti- inflammatory compound, an anti-histamine, an anti-cholinergic, an antiviral, an antimitotic, a peptide, a protein, and an immunosuppressive agent.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the second active agent is specific for treating the symptoms of ulcerative colitis or a symptom of Crohn's disease.