Nanoparticles comprising a non-ionizable polymer and an Amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer

1. A pharmaceutical composition comprising nanoparticles, said nanoparticles consisting of:

(a) a poorly water soluble drug having a solubility in water of less than 5 mg/mL over the pH range of 6.5 to 7.5 at 25° C., at least 90 wt % of said drug in said nanoparticles being non-crystalline;

(b) a poorly aqueous soluble non-ionizable polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose butyrate, and cellulose acetate butyrate; and

(c) an amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer;

wherein said nanoparticles comprise a core and said core comprises said drug and said non-ionizable polymer; wherein said nanoparticles have an average diameter of less than 500 nm; and said drug, said non-ionizable polymer, and said amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer collectively constitute at least 80 wt % of said nanoparticles.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said core further comprises said amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein said drug, said non-ionizable polymer, and said amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer collectively constitute at least 90 wt % of said nanoparticles.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said nanoparticles consist essentially of said drug, said non-ionizable polymer, and said amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein said nanoparticles have the following composition: from 5 to 60 wt % of said drug, from 10 to 75 wt % of said non-ionizable polymer, and from 5 to 60 wt % of said amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein said nanoparticles have an average diameter of less than 300 nm.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein said amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer is poly[ethylacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate-co-trimethylamonioethyl methacrylate chloride].

8. The composition of claim 1 further comprising water, wherein said nanoparticles are suspended in said water.

9. A process for forming nanoparticles, comprising the steps:

(a) forming an organic solution comprising a poorly water soluble drug and a poorly aqueous soluble non-ionizable polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose butyrate, and cellulose acetate butyrate, the non-ionizable polymer dissolved in a solvent, wherein said drug has a solubility in water of less than 5 mg/ml over the pH range of 6.5 to 7.5 at 25° C.;

(b) forming an aqueous solution, wherein said drug and said non-ionizable polymer are poorly soluble in said aqueous solution;

(c) adding an amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer to at least one of said organic solution and said aqueous solution;

(d) mixing said organic solution with said aqueous solution to form a first mixture;

(e) removing said solvent from said first mixture to form a suspension comprising said nanoparticles and said aqueous solution, wherein

(i) said nanoparticles have an average diameter of less than 500 nm;

(ii) at least 90 wt % of said drug in said nanoparticles is noncrystalline; and

(iii) said drug, said non-ionizable polymer, and said amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer collectively constitute at least 80 wt % of said nanoparticles.

10. The process of claim 9 further comprising the additional step of

(f) adding a matrix material to said suspension.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein said matrix material is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone, trehalose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, casein, caseinate, albumin, gelatin, acacia, lactose, mannitol, pharmaceutically acceptable forms thereof, and mixtures thereof.

12. The process of claim 10 further comprising the additional step of

(g) removing liquid from said suspension to form a solid composition comprising said nanoparticles.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein said liquid is removed by one or more processes selected from the group consisting of spray drying, spray coating, spray layering, lyophylization, evaporation, vacuum evaporation, and filtration.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein said liquid is removed by spray drying.

15. The process of claim 13 wherein said liquid is removed by lyophylization.

16. A pharmaceutical composition comprising nanoparticles, said nanoparticles comprising:

(a) a poorly water soluble drug having a solubility in water of less than 5 mg/mL over the pH range of 6.5 to 7.5 at 25° C., at least 90 wt % of said drug in said nanoparticles being non-crystalline;

(b) a poorly aqueous soluble non-ionizable polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose butyrate, and cellulose acetate butyrate; and

(c) an amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer;

wherein said nanoparticles comprise a core and said core comprises said drug and said non-ionizable polymer; wherein said nanoparticles have an average diameter of less than 500 nm; and said drug, said non-ionizable polymer, and said amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer collectively constitute at least 80 wt % of said nanoparticles.