Polymeric compositions comprising therapeutic agents in crystalline phases, and methods of forming the same

1. A method for forming a drug-containing polymeric composition, said method comprising: forming crystalline particles of at least one therapeutic agent; and encapsulating said crystalline particles into at least one biocompatible polymer to form a drug-containing polymeric composition,

wherein at least a portion of said crystalline particles remain crystalline in the drug-containing polymeric composition, and

wherein the crystalline particles are first individually coated by a protective coating material, and then encapsulated into the at least one biocompatible polymer by a process that uses a polymeric solution, wherein said polymeric solution comprises the at least one biocompatible polymer dissolved in a solvent system comprising at least one solvent, and wherein the protective coating material is insoluble in said solvent system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystalline particles have an average particle size ranging from about 50 nm to about 50 μm.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystalline particles are encapsulated into the at least one biocompatible polymer by a process that uses a polymeric solution, wherein said polymeric solution comprises the at least one biocompatible polymer dissolved in a solvent system comprising at least one solvent, and wherein the crystalline particles of said at least one therapeutic agent are insoluble in said solvent system.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one biocompatible polymer comprises a copolymer of polylactic acid and polyglycolic acid (PLGA), wherein the at least one therapeutic agent comprises tranilast, and wherein the solvent system comprises at least methylene chloride.

5. The method of claim 3 , comprising:

forming said polymeric solution;

mixing the crystalline particles of the at least one therapeutic agent with the polymeric solution to form a mixture; and

removing the at least one solvent from said mixture to form a substantially continuous biocompatible polymeric matrix with the crystalline particles encapsulated therein.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said mixture is used to form or coat at least a portion of an implantable medical device before the solvent removal.

7. The method of claim 3 , comprising:

forming said polymeric solution;

mixing the crystalline particles of the at least one therapeutic agent with the polymeric solution to form a mixture; and

removing the at least one solvent from said mixture to form polymeric particles with the crystalline particles encapsulated therein.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one biocompatible polymer has a lower melting temperature than the at least one therapeutic agent, and wherein the crystalline particles of the at least one therapeutic agent are encapsulated into the at least one biocompatible polymer by a process comprising:

melting the at least one biocompatible polymer;

mixing the melted biocompatible polymer with the crystalline particles to form a molten mixture with the crystalline particles dispersed therein;

cooling the molten mixture to form a solidified structure that comprises a substantially continuous biocompatible polymeric matrix with the crystalline particles encapsulated therein; and

treating the solidified structure to form polymeric particles with the crystalline particles encapsulated therein.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one biocompatible polymer comprises polycaprolactone, and wherein the at least one therapeutic agent comprises rapamycin.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one biocompatible polymer comprises polydioxanone, and wherein the at least one therapeutic agent comprises tranilast.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one biocompatible polymer comprises poly(glycolide-caprolactone) copolymer with a glycolide-to-caprolactone ratio of about 65/35, and wherein the at least one therapeutic agent comprises cladribine.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one biocompatible polymer comprises poly(caprolactone-dioxanone) copolymer with a caprolactone-to-dioxanone ratio of about 95/5, and wherein the at least one therapeutic agent comprises sabeluzole.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the polymeric particles are formed by crushing, chopping, mincing, grinding, milling, spheronized, and/or pulverizing the solidified structure.