Rapamycin composition

1. A dry, flowable and compressible composition comprising:

a. a hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer;

b. a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer; and

c. rapamycin.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition comprises rapamycin and a mixture selected from the group consisting of:

i. (a) a hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 2000 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 90% and (b) a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 12,600 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 30%, having a w/w proportion of a:b of about 1:4 or higher;

ii. (a) a hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 2750 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 90% and (b) a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 12,600 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 30%, having a w/w proportion of a:b of about 1:3 or higher;

iii. (a) a hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 3650 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 80% and (b) a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 7,700 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 30%, having a w/w proportion of a:b of about 1:4 or higher;

iv. (a) a hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 3650 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 80% and (b) a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 14,600 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 20%, having a w/w proportion of a:b of about 1:3 or higher; and

v. (a) a hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 3650 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 80% and (b) a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 12,600 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 30%, having a w/w proportion of a:b of about 1:4 or higher.

3. The composition of claim 2 wherein such composition comprises:

i. (a) a poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 3650 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 80% and (b) a poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 12,600 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 30%, having a w/w proportion of (a):(b) of about 1:4 or higher; and

ii. rapamycin.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition comprises at least about 5% by weight of a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer, based upon the total weight of the hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer plus the hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer.

5. The composition of claim 4 wherein said composition comprises at least about 10% by weight of a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer, based upon the total weight of the hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer plus the hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition has a Carr Index of less than about 20.

7. The composition of claim 6 wherein said composition has a Carr Index of less than about 10.

8. The composition of claim 7 wherein said composition has a Carr Index of less than about 5.

9. The composition of claim 1 which further comprises a stabilizer.

10. The composition of claim 9 wherein the stabilizer is citric acid.

11. A process for preparing a dry, flowable and compressible rapamycin composition comprising the steps of:

a. mixing a (i) a hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer; (ii) a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer; and (iii) rapamycin; in an organic solvent to form an organic mixture; and

b. drying the organic mixture.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein the poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymers are selected from the group consisting of:

i. (a) a hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 2000 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 90% and (b) a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 12,600 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 30%, having a w/w proportion of a:b of about 1:4 or higher;

ii. (a) a hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 2750 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 90% and (b) a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 12,600 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 30%, having a w/w proportion of a:b of about 1:3 or higher;

iii. (a) a hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 3650 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 80% and (b) a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 7,700 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 30%, having a w/w proportion of a:b of about 1:4 or higher;

iv. (a) a hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 3650 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 80% and (b) a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 14,600 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 20%, having a w/w proportion of a:b of about 1:3 or higher; and

v. (a) a hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 3650 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 80% and (b) a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 12,600 and a hydrophobe weight percentage of about 30%, having a w/w proportion of a:b of about 1:4 or higher.

13. The process of claim 11 wherein the organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of alcohols and halogenated hydrocarbons.

14. The process of claim 11 wherein the organic solvent is ethanol.

15. The process of claim 11 wherein the organic solvent is dichloromethane.

16. The process of claim 11 wherein a minor amount of water is added to the organic solvent.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein the water comprises less than about 25% by weight of the organic solvent water mixture.