Transdermal therapeutic system for administering rivastigmine or derivatives thereof

1. A transdermal therapeutic system for administering an active substance through the skin comprising:

a) a cover layer,

b) a reservoir present on the cover layer, comprising a polymer matrix,

c) an adhesive layer on the reservoir comprising a contact adhesive, and

d) a removable layer present on the adhesive layer,

wherein the active substance is rivastigmine or a physiologically tolerable salt, hydrate, solvate or derivative thereof, and

wherein the polymer matrix of the reservoir includes neither hydroxyl groups nor carboxyl groups.

2. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 1 wherein it does not contain any antioxidants.

3. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir contains 20 to 30 weight % active substance and 70 to 80 weight % polymer matrix in relation to the total weight of the reservoir.

4. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer additionally contains a gelatinizing agent and an emollient.

5. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 4 wherein the adhesive layer contains 60.0 to 74.9 weight % contact adhesive, 0.1 to 2.0 weight % gelatinizing agent and 25 to 39.9 weight % emollient in relation to the total weight of the adhesive layer.

6. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 1 wherein the polymer matrix comprises at least one polymer and/or copolymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylates, acrylate-vinyl acetate copolymers, polyisobutylene, styrene-butadiene copolymers and mixtures thereof.

7. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 1 wherein the contact adhesive is polyisobutylene.

8. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 7 wherein the polyisobutylene is a mixture of two polyisobutylene polymers of different molecular weights.

9. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 8 wherein the first polyisobutylene polymer has a mean molecular weight M V of approximately 40,000 g/mol, and the second polyisobutylene polymer has a mean molecular weight M V of approximately 400,000 g/mol.

10. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 8 wherein the weight ratio of the first polyisobutylene polymer in relation to the second polyisobutylene polymer is approximately 4:6.

11. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 4 wherein the gelatinizing agent comprises SiO 2 having a particle size within the range of about 400 to about 1500 nm, which is in a dispersed form or in the form of pyrogenic silicic acid.

12. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 4 wherein the emollient is paraffin, neutral oil, mineral oil or a mixture thereof.

13. A transdermal therapeutic system for administering an active substance through the skin comprising:

a) a cover layer,

b) a reservoir located on the cover layer containing 20 to 30 weight % active substance and 70 to 80% polymer matrix in relation to the total weight of the reservoir, and wherein the polymer matrix consists essentially of an acrylate-vinyl acetate copolymer without hydroxyl groups and without carboxyl groups,

c) an adhesive layer located on the reservoir that comprises 0.1 to 1 weight % silicone dioxide, 25 to 39.9 weight % paraffinum perliquidum (Ph. Eur.) and 60 to 79.9 weight % of a mixture of a polyisobutylene of a mean molecular weight M V of approximately 40,000 g/mol and a polyisobutylene of a mean molecular weight M V of approximately 400,000 g/mol, and

d) a removable layer located on the adhesive layer.

14. A method for preparing a transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 13 comprising

i) preparing a component containing the reservoir made up of the cover layer and the reservoir, which is located on the side of the cover layer that is intended as the side to be directed toward the skin,

ii) preparing a component containing the adhesive layer made up of the removable layer and the adhesive layer located on the removable layer, and

iii) laminating to combine the components from i) and ii) so that in the end, in a cross-section of the completed transdermal therapeutic system, the cover and removable layers constitute the outermost, opposite layers.

15. The method according to claim 14 comprising

i) applying, with drying, if necessary, a film of a composition constituting the reservoir, if necessary, in form of a solution or dispersion in a suitable medium to the side of the cover layer that is to be directed toward the skin,

ii) applying, with subsequent drying, if necessary, a film of a composition constituting the adhesive layer, if necessary, in the form of a solution or dispersion in a suitable medium, to the removable layer, and

iii) laminating together the components from i) and ii) in order for the cover layer and the removable layer to constitute in the cross-section of the completed transdermal therapeutic system the outermost, opposite layers.

16. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 13 for treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's dementia.

17. The transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 1 for treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's dementia.

18. A method for preparing a transdermal therapeutic system according to claim 1 comprising

i) preparing a component containing the reservoir made up of the cover layer and the reservoir, which is located on the side of the cover layer that is intended as the side to be directed toward the skin,

ii) preparing a component containing the adhesive layer made up of the removable layer and the adhesive layer located on the removable layer, and

iii) laminating to combine the components from i) and ii) so that in the end, in a cross-section of the completed transdermal therapeutic system, the cover and removable layers constitute the outermost, opposite layers.

19. The method according to claim 18 comprising

i) applying, with drying, if necessary, a film of a composition constituting the reservoir, if necessary, in form of a solution or dispersion in a suitable medium to the side of the cover layer that is to be directed toward the skin,

ii) applying, with subsequent drying, if necessary, a film of a composition constituting the adhesive layer, if necessary, in the form of a solution or dispersion in a suitable medium, to the removable layer, and

iii) laminating together the components from i) and ii) in order for the cover layer and the removable layer to constitute in the cross-section of the completed transdermal therapeutic system the outermost, opposite layers.

20. Method for preparing a transdermal therapeutic system containing rivastigmine, comprising embedding the rivastigmine or a physiologically compatible salt, hydrate, solvate or derivatives thereof in a polymer or copolymer that contains neither free hydroxyl groups nor free carboxyl groups, selected from the group consisting of polyacrylates, acrylate-vinyl acetate copolymers, polyisobutylene and styrene-butadiene copolymers, optionally comprising stabilizing active substance rivastigmine in the transdermal therapeutic system and/or reducing the break-down of active substance rivastigmine in the transdermal therapeutic system.