Stabilized compositions of volatile alkylating agents and methods of using thereof

1. A method of manufacturing a pharmaceutical composition, the method comprising combining bis-(2-chloroethyl)methylamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof with a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient; wherein the bis-(2-chloroethyl)methylamine or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is resent in an amount of about 0.001 percent to about 2.0 percent by weight of the composition; and the pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is a compound of the formula HOCH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2 OR 79 , wherein R 79 is a linear alkyl group having 1-6 carbon atoms.

2. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is in a non-aqueous carrier.

3. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition does not include petrolatum or ethanol.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bis-(2-chloroethyl)methylamine is in the form of an acid-addition or base-addition salt.

5. The method of claim 4 , comprising the acid-addition salt, wherein the acid-addition salt is an HCl, HBr, HI, H 2 SO 4 , or HNO 3 salt.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the acid-addition salt is an HCl salt.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is a compound of the formula HOCH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2 OR 79 , wherein R 79 is a linear alkyl group having 2 carbon atoms (ethoxy diglycol reagent).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bis-(2-chloroethyl)methylamine or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is present in an amount of about 0.01 percent to about 0.04 percent by weight of the composition.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bis-(2-chloroethyl)methylamine or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is present in an amount of about 0.015 percent to about 0.030 percent by weight of the composition.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is a compound of the formula HOCH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2 OR 79 , wherein R 79 is a linear alkyl group having 2 carbon atoms (ethoxy diglycol reagent).

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising combining a second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, wherein the second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is selected from the group consisting of butylated hydroxytoluene, edetate disodium, benzyl alcohol, hydroxypropylcellulose, isopropyl alcohol, menthol, propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycerin, and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is butylated hydroxytoluene.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is edetate disodium.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is isopropyl alcohol.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is menthol.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is propylene glycol.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is glycerin.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is hydroxypropylcellulose.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient comprises butylated hydroxytoluene, edetate disodium, hydroxypropylcellulose, isopropyl alcohol, menthol, propylene glycol, and glycerin.

20. The method of claim 10 , further comprising combining a second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, wherein the second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is selected from the group consisting of butylated hydroxytoluene, edetate disodium, benzyl alcohol, hydroxypropylcellulose, isopropyl alcohol, menthol, propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycerin, and combinations thereof.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the second pharmaceutically acceptable excipient comprises butylated hydroxytoluene, edetate disodium, hydroxypropylcellulose, isopropyl alcohol, menthol, propylene glycol, and glycerin.

22. The method of claim 1 , 11 , or 21 , further comprising combining an organic acid in an amount of about 1 percent to about 15 percent by weight of the composition, wherein the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of oxalic acid, p-bromophenylsulfonic acid, carbonic acid, succinic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, 2-acetoxybenzoic acid, acetic acid, phenylacetic acid, propionic acid, glycolic acid, stearic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, ascorbic acid, maleic acid, hydroxymaleic acid, glutamic acid, salicylic acid, sulfanilic acid, fumaric acid, and combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the organic acid is lactic acid.