IP Library Granted Patent US 11,717,524
Granted Patent B1
US 11,717,524 · App. 17/930,824 · Granted Aug 8, 2023

Varenicline compound and process of manufacture thereof

Inventors: Joseph Prabahar Koilpillai (Tamil Nadu, IN); Sayuj Nath (Tamil Nadu, IN); Satish Patil (Tamil Nadu, IN); Somasundaram Muthuramalingam (Tamil Nadu, IN); Selvakumar Viruthagiri (Tamil Nadu, IN); Mohankumar Lakshmanan (Tamil Nadu, IN)
Assignee: Par Pharmaceutical, Inc.
A61K31/55A61K47/02A61K47/12A61K47/38C07D471/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,717,524
App. No.
17/930,824
Granted
Aug 8, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the field of synthesizing substantially pure varenicline and its intermediates. It also relates to the pharmaceutical compositions comprising varenicline and the method of use of these pharmaceutical compositions for smoking cessation.

Claims (46)

1. A method of making a varenicline tartrate tablet comprising less than 50 ppm of nitrosamine impurities, the method comprising:

(a) mixing varenicline free base with tartaric acid to form varenicline tartrate; and

(b) means for reducing the nitrosamine impurities to less than 50 ppm per tablet as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method;

wherein the means comprises an acid-base treatment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tablet comprises less than 25 ppm of nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the the tablet comprises less than 20 ppm of nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acid-base treatment removes more than 50% of the nitrosamine impurities and wherein the tablet comprises less than 15 ppm of nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the means further comprises spray drying maltodextrin and the varenicline tartrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acid-base treatment comprises:

(a) converting the varenicline free base into a varenicline salt with an organic or inorganic acid in an aqueous solution;

(b) extracting the nitrosamine impurities with an organic solvent; and

(c) isolating purified varenicline free base by adding a base to the aqueous solution and extracting the purified varenicline free base with an organic solvent.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the organic solvent comprises methylene dichloride.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the acid is chosen from: tartaric acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, malonic acid, hydrochloric acid, succinic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, and mixtures thereof.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the base comprises sodium carbonate.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tablet comprises less than 10 ppm of nitrosamine impurities as measured by as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the means further comprises blending the varenicline tartrate with one or more excipients chosen from: maltodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium citrate, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, glycine, a starch, alginic acid, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sucrose, gelatin, acacia, a silicate, magnesium stearate, sodium lauryl sulfate, talc, lactose, polyethylene glycol, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hypromellose, titanium dioxide, anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate, croscarmellose sodium, colloidal silicon dioxide, or mixtures of any of the foregoing.

12. A method of making varenicline tartrate comprising less than 50 ppm of nitrosamine impurities, the method comprising:

(a) mixing varenicline free base with tartaric acid to form varenicline tartrate; and

(b) means for removing the nitrosamine impurities in the varenicline tartrate to less than 50 ppm;

wherein the means comprises an acid-base treatment.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the means further comprises layer separation.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the acid-base treatment removes more than 50% of the nitrosamine impurities in the varenicline tartrate wherein the varenicline tartrate comprises less than 25 ppm of the nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the varenicline tartrate is formulated into a solid dosage form wherein the solid dosage form comprises less than 30 ppm of the nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the solid dosage form is a tablet and wherein the tablet comprises less than 15 ppm of the nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the tablet comprises less than 10 ppm of the nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

18. A method of making a varenicline tartrate tablet comprising less than 50 ppm of nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method the method comprising:

(a) mixing varenicline free base with tartaric acid to form varenicline tartrate; and

(b) employing an acid-base treatment to remove the nitrosamine impurities.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises blending the varenicline tartrate with one or more excipients chosen from: maltodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium citrate, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, glycine, a starch, alginic acid, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sucrose, gelatin, acacia, a silicate, magnesium stearate, sodium lauryl sulfate, talc, lactose, polyethylene glycol, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hypromellose, titanium dioxide, anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate, croscarmellose sodium, colloidal silicon dioxide, or mixtures of any of the foregoing.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising layer separation and wherein the acid-base treatment and layer separation comprises:

(a) converting the varenicline free base into a varenicline salt with an organic or inorganic acid in an aqueous solution;

(b) extracting the nitrosamine impurities with an organic solvent; and

(c) isolating purified varenicline free base by adding a base to the aqueous solution and extracting the purified varenicline free base with an organic solvent.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the purified free base comprises less than 25 ppm of the nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the purified free base comprises less than 10 ppm of the nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the organic solvent comprises methylene dichloride.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the acid is chosen from: tartaric acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, malonic acid, hydrochloric acid, succinic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, and mixtures thereof.

25. The method of claim 20 , wherein the base comprises sodium carbonate.

26. A method of making varenicline tartrate comprising less than 50 ppm of nitrosamine impurities, the method comprising:

(a) mixing varenicline free base with tartaric acid to form varenicline tartrate; and

(b) employing an acid-base treatment to remove the nitrosamine impurities.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the varenicline tartrate is formulated into a tablet wherein the tablet comprises less than 30 ppm of the nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the tablet further comprises maltodextrin.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the tablet comprises less than 15 ppm of nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the tablet comprises less than 10 ppm of nitrosamine impurities as measured by LC-ESI-HRMS Method.

Assignments (11)
SHORT FORM INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 6, 2025
From: PH HEALTH LIMITED
To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073508/0830 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (068461/0692) Recorded Aug 4, 2025
From: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ENDO OPERATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 072343/0897 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2025
From: ENDO OPERATIONS LIMITED
To: PH HEALTH LIMITED
Reel/Frame 072131/0540 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2025
From: ENDO OPERATIONS LIMITED
To: PH HEALTH LIMITED
Reel/Frame 071778/0632 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2024
From: ENDO BIOLOGICS LIMITED; ENDO OPERATIONS LIMITED
To: COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 068469/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 19, 2024
From: ENDO BIOLOGICS LIMITED; ENDO OPERATIONS LIMITED
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA
Reel/Frame 068461/0692 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2024
From: ENDO USA, INC.
To: ENDO OPERATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 067245/0492 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 23, 2024
From: PAR PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
To: ENDO USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 067203/0686 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PROPERTY NUMBER THAT WAS INADVERTENTLY ENTERED AS APPLICATION 17/888,093 WHEN IT SHOULD BE APPLICATION # 17/930,824 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 061044 FRAME 0365. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 30, 2023
From: KOILPILLAI, JOSEPH PRABAHAR; NATH, SAYUJ; PATIL, SATISH; MUTHURAMALINGAM, SOMASUNDARAM; VIRUTHAGIRI, SELVAKUMAR; LAKSHMANAN, MOHANKUMAR
To: PAR PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 063805/0897 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2022
From: KOILPILLAI, JOSEPH PRABAHAR; NATH, SAYUJ; PATIL, SATISH; MUTHURAMALINGAM, SOMASUNDARAM; VIRUTHAGIRI, SELVAKUMAR; LAKSHMANAN, MOHANKUMAR
To: PAR PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 061045/0428 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2022
From: KOILPILLAI, JOSEPH PRABAHAR; NATH, SAYUJ; PATIL, SATISH; MUTHURAMALINGAM, SOMASUNDARAM; VIRUTHAGIRI, SELVAKUMAR; LAKSHMANAN, MOHANKUMAR
To: PAR PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 061044/0365 →
Continuity (2)
Division 17721857 · Apr 15, 2022
Provisional Application 63319043 · Mar 11, 2022