INJECTABLE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS AND USES THEREOF

1 . An injectable veterinary pharmaceutical composition comprising

(a) microspheres comprising

(a1) about 1% to about 40% w/w, based on the weight of the microspheres, of one or more physiologically active macrocyclic lactone(s), and

(a2) about 60% to about 99% w/w, based on the weight of the microspheres, of polycaprolactone (PCL),

and

(b) particles of an isoxazoline compound of Formula (I)

wherein

R 1 =halogen, CF 3 , OCF 3 , CN,

n=integer from 0 to 3,

R 2 =C 1 -C 3 -haloalkyl,

T=5 to 12-membered mono or bicyclic ring system which is optionally substituted by one or more radicals Y,

Y=methyl, halomethyl, halogen, CN, NO 2 , NH 2 —C═S, or two adjacent radicals Y form together a chain, especially a three or four membered chain;

Q=X—NR 3 R 4 or a 5-membered N-heteroaryl ring which is optionally substituted by one or more radicals;

X=CH 2 , CH(CH 3 ), CH(CN), CO, CS,

R 3 =hydrogen, methyl, haloethyl, halopropyl, halobutyl, methoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, halomethoxymethyl, ethoxymethyl, haloethoxymethyl, propoxymethyl, ethylaminocarbonylmethyl, ethylaminocarbonylethyl, dimethoxyethyl, propynylaminocarbonylmethyl, N-phenyl-N-methyl-amino, haloethylaminocarbonylmethyl, haloethylaminocarbonylethyl, tetrahydrofuryl, methylaminocarbonylmethyl, (N,N-dimethylamino)-carbonylmethyl, propylaminocarbonylmethyl, cyclopropylaminocarbonylmethyl, propenylaminocarbonylmethyl, haloethylaminocarbonylcyclopropyl,

wherein Z A =hydrogen, halogen, cyano, halomethyl (CF 3 );

R 4 =hydrogen, ethyl, methoxymethyl, halomethoxymethyl, ethoxymethyl, haloethoxymethyl, propoxymethyl, methylcarbonyl, ethylcarbonyl, propylcarbonyl, cyclopropylcarbonyl, methoxycarbonyl, methoxymethylcarbonyl, aminocarbonyl, ethylaminocarbonylmethyl, ethylaminocarbonylethyl, dimethoxyethyl, propynylaminocarbonylmethyl, haloethylaminocarbonylmethyl, cyanomethylaminocarbonylmethyl, or haloethylaminocarbonylethyl; or

R 3 and R 4 together form a substituent selected from the group consisting of:

and

c) an aqueous carrier;

wherein the microspheres (a) and the particles of compound (b) are suspended in the aqueous carrier (c).

2 . The injectable veterinary composition according to claim 1 , wherein the macrocyclic lactone is moxidectin.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The injectable veterinary composition according to claim 1 , wherein the D50 of the volume weighted particle size distribution of the microspheres (a) is from about 8 μm to about 250 μm.

5 . The injectable veterinary composition according to claim 1 , wherein the isoxazoline compound according to Formula (I) is selected from the group consisting of fluralaner, afoxolaner, sarolaner, and lotilaner.

6 .- 14 . (canceled)

15 . The injectable veterinary composition according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous carrier comprises a suspending agent and the suspending agent is selected from sodium carboxymethylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, methylcellulose and mixtures thereof.

16 . The injectable veterinary composition according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous carrier comprises a wetting agent and the wetting agent is a poloxamer.

17 . A method of preparing the injectable veterinary composition according to claim 1 comprising the steps of:

i) preparing microspheres (a) of a macrocyclic lactone by solvent evaporation, spinning disk atomization or spray drying, and optionally sieving the resulting product,

ii) preparing particles (b) of the isoxazoline compound of Formula (I),

iii) preparing the aqueous carrier by dissolving one or more suspending agents and/or one or more wetting agents or mixtures thereof in water, and

iv) mixing the particles obtained from step i) and the microspheres obtained from step ii) with the aqueous carrier obtained in step iii).

18 . A kit, wherein the kit comprises:

(A) a first container comprising a mixture of microspheres and particles of an isoxazoline compound of Formula (I) as defined in claim 1 ,

(B) a second container with an aqueous carrier as defined in claim 1 ; and

(C) instructions for reconstituting the microspheres and the particles in the aqueous carrier prior to an injection to an animal.

19 . A method of treating or preventing a parasite infestation in an animal, wherein the injectable veterinary composition of claim 1 is administered by a subcutaneous or intramuscular injection to the animal.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the injectable veterinary composition is administered once every six months or once every twelve months.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the animal is a dog.

22 . The injectable veterinary pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein n is 1, 2 or 3.

23 . The injectable veterinary pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein R 2 is CF 3 or CF 2 Cl.

24 . The injectable veterinary pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein two adjacent radicals Y form together a three or four-membered chain.

25 . The injectable veterinary composition according to claim 4 , wherein the D50 of the volume weighted particle size distribution of the microspheres (a) is from about 20 μm to about 200 μm.

26 . The injectable veterinary composition according to claim 4 , wherein the D50 of the volume weighted particle size distribution of the microspheres (a) is from about 40 μm to about 80 μm.

27 . The injectable veterinary composition according to claim 4 , wherein the D50 of the volume weighted particle size distribution of the microspheres (a) is from about 50 μm to about 70 μm.