Vitamin E succinate stabilized pharmaceutical compositions, methods for the preparation and the use thereof

1. A vitamin E succinate (VES) stabilized oil-in-water emulsion comprising: vitamin E succinate (VES) and

oil droplets in an aqueous medium, wherein the oil droplets comprise a substantial portion of a substantially water insoluble pharmacologically active agent, wherein the pharmacologically active agent in the emulsion consists of docetaxel; wherein

the average diameter of the droplets being no greater than about 1 micron, wherein the emulsion is stabilized by a submicron suspension of vitamin E succinate (VES), and the emulsion has a zeta potential between −20 mV and −50 mV.

2. The emulsion according to claim 1 , wherein the emulsion is sterilized by filtration.

3. The emulsion according to claim 1 , wherein the oil droplets of the emulsion are liquid or are free of crystalline solid at ambient temperature, and wherein the pharmacologically active agent is substantially dissolved in the oil droplets.

4. The emulsion according to claim 1 , prepared by a double homogenization method, comprising:

a. homogenizing VES in water to form a submicron VES suspension;

b. dissolving the substantially water insoluble pharmacologically active agent in an oil solution containing at least one injectable oil and at least one injectable phospholipid to form an oil phase;

c. combining the submicron VES suspension, the oil phase and optionally other pharmaceutically acceptable ingredients to form a mixture; and

d. homogenizing the mixture to produce the emulsion.

5. The emulsion of claim 1 , comprising at least one injectable oil, injectable phospholipids and water, wherein the average diameter of the oil droplets is less than 200 nm, and the docetaxel-to-oil ratio is no less than 1:50 by weight.

6. The emulsion according to claim 1 , wherein

a. docetaxel is in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.1 to 1;

b. vitamin E succinate is in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.1 to 3;

c. the at least one injectable oil is a vegetable oil in a weight percentage concentration range of 1 to 10;

d. optionally, a medium chain triglyceride oil is in a weight percentage concentration range of 1 to 10;

e. a phospholipid is in a weight percentage concentration range of 1 to 20;

f. optionally, cholesterol is in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.01 to 5;

g. water is in a weight percentage concentration range of 40 to 90; and

h. the pH of the emulsion is about 5 to 9.

7. The emulsion according to claim 6 , further comprising a bulking agent selected from dextrose, sucrose, lactose and a mixture thereof in a weight percentage concentration range of 5 to 50.

8. A suspension, said suspension comprising: vitamin E succinate (VES) and

submicron solid particles of an amorphous or crystalline pharmacologically active agent, wherein the pharmacologically active agent in the suspension consists of docetaxel; wherein

the pharmacologically active agent is dispersed in an aqueous medium and stabilized by VES, wherein the solid particles are substantially free of liquid oil, have an average diameter of less than 200 nm and a zeta potential between −20 mV and −50 mV.

9. The suspension according to claim 8 , wherein the suspension comprises:

docetaxel in a weight percentage concentration range of about 0.1 to about 1.0;

lecithin in a weight percentage concentration range of about 5 to about 15;

cholesterol in a weight percentage concentration range of about 0.5 to about 2;

VES in a weight percentage concentration range of about 0.1 to about 5;

a bulking agent selected from sucrose, dextrose, lactose, and a mixture thereof in a weight percentage concentration range of about 10 to about 20; and water.

10. The emulsion according to claim 1 , wherein the oil droplets comprise no less than about 70% of the substantially water insoluble pharmacologically active agent.

11. The emulsion according to claim 1 , wherein the emulsion comprises VES in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.1 to 1.2.

12. The emulsion according to claim 1 , comprising

a. docetaxel in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.1 to 1;

b. VES in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.2 to 1;

c. a vegetable oil in a weight percentage concentration range of 3 to 5;

d. a medium chain triglyceride oil in a weight percentage concentration range of 3 to 5;

e. a phospholipid in a weight percentage concentration range of 8 to 12;

f. cholesterol in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.4 to 0.8; and

g. water.

13. The emulsion according to claim 1 , wherein the docetaxel is docetaxel trihydrate.

14. The suspension according to claim 8 , wherein the docetaxel is docetaxel trihydrate.

15. The emulsion according to claim 1 , wherein:

a. docetaxel in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.1 to 1;

b. vitamin E succinate in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.1 to 3;

c. a vegetable oil in a weight percentage concentration range of 1 to 10;

d. a medium chain triglyceride oil in a weight percentage concentration range of 1 to 10;

e. a phospholipid in a weight percentage concentration range of 1 to 20;

f. cholesterol in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.01 to 5; and

g. water.

16. The stabilized emulsion according to claim 15 , further comprising a bulking agent selected from the group consisting of dextrose, sucrose, lactose and a mixture thereof in a weight percentage concentration range of 5 to 50.

17. The stabilized emulsion according to claim 15 , wherein the docetaxel is in a weight percentage of 0.6.

18. The stabilized emulsion according to claim 15 , wherein the VES is in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.2 to 1.

19. The stabilized emulsion according to claim 15 , wherein the vegetable oil is in a weight percentage concentration range of 3 to 5.

20. The stabilized emulsion according to claim 15 , wherein the medium chain triglyceride oil is in a weight percentage concentration range of 3 to 5.

21. The stabilized emulsion according to claim 15 , wherein the phospholipid is a weight percentage concentration range of 8 to 12.

22. The stabilized emulsion according to claim 15 , wherein cholesterol in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.4 to 0.8.

23. The stabilized emulsion according to claim 15 , wherein the docetaxel is docetaxel trihydrate.

24. The emulsion according to claim 1 , wherein:

a. docetaxel in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.1 to 1;

b. VES in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.2 to 1;

c. a vegetable oil in a weight percentage concentration range of 3 to 5;

d. a medium chain triglyceride oil in a weight percentage concentration range of 3 to 5;

e. a phospholipid in a weight percentage concentration range of 8 to 12;

f. cholesterol in a weight percentage concentration range of 0.4 to 0.8; and

g. water.

25. The stabilized oil-in-water emulsion according to claim 24 , wherein the docetaxel is docetaxel trihydrate.

26. The emulsion according to claim 1 , wherein:

a. docetaxel in a weight percentage of 0.6;

b. vitamin E succinate in a weight percentage of 0.3;

c. a soybean oil in a weight percentage of 4;

d. a medium chain triglyceride oil in a weight percentage 4;

e. a phospholipid in a weight percentage of 10;

f. cholesterol in a weight percentage of 0.6; and

g. water.

27. The stabilized oil-in-water emulsion according to claim 26 , wherein the docetaxel is docetaxel trihydrate.