Stable formulations, and methods of their preparation and use
Described herein are formulations comprising therapeutic agents, including but not limited to formulations comprising rapamycin, pharmaceutical formulations, unit dose forms, kits, methods of preparing formulations, and methods of using formulations. Such formulations and methods have increased stability.
1. A method of preparing a stable liquid formulation comprising rapamycin, polyethylene glycol and dissolved gases, wherein the method comprises reducing exposure of the rapamycin to one or more air components and placing the liquid formulation in a sealed vessel, wherein the method does not comprise addition of an antioxidant, and wherein the liquid formulation has a percent of oxygen in the dissolved gases of no greater than 20%, and the liquid formulation is in contact with a head space gas having no greater than 20% oxygen.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises one or more of the techniques selected from the group consisting of: sparging one or more components of the liquid formulation with an inert gas, blanketing one or more components of the liquid formulation with an inert gas, having a ratio of the head space volume to liquid formulation volume no greater than 1.5, and having no greater than 1 μl of oxygen in the head space per milligram of the rapamycin in the liquid formulation.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more air components is oxygen.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the inert gas is a noble gas.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the noble gas is nitrogen.
6. The method of either of claims 4 or 5 , wherein the method comprises blanketing one or more components of the liquid formulation with the inert gas and having a ratio of the head space volume to liquid formulation volume no greater than 1.5.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid formulation has a percent of oxygen in the dissolved gases of no greater than 17.5%.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid formulation has a percent of oxygen in the dissolved gases of no greater than 16.5%.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rapamycin in the liquid formulation is between 0.5% to 5.0% of the total weight of the liquid formulation.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the head space gas has no greater than 10% oxygen gas.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the head space gas has no greater than 5% oxygen gas.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising surrounding the sealed vessel by a secondary packaging to reduce light to which the liquid formulation is exposed.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyethylene glycol is between 90 to 99% of the total weight of the liquid formulation.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formula strength of the rapamycin is at least 90% for a period of at least 1 month at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formula strength of the rapamycin is at least 90% for a period of at least 2 months at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formula strength of the rapamycin is at least 90% for a period of at least 3 months at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formula strength of the rapamycin is at least 90% for a period of at least about 3 months at 5° C.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formula strength of the rapamycin is at least 90% for a period of at least about 1 year at 5° C.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formula strength of the rapamycin is at least 90% for a period of at least 2 years at 5° C.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid formulation further comprises ethanol.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the rapamycin is present at 2% w/w, the polyethylene glycol is PEG 400 and the PEG 400 is present at 94% w/w, and the ethanol is present at 4% w/w.
22. A method of preparing a stable liquid formulation comprising rapamycin, polyethylene glycol and dissolved gases, wherein the method comprises reducing exposure of the rapamycin to one or more air components and placing the liquid formulation in a sealed vessel, wherein the liquid formulation has a percent of oxygen in the dissolved gases of no greater than 20%, and the liquid formulation is in contact with a head space gas having no greater than 20% oxygen, and wherein the method does not comprise the addition of an antioxidant selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, citric acid, sodium sulfite, disodium EDTA, dithiothreitol (DTT), fumaric acid, beta hydroxyanisole (BHA), propyl gallate, alpha and beta tocopherols, toluene solfonic acid, tartaric acid, thioglycerol, thiourea, sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate, sodium thiosulfate, glutamic acid, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), ascorbyl palmitate, benzyl alcohol, benzalkonium chloride, or maleic acid.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the liquid formulation further comprises ethanol.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the rapamycin is present at 2% w/w, the polyethylene glycol is PEG 400 and the PEG 400 is present at 94% w/w, and the ethanol is present at 4% w/w.
25. The method of claim 22 , wherein the formula strength of the rapamycin in the liquid formulation is at least 90% for a period of at least 1 month at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity.
26. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the rapamycin in the liquid formulation is between 0.5% to 5% of the total weight of the liquid formulation;
the polyethylene glycol is between 90 to 99% of the total weight of the liquid formulation;
the liquid formulation further comprises ethanol; and
the formula strength of the rapamycin is at least 90% for a period of at least 1 month at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity.