KR20200000038A - Sustained release pharmaceutical preparation comprising tacrolimus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sustained release pharmaceutical formulation comprising tacrolimus, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof as an active ingredient. In particular, the present invention relates to pharmaceutical formulations comprising a disintegrant to improve the dissolution rate and bioavailability of tacrolimus.

Description

Sustained release pharmaceutical preparation comprising tacrolimus

The present invention relates to a sustained release pharmaceutical formulation comprising tacrolimus, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof as an active ingredient. In particular, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a disintegrant to improve the bioavailability of tacrolimus.

Tacrolimus is a macrolide immunosuppressive agent produced in Streptomyces tsukubaensis having the structure of Formula 1.

[Formula 1]

Although structurally different from Cyclosporin A, an immunosuppressive agent currently widely used, its mechanism of action is known to be similar. Tacrolimus is used as a first-line or palliative therapy for tissue rejection reactions during kidney or liver transplantation. Compared with Cyclosporin A, the efficacy is evaluated to be high. In addition, tacrolimus is known as a drug useful for the treatment and prevention of graft rejection, graft-versus-host disease, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and the like.

However, tacrolimus is very poorly soluble in water (approximately 1.58 μM dissolved in water at 25 ° C.), has a very low dissolution rate, extremely low bioavailability when taken orally, and a large deviation range of 5 to 65%.

Thus, as a method for increasing the solubility of the tacrolimus component, Korean Patent Publication No. 1995-9210 discloses a method for preparing a solid dispersion using a water-soluble polymer such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose Methods of preparing rapid-release solid dispersions using polymers such as disintegrants and the like are already widely used.

Tacrolimus immediate release formulations generally include sodium croscarmellose as a disintegrant, while sustained release formulations contain ethyl cellulose as a sustained release base without the disintegrant as it interferes with delayed release.

Korean Patent No. 10-0440553 also discloses a sustained-release preparation containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and ethylcellulose, but containing no disintegrant and having a solid dispersion form.

However, in the case of the formulation without a disintegrant, the disintegration and dissolution rate between the formulations are greatly influenced by the disintegration and dissolution rate due to the slight differences in the physical properties of the main component and the additive and the manufacturing process (mixing time, hardness, etc.). It is relatively likely to issue. On the other hand, when disintegrants are used, the disintegration and dissolution rates of the formulations are most affected by the amount of disintegrants used, so there is less variation between formulations than when disintegrants are not used. It is possible.

Tacrolimus sustained release preparations have a characteristic that the highest blood concentration after drug administration is about 20-30% lower than immediate release preparations, but the drug can be continuously absorbed by maintaining AUC consistently.

In addition, in order to improve the compliance of patients with organ transplants, the dosage regimen should be simplified, and the improvement of medication compliance is essential for improving the treatment outcome.

Therefore, the present inventors have attempted to develop a tacrolimus sustained release formulation having a low variation in absorption in the body in order to increase compliance with the medications of organ transplant patients taking the formulation.

Tacrolimus is very poorly soluble in water (approximately 1.58 μM dissolved in water at 25 ° C.), has a very low dissolution rate, a small association between the dose administered and the actual blood concentration, and a small therapeutic index. There are various problems.

In order to solve this problem, the present inventors have attempted to develop a sustained release formulation having excellent dissolution rate and excellent blood concentration and low relative standard deviation in pharmacokinetics (PK) tests, and controlling the type and content of disintegrants. By this, the present invention was completed.

The present invention relates to a sustained release pharmaceutical formulation comprising tacrolimus, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof, and a disintegrant as an active ingredient.

Tacrolimus in the present invention has the structure of formula (1).

[Formula 1]

In addition, the tacrolimus of the present invention may be a substance produced or chemically synthesized in Streptomyces sp. And non-toxic and pharmaceutically acceptable salt forms such as amine salts such as triethylamine salt and N-benzyl-N-methylamine salt.

Alternatively, the tacrolimus of the present invention may be a conformer or one or more stereoisomers such as optical and geometrical isomers due to asymmetric carbon atoms or double bonds. In addition, tacrolimus may be a hydrate or an ethanol solvent compound, preferably a hydrate.

The disintegrant used in the present invention may be low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, crospovidone or sodium starch glycolate, preferably croscarmellose sodium.

The disintegrant may be included in 0.005 to 1.000% by weight relative to the total weight of the formulation.

By limiting the range of the disintegrant, the present invention can reduce variation in bioavailability without affecting the sustained release of tacrolimus as an active ingredient.

The present invention comprises the steps of (i) adding a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, ethyl cellulose, lactose and croscarmellose sodium to the organic solvent to prepare a solid dispersion; And (ii) mixing the prepared solid dispersion, lactose and magnesium stearate, the method of producing a sustained release pharmaceutical formulation comprising tacrolimus, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof as an active ingredient. It is about.

The croscarmellose sodium is a disintegrant, and may be included in the range of 0.005 to 1.000% by weight based on the total weight of the preparation. The present invention also provides a sustained-release pharmaceutical preparation for immunosuppression, including tacrolimus and a disintegrant. It is about. Therefore, the preparation including the tacrolimus and disintegrant of the present invention has an immunosuppressive effect, and thus is useful for the treatment and prevention of graft-versus-host disease, autoimmune disease, infectious disease, etc. Can be used.

The preparations prepared according to the present invention can be used as a medicament for oral administration, and if necessary, pharmaceutically acceptable additives such as stabilizers, surfactants, lubricants, solubilizers, buffers, sweeteners, binders, antioxidants. Agent, filler, and the like may further be included.

The dosage and frequency of administration of the pharmaceutical preparations according to the present invention can be adjusted in consideration of factors such as the age, condition, weight of the patient, the severity of the disease to be treated, the preparations include tacrolimus once a day It is desirable to take.

The present invention provides a sustained release formulation having excellent dissolution rate and bioavailability and at the same time excellent blood concentration and low relative standard deviation in pharmacokinetics (PK) test.

1 shows a comparative example and the dissolution test results of Examples 1 to 5. FIG.

Hereinafter, preferred examples are provided to aid in understanding the present invention. However, the following examples are merely provided to more easily understand the present invention, and the contents of the present invention are not limited by the examples.

[Examples 1 to 5]

Preparation of Sustained-Release Formulations Containing Tacrolimus

A sustained release formulation containing tacrolimus was prepared according to the following preparation method. Tacrolimus hydrate, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose and ethyl cellulose, lactose and croscarmellose sodium were added to the organic solvent to prepare granules, and then dried and passed through a sieve to prepare a solid dispersion. The prepared solid dispersion, lactose and magnesium stearate were mixed homogeneously and filled into gelatin capsules.

The content of croscarmellose sodium, a disintegrant, was changed as shown in Table 1 below to prepare capsules of Examples 1 to 5.

Example One 2 3 4 5 Tacrolimus
Luggage 5.10mg 5.10mg 5.10mg 5.10mg 5.10mg Lactose Carb 487.42 mg 486.50 mg 485.00mg 477.50mg 462.50mg Hypromellose 1.20mg 1.20mg 1.20mg 1.20mg 1.20mg Ethyl cellulose 1.20mg 1.20mg 1.20mg 1.20mg 1.20mg Croscarmellose sodium 0.08mg 1.00mg 2.50mg 10.00mg 25.00mg Stearic acid
magnesium 5.00mg 5.00mg 5.00mg 5.00mg 5.00mg % Weight of croscarmellose sodium relative to total weight 0.02% 0.20% 0.50% 2.00% 5.00% weight 500.00mg 500.00mg 500.00mg 500.00mg 500.00mg

[Test Example 1]

Dissolution test

Dissolution test was carried out using the capsules of Examples 1 to 5 according to the following dissolution test conditions. As a comparative example, 5 mg of sustained-release capsule of Adelaspar Pharmaceuticals Korea was used.

<Elution test condition>

1) Dissolution method: Method 2 of the Korea Pharmacopoeia Dissolution Test Method (paddle method)

2) Test solution: 900 mL of diluted phosphoric acid (3 → 50), added to contain 0.05% SLS adjusted to pH 4.5, containing 0.005% hydroxypropyl cellulose (molecular weight: about 100,000), 900 mL

3) Elution temperature: 37.0 ± 0.5 ℃

4) Speed: 50 rpm

<Device operating conditions>

1) Detector: ultraviolet absorbance photometer (wavelength: 205 nm)

2) Column: Merck-RP 18 (4.0 x 55 mm, 3 μm) or equivalent column

3) Injection amount: 100 ㎕

4) Flow rate: 1.2 mL / min

5) Column temperature: Constant temperature around 60 ℃

6) Sample temperature: Constant temperature around 10 ℃

7) Mobile phase: Mixed solution of acetonitrile, Tert-butyl methyl ether and 6 mM phosphoric acid (430: 50: 520)

The dissolution test results are shown in Table 2 and FIG. 1.

Hours (hr) 0.16 0.25 0.50 0.75 One 1.5 2 3 Comparative example 9.9% 15.4% 28.4% 42.0% 51.0% 62.3% 68.4% 75.0% Example 1 9.4% 15.9% 38.0% 51.4% 58.1% 66.0% 69.7% 73.1% Example 2 9.2% 20.4% 46.2% 57.6% 62.7% 68.6% 71.6% 73.9% Example 3 17.1% 30.9% 53.1% 61.7% 66.0% 70.7% 72.6% 74.9% Example 4 40.7% 53.1% 67.9% 73.3% 76.2% 78.3% 78.9% 79.8% Example 5 46.1% 58.4% 70.0% 73.9% 75.0% 76.4% 76.4% 76.3%

As shown in Table 2 and Figure 1, the dissolution test conditions were tested as the conditions (conformation set in accordance with the guidelines for setting the dissolution specifications of oral pharmaceuticals in the Korean Pharmacopoeia), the dissolution pattern of the sustained release formulation, Test conditions should identify dissolution rates around 20-30%, 50% and 80%. Therefore, it can be seen that Examples 1 to 3 have a sustained release pattern, but Examples 4 and 5 show a rapid initial dissolution rate, and thus, are not suitable as a sustained release pattern.

[Test Example 2]

Pharmacokinetics (PK) Test

The pK test was performed about Example 1 and a comparative example.

1) Comparative example: Korea Astellas Pharm Adba Grab sustained-release capsule 5mg

2) Number of testers: 50 people

3) Test design: 2 X 2 cross test

4) Test method: All the test subjects are over 900 Kcal from 8:30,

 Eat a high-fat breakfast with more than 35% fat in less than 20 minutes and take medicines with 150 mL of water 30 minutes after the start of the meal

5) Blood collection points: 17 time points, 1, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours immediately before and after drug administration

6) Analysis target: Determination of Tacrolimus concentration in blood

The results are shown in Table 3 below.

AUC (nghr / mL) Cmax (ng / mL) Tmax (hr) Comparative example Example 1 Comparative example Example 1 Comparative example Example 1 Average 118.76 125.95 6.02 5.83 4.16 5.39 Standard deviation (SD) 47.94 43.65 2.23 1.75 1.73 1.98 Relative standard deviation
(RSD) 40.4% 34.7% 37.0% 30.0% 41.6% 36.7%

As shown in Table 3, it was found that the deviation of AUC and Cmax of Example 1 was smaller than that of the comparative example. Tacrolimus is a drug whose dosage is adjusted according to the weight and symptoms of a patient, and uniform body absorption is more important than other drugs.

Since the AUC relative standard deviation of the comparative example was about 16% higher than that of Example 1, and the Cmax relative standard deviation of the comparative example was about 23% higher than that of Example 1, Example 1 showed a uniform body absorption compared to the comparative example. It can be seen that.

Tacrolimus has a low correlation between the dose administered and the actual blood concentration, the therapeutic index is small, and it is very important to provide a formulation having a low relative standard deviation.

Claims (6)

A sustained release pharmaceutical formulation comprising tacrolimus, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof, and a disintegrant as an active ingredient.
The sustained release pharmaceutical preparation according to claim 1, wherein the disintegrant is included in the range of 0.005 to 1.000 wt% based on the total weight of the preparation.
The sustained-release pharmaceutical preparation according to claim 1, wherein the disintegrant is selected from the group consisting of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, crospovidone, and sodium starch glycolate.
The sustained release pharmaceutical preparation according to claim 3, wherein the disintegrant is croscarmellose sodium.
A method for preparing a sustained release pharmaceutical formulation comprising tacrolimus, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof as an active ingredient, comprising the following steps:
Preparing a solid dispersion by adding tacrolimus hydrate, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, lactose and croscarmellose sodium to the organic solvent; And
Mixing the prepared solid dispersion, lactose and magnesium stearate.
The method of claim 5, wherein the croscarmellose sodium is included in the range of 0.005 to 1.000% by weight based on the total weight of the formulation.

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