Mannkind Corporation

Pharmaceutical Discovery Corporation

Joseph Sulner

Solomon S Steiner

Rodney J Woods

Keith A Oberg

Marshall L Grant

Anders Hasager Boss

Methods are provided for coating crystalline microparticles with an active agent by altering the surface properties of the microparticles in order to facilitate favorable association on the microparticle by the active agent. Types of surface properties that are altered by the disclosed methods include electrostatic properties, hydrophobic properties, and hydrogen bonding properties.

Method of drug formulation based on increasing the affinity of crystalline microparticle surfaces for active agents

Methods related to the treatment of diabetes and improving the efficiency of insulin utilization are provided. The method enables effective control of prandial glucose levels while reducing the risk of postprandial hypoglycemia. In particular, methods of potentiating the activity of endogenous insulin in type 2 diabetics and exogenous long-acting insulin in diabetics requiring basal insulin replacement are provided.

Potentiation of glucose elimination

Methods are provided for coating crystalline microparticles with an active agent by altering the surface properties of the microparticles in order to facilitate favorable association on the microparticle by the active agent. Type of surface properties that are altered by the disclosed methods include by electrostatic properties, hydrophobic properties and hydrogen bonding properties.

Methods are provided for purifying peptides and proteins by incorporating the peptide or protein into a diketopiperazine or competitive complexing agent to facilitate removal one or more impurities, from the peptide or protein. Formulations and methods also are provided for the improved transport of active agents across biological membranes, resulting for example in a rapid increase in blood agent concentration. The formulations include microparticles formed of (i) the active agent, which may be charged or neutral, and (ii) a transport enhancer that masks the charge of the agent and/or that forms hydrogen bonds with the target biological membrane in order to facilitate transport. In one embodiment, insulin is administered via the pulmonary delivery of microparticles comprising fumaryl diketopiperazine and insulin in its biologically active form. This method of delivering insulin results in a rapid increase in blood insulin concentration that is comparable to the increase resulting from intravenous delivery.

Methods and compositions for delivering peptides

Methods are provided for purifying peptides and proteins by incorporating the peptide or protein into a diketopiperazine or competitive complexing agent to facilitate removal of one or more impurities from the peptide or protein. Formulations and methods also are provided for the improved transport of active agents across biological membranes, resulting for example in a rapid increase in blood agent concentration. The formulations include microparticles formed of (i) the active agent, which may be charged or neutral, and (ii) a transport enhancer that masks the charge of the agent and/or that forms hydrogen bonds with the target biological membrane in order to facilitate transport. In one embodiment insulin is administered via the pulmonary delivery of microparticles comprising fumaryl diketopiperazine and insulin in its biologically active form. This method of delivering insulin results in a rapid increase in blood insulin concentration that is comparable to the increase resulting from intravenous delivery.

Method for delivery of monomeric or dimeric insulin complexed to diketopiperazine microparticles

Methods are provided for purifying peptides and proteins by incorporating the peptide or protein into a diketopiperazine or competitive complexing agent to facilitate removal one or more impurities, i.e. undesirable components, from the peptide or protein. In a preferred embodiment, a peptide, such as insulin, containing one or more impurities, e.g., zinc ions, is entrapped in diketopiperazine to form a precipitate of peptide/diketopiperazine/impurity, which is then washed with a solvent for the impurity to be removed, which is a nonsolvent for the diketopiperazine and a nonsolvent for the peptide. Formulations and methods also are provided for the improved transport of active agents across biological membranes, resulting for example in a rapid increase in blood agent concentration. The formulations include microparticles formed of (i) the active agent, which may be charged or neutral, and (ii) a transport enhancer that masks the charge of the agent and/or that forms hydrogen bonds with the target biological membrane in order to facilitate transport. In a preferred embodiment, insulin is administered via the pulmonary delivery of microparticles comprising fumaryl diketopiperazine and insulin in its biologically active form. The charge on the insulin molecule is masked by hydrogen bonding it to the diketopiperazine, thereby enabling the insulin to pass through the target membrane. This method of delivering insulin results in a rapid increase in blood insulin concentration that is comparable to the increase resulting from intravenous delivery.

Growing community of inventors

Paramus, NJ, United States of America

Joseph Sulner