The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 17, 1998
Filed:
May. 25, 1994
David A Czekai, Honeoye Falls, NY (US);
Larry P Seaman, Mount Morris, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A continuous method of preparing submicron particles of a therapeutic or diagnostic agent comprises the steps of continuously introducing the agent and rigid grinding media into a milling chamber, contacting the agent with the grinding media while in the chamber to reduce the particle size of the agent, continuously removing the agent and the grinding media from the milling chamber, and thereafter separating the agent from the grinding media. In a preferred embodiment, the grinding media is a polymeric resin having a mean particle size of less than 300 .mu.m. In another preferred embodiment, the agent, grinding media and a liquid dispersion medium are continuously introduced into the milling chamber. In a further embodiment, the agent and grinding media are recirculated through the milling chamber. The method enables the use of fine grinding media, e.g., of a particle size of less than about 300 .mu.m, in a continuous grinding process which provides extremely fine particles of the agent, e.g., particles less than 100 nm in size, while avoiding problems, e.g., separator screen plugging, associated with prior art processes requiring the separation of agent from the grinding media in the milling chamber.