LIQUID TO GEL, OPHTHALMIC SUSTAINED RELEASE DELIVERY SYSTEM

摘要

Disclosed is a sustained release liquid aqueous ophthalmic delivery system and a method of providing a slow and sustained release of ophthalmic treating agents to the eye of a mammal which comprises administering to the eye of a said mammal an effective amount of a homogeneous liquid aqueous ophthalmic pharmaceutical composition, of pH between about 3.0 and about 6.2, which is adminstrable in drop form and which comprises an ophthalmically effective concentration of a said ophthalmic treating agent and about 0.05% to about 10% by weight of the polymer chitosan; said polymer consisting essentially of (A) monomeric beta (1-4)-D-glucosamine linked units and of (B) monomeric beta (1-4)-D-glucosamine linked units which are scattered randomly in the molecule of the polymer, the numerical proportions of A and B being from about 60 to about 99% of A and about 1 to about 40% of B, the viscosity rating being from about 3 to about 3000 cps; in which method, upon contact with the higher pH of the ocular fluid, said liquid formulation is converted to a stiff gel from which the ophthalmic treating agent is slowly released over a prolonged period of time.