Desiccating container for moisture-sensitive material

Abstract

The present invention is to a container, particularly for moisture sensitive materials, having a container body of a substantially atmospheric moisture-impermeable material and incorporating a solid element which is made at least in part of a desiccating polymer and which is in contact with the atmosphere inside the container.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A container for a moisture-sensitive material comprising 
 (a) a container body comprising a substantially atmospheric moisture-impermeable material and    (b) a closure comprising at least one part that is a desiccant polymer, wherein the at least one part of the closure is in contact with an atmosphere in an interior of the container and the desiccant polymer is a water-absorbent hydrophilic polymer.    
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure comprises a closure wall having a puncturable region therein in direct communication with the interior of the container.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the closure wall comprises at least one part that is a desiccating polymer.  
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container body comprises at least one part that is a desiccant polymer and the at least one part is exposed to the interior of the container.  
     
     
         5 . The container according to  claim 3 , wherein the puncturable region is located in a part of the closure wall that is not a desiccating polymer.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure wall contains a first part that is a desiccant polymer, wherein the first part is in the form of a ring shape encircling the puncturable region within.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein the first part of the closure wall is encircled by a second part that is ring shaped, wherein the second part is not made of a desiccant polymer.  
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the second part comprises two generally concentric walls extending inwardly from the closure wall and the space between the walls defines a ring-shaped cavity, the cavity having a central space, wherein the central space defines a central passage in direct communication with the puncturable region.  
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure of the container relies on a compression fit on a lip of a mouth of the container and the closure comprises an insert that is capable of forming a compression seal between the lip and the mouth of the container when the closure is tightened, wherein the insert consists of the desiccant polymer, and is selected from the group consisting a disc, a ring washer, and an inward facing coating layer.  
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the water-absorbent hydrophilic polymer is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogel polymer, a homologous ester of the glycol monomethacrylate series, a homologous ester of the glycol monomethacrylate series that is slightly cross-linked, a copolymer of the higher glycol monomethacrylates and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, an acrylamide hydrogel, a 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-vinylpyrrolidinone copolymer, and a water-insoluble methacrylate copolymerised with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container is a vial suitable for a moisture-sensitive pharmaceutical material.  
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1 , comprising at least on part of desiccant polymer in an amount capable of taking up atmospheric moisture at 30% RH or less, wherein the vial contains potassium clavulanate or its mixture with sodium amoxycillin.  
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein the desiccant polymer is capable of taking up atmospheric moisture at 10% RH or less.  
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein the sodium amoxycillin is crystalline sodium amoxycillin.  
     
     
         15 . A closure capable of sealing engagement with a mouth of a container, the closure comprising a closure wall having an inwardly facing region wherein the wall comprises or has thereon a desiccant polymer.  
     
     
         16 . A method of desiccating a moisture sensitive material, the method comprising enclosing the material in a container and maintaining a desiccant polymer in contact with the atmosphere inside the container.