Process for preparing microparticles through phase inversion phenomena

Abstract

A process for preparing nanoparticles and microparticles is provided. The process involves forming a mixture of a polymer and a solvent, wherein the solvent is present in a continuous phase and introducing the mixture into an effective amount of a nonsolvent to cause the spontaneous formation of microparticles.

What we claim is:  
     
         1 . A method for microencapsulating an agent to form a microencapsulated product, comprising: 
 dissolving a polymer in an effective amount of a solvent,    dissolving or dispersing an agent in said effective amount of said solvent, wherein said polymer, said agent and said solvent form a mixture having a continuous phase and wherein the solvent is said continuous phase, and    introducing said mixture into an effective amount of a nonsolvent to cause the spontaneous formation of a microencapsulated product, wherein said step of introducing does not include emulsification, agitation, and/or stirring, wherein said solvent and said nonsolvent are miscible and the difference in solubility parameter of solvent/nonsolvent pairs or the solubility parameter of the nonsolvent/solvent pairs is less than 6, wherein the nonsolvent and solvent are used in effective amounts, wherein the effective amount of nonsolvent is at least tenfold greater than the amount of solvent.    
     
     
         2 . A method for microencapsulating an agent to form a microencapsulated product, comprising: 
 dissolving a polymer in an effective amount of a solvent,    dissolving or dispersing an agent in said effective amount of said solvent, wherein said polymer, said agent and said solvent form a mixture having a continuous phase and wherein the solvent is said continuous phase, and    introducing said mixture into an effective amount of a nonsolvent to cause the spontaneous formation of a microencapsulated product, wherein said step of introducing does not include emulsification, agitation, and/or stirring, wherein said solvent and said nonsolvent are a hydrophilic solvent/nonsolvent pair, wherein the nonsolvent and solvent are used in effective amounts, wherein the effective amount of nonsolvent is at least tenfold greater than the amount of solvent.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is insulin.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is selected from the group consisting of an amino acid; an analgesic; an anti-anginal; an antibacterial; an anticoagulant; an antifungal; an antihyperlipidemic; an anti-infective; an anti-inflammatory; an antineoplastic, an anti-ulcerative; an antiviral; a bone resorption inhibitor; a cardiovascular agent; a hormone; a hypoglycemic; an immunomodulator; an immunosuppressant; and a wound healing agent.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is an immunological agent.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the immunological agent is an allergen or an antigen selected from the group consisting of whole inactivated organisms, peptides, proteins, glycoproteins, carbohydrates, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is a halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbon or a mixture of a halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbon and another solvent.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is a halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon or a mixture of a halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon and another solvent.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is an ether or a mixture of an ether and another solvent.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is a cyclic ether or a mixture of a cyclic ether and another solvent.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising separating the microencapsulated product from the nonsolvent.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent:nonsolvent volume ratio is between 1:40 and 1:1,000,000.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent:nonsolvent volume ratio is between 1:50 and 1:200.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the polymer in the solvent is less than 20% weight per volume.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the polymer in the solvent is less than 10% weight per volume.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the polymer in the solvent is less than 5% weight per volume.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a viscosity less than 6 centepoise.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a viscosity less than 4 centepoise.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a viscosity less than 3 centepoise.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the solvent and nonsolvent are hydrophilic pairs.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a combination of solvents are used.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is methylene chloride and the nonsolvent is ethanol.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the nonsolvent is a mixture of ethanol and water.  
     
     
         24 . A method for microencapsulating an agent to form a microencapsulated product, comprising: 
 dissolving a polymer in a solvent at a concentration of less than 10% weight/volume,    dissolving or dispersing said agent in said solvent, wherein said polymer, said agent and said solvent form a mixture having a viscosity of less than 3.5 centipoise, and    introducing said mixture into a nonsolvent, wherein the volume ratio of solvent:nonsolvent is between 1:40 and 1:1,000,000, to cause the spontaneous formation of said microencapsulated product, wherein said solvent and said nonsolvent are miscible and the difference in solubility parameter of solvent/nonsolvent pairs or the solubility parameter of the nonsolvent/solvent pairs is less than 6.    
     
     
         25 . A method for microencapsulating an agent to form a microencapsulated product, comprising: 
 dissolving a polymer in a solvent at a concentration of less than 10% weight/volume,    dissolving or dispersing said agent in said solvent, wherein said polymer, said agent and said solvent form a mixture having a viscosity of less than 3.5 centipoise, and    introducing said mixture into a nonsolvent, wherein the volume ratio of solvent:nonsolvent is between 1:40 and 1:1,000,000, to cause the spontaneous formation of said microencapsulated product, wherein said solvent and said nonsolvent are a hydrophilic solvent/nonsolvent pair.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the concentration of the polymer in the solvent is between 0.5 and 5% weight per volume, and wherein the volume ratio of solvent:nonsolvent is between 1:50 and 1:200.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the agent is an immunological agent.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the immunological agent is an allergen or an antigen.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the antigen is selected from the group consisting of whole inactivated organisms, peptides, proteins, glycoproteins, carbohydrates, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the agent is insulin.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the solvent is a halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbon or a mixture of a halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbon and another solvent.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the solvent is a halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon or a mixture of a halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon and another solvent.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the solvent is an ether or a mixture of an ether and another solvent.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the solvent is a cyclic ether or a mixture of a cyclic ether and another solvent.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 24  wherein a combination of solvents are used.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the solvent is methylene chloride and the nonsolvent is ethanol.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the nonsolvent is a mixture of ethanol and water.  
     
     
         38 . A product obtainable according to the method of  claim 1  or  24 .  
     
     
         39 . The product of  claim 38  wherein the agent is insulin.  
     
     
         40 . The product of  claim 38  wherein the agent is an oligonucleotide.