Pressure-sensitive adhesive and patch employing the same

Abstract

An adhesive which comprises aqueous and nonaqueous polymers suitable for holding an lipophilic drug, etc., and has tackiness and cohesiveness which are sufficient for the plaster of a patch; and a patch employing the adhesive. The adhesive contains a polymer which comprises one or more kinds of acrylic or methacrylic monomer units, at least one kind of the monomer units having a hydroxy group, and which has been crosslinked with a boron compound.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An adhesive layer to be affixed to a skin surface, said adhesive layer comprising a crosslinked polymer consisting of one or more kinds of acrylic or methacrylic monomer unit, at least one of the kinds of acrylic or methacrylic monomer unit having a hydroxy group, and one or more kinds of other monomer unit selected from the group consisting of vinyl acetate, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, itaconic acid, maleic acid, allylamine, vinyl propionate, methylvinylpyrrolidone, vinylpyridine, vinylpiperidone, vinylpiperazine, vinylpyrazine, vinylpyrrole, vinylimidazole, vinylcaprolactam, vinyloxazole, vinylmorpholine, and vinylpyrrolidone, wherein the acrylic or methacrylic monomer unit contained in the polymer is 50% to 90% by weight, the polymer is entirely crosslinked by a boric acid or a boric acid derivative, and substantially no water is used in production of the adhesive polymer. 
     
     
       2. The adhesive according to  claim 1 , wherein the boron-containing compound is boric acid or a boric acid derivative. 
     
     
       3. The adhesive layer according to  claim 1 , said adhesive layer containing a liquid component that is compatible with the polymer. 
     
     
       4. A patch comprising the adhesive layer according to  claim 1  and a support layer for supporting the adhesive layer. 
     
     
       5. The patch according to  claim 4 , wherein the adhesive layer contains at least one drug. 
     
     
       6. The adhesive layer of  claim 1  wherein the boron-containing compound is dissolved in a hydrophilic organic solvent. 
     
     
       7. The adhesive layer according to claim 1 further containing at least one drug. 
     
     
       8. The adhesive layer according to claim 1 wherein said boric acid derivative is inorganic borate. 
     
     
       9. The adhesive layer according to claim 1 wherein said acrylic or methacrylic monomer unit is an acrylic or methacrylic acid ester. 
     
     
       10. The patch according to claim 4 further comprising a release paper layer provided on the adhesive layer. 
     
     
       11. An adhesive to be affixed to a skin surface, said adhesive comprising a crosslinked polymer consisting of one or more kinds of acrylic or methacrylic monomer unit, at least one of the kinds of acrylic or methacrylic monomer unit having a hydroxyl group, and one or more kinds of other monomer unit selected from the group consisting of vinyl acetate, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, itaconic acid, maleic acid, allylamine, vinyl propionate, methylvinylpyrrolidone, vinylpyridine, vinylpiperidone, vinylpiperazine, vinylpyrazine, vinylpyrrole, vinylimidazole, vinylcaprolactam, vinyloxazole, vinylmorpholine, and vinylpyrrolidone, wherein the acrylic or methacrylic monomer unit contained in the polymer is 50% to 90% by weight, the polymer is entirely crosslinked by boric acid or a boric acid derivative, and substantially no water is used in production of the polymer. 
     
     
       12. The adhesive according to claim 11 wherein said adhesive contains a liquid component that is compatible with the polymer. 
     
     
       13. The adhesive according to claim 11 further containing at least one drug. 
     
     
       14. The adhesive according to claim 11 wherein said boric acid derivative is inorganic borate. 
     
     
       15. The adhesive according to claim 11 wherein said acrylic or methacrylic monomer unit is an acrylic or methacrylic ester.