Process for preparing poly(vinyl alcohol) drug delivery devices
AssigneeBausch & Lomb Incorporated
InventorsDavid Heiler, Susan Spooner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a process for making a plurality of drug delivery devices for implantation in the eye of a patient. The plurality of drug delivery devices are made in part of poly(vinyl alcohol). During the manufacturing process the poly(vinyl alcohol) is cured. The poly(vinyl alcohol) may be in the form of separate pieces, a unitary sheet or may be incorporated into the drug delivery device at the time of curing. During the step of curing the humidity is controlled to ensure improved consistency during the curing process. The improved consistency results in inventories of drug delivery devices that have different cure times.
Claims55
A process for making drug delivery devices for implantation in the eye of a patient, the process comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a therapeutically active agent in a first part and a second part;
- (b) providing poly(vinyl alcohol) in a first portion and a second portion;
- (c) curing the first portion of poly(vinyl alcohol) in a first batch and second portion of poly(vinyl alcohol) in a second batch, wherein the humidity in the first batch and the humidity in the second batch differ by a maximum of 30% points relative humidity;
- and
- (d) combining the first portion of poly(vinyl alcohol) and a second portion of poly(vinyl alcohol) with the respective first part and the second part in a respective first drug delivery device and a second drug delivery device.
A process for making a plurality of drug delivery devices, the process comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a plurality of amounts of therapeutically active agent
- (b) providing a plurality of portions of poly(vinyl alcohol);
- (c) curing the plurality of portions in a first batch and a second batch wherein the humidity in the first batch and the humidity in the second batch differ by a maximum of 30% points relative humidity;
- and
- (d) combining the plurality of amounts of therapeutically active agent with the plurality of portions of poly(vinyl alcohol) to form a plurality of drug delivery devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.