Process for making lipid membrane structures
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorJames L. Taylor
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Abstract
A process for producing lipid membrane structures (vesicles or liposomes) is disclosed, wherein a solution of bilayer forming compounds in a narrowly-defined two component solvent system is dispersed in an aqueous solution and, subsequently, at least a portion of that solvent system is stripped off. This process permits the readily-reproducible production of lipid membrane structures under gentle processing conditions, ideal for use when they contain pharmaceutically-active materials.
Claims18
A process for producing vesicles wherein a solution containing lipids, amphiphiles and other membrane materials, capable of forming vesicles, in a solvent system is dispersed in an aqueous solution and, subsequently, at least a portion of that solvent system is stripped off, characterized in that said solvent system comprises at least two organic components, S.sub.1 and S.sub.2, wherein:
- (a) S.sub.1 is highly soluble in the aqueous solution;
- (b) S.sub.2 is hydrophobic;
- (c) S.sub.2 is more volatile than the aqueous solution;
- (d) the membrane materials are not entirely soluble in S.sub.2 alone;
- (e) the mixture of S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 forms an interface with the aqueous solution;
- and
- (f) the membrane materials may be dissolved in a mixture of S.sub.1 and S.sub.2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.