Method of preparing medical aerosol formulations including drug dissolved in reverse micelles

A method of preparing an aerosol formulation of salbutamol for delivery to a patient's lungs, comprising the steps of:

• drying a surfactant from which reverse micelles can be formed;
• mixing said surfactant with salbutamol in its base or salt form, an amount of water, and a propellant to form reverse micelles of said surfactant in said propellant which incorporate said salbutamol, said surfactant being present in an amount ranging from 0.05 to 2.5 percent weight in volume, said salbutamol being present in an amount less than 10 percent by weight, said propellant being present in an amount of at least 90 percent by weight, and said amount of water resulting in a molar ratio of water to surfactant ranging from approximately 1:1 to 20:1.

A method of preparing an aerosol formulation for drug delivery to a patient's lungs, comprising the steps of:

• combining a surfactant with a drug and a propellant, said surfactant being present in an amount ranging from 0.05 to 2.5 percent weight in volume, said drug being present in an amount less than 10 percent by weight, and said propellant being present in an amount of at least 90 percent by weight;
• and
• adjusting an amount of water associated with said surfactant to solubilize said drug in reverse micelles formed from said surfactant and dispersed within said propellant, said amount of water being adjusted to a molar ratio of water to surfactant of up to 20:1.

A method of preparing an aerosol formulation for drug delivery to a patient's lungs, comprising the steps of:

• drying a surfactant from which reverse micelles can be formed;
• and
• mixing said surfactant with a drug, an amount of water, and a propellant to form reverse micelles of said surfactant in said propellant which incorporate said drug, said surfactant being present in an amount ranging from 0.05 to 2.5 percent weight in volume, said drug having a concentration in said propellant ranging from 0.025 mg/ml to 4.0 mg/ml, and said amount of water resulting in a molar ratio of water to surfactant ranging from approximately 1:1 to 20:1.

A method of preparing an aerosol formulation for drug delivery to a patient's lungs, comprising the steps of:

• combining a surfactant with a drug and a propellant, said surfactant being present in an amount ranging from 0.05 to 2.5 percent weight in volume, said drug having a concentration in said propellant ranging from 0.025 mg/ml to 4.0 mg/ml;
• and
• adjusting an amount of water associated with said surfactant to solubilize said drug in reverse micelles formed from said surfactant and dispersed within said propellent, said amount of water being adjusting to a molar ratio of water to surfactant of up to 20:1.