abstract |
Sparingly water-soluble agents can be formulated as cyclodextrin complexes, however, these water-soluble drug-cyclodextrin complexes dissociate when the complex is administered into patients. The dilution of the complex in the patient leads to the drug being released from the complex, so the drug is not effectively targeted. In contrast, drugs encapsulated in the aqueous core of a lipid vesicles are not released when the liposome is diluted in blood. This invention describes compositions and methods whereby cyclodextrin or polyanionic beta-cyclodextrin drug-complexes are mixed with a preformed liposome containing the amine salts of an acidic compound. This results in the drug cyclodextrin complex being transferred into the liposome where it is stably retained. The liposome-encapsulated drug can then be injected into a patient. |