MXPA00000079A - Transdermal therapeutic system (tts) for administering sexual steroid hormones - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a transdermal therapeutic system (TTS) for transcutaneal administration of sexual steroid hormones over long periods. The inventive system consists of a fixing aid and a polymethacrylate-based matrix containing steroid hormones. The invention also relates to a solvent-free, active substance-saving method for the production thereof. The inventive TTS is characterized by physical and chemical stability. It displays good adhesive properties over long periods of administration and releases high rates of active substance per surface unit through the skin. One advantage of the production process is that the active substances are subjected to as little thermal exposure as possible, thereby minimizing decomposition or disintegration reactions of said active substances.

Description

TRANSDERMAL THERAPEUTIC SYSTEM FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF SEXUAL STEROID HORMONES FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the Transdermal Therapeutic System (TTS) for the administration of steroid sex hormones alone or with other steroid sex hormones through the skin for a prolonged period of time, also refers to a method for its production without the use of solvents, the method in Special protects the active ingredient.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The bioavailability of active ingredients administered orally frequently is unsatisfactory. The metabolism of many active ingredients in the liver can lead, during the first passage through the liver, to undesirable concentration ratios, toxic byproducts and to the reduction of the activity and even to the loss of activity. Compared with oral administration, the transdermal administration of active ingredients has several advantages. The introduction of the active ingredient can be better controlled over a prolonged period of time as a result of which high fluctuations in blood levels are avoided. Besides, the Pl 017 / OqMX therapeutically effective dose that is required can be significantly reduced. Additionally, patients often prefer a patch instead of tablets, which should be taken once or several times a day. In the past, in order to solve the disadvantages of non-transdermal administration of active ingredients mentioned above, several transdermal therapeutic systems (TTS) with different structures for different active ingredients in the therapy were proposed. of different diseases. Therefore, the technical documents provided below describe a wide variety of active ingredients that react systemically or locally, whose parenteral administration is based either on general release or controlled dose release systems. For example, these are the Patents of the United States: 3,598,122; 3,598,123; 3,731,683 3, 797, 494 4, 031, 894 4,201,211 4,286, 592 4,314, 557 4,379,454 4,435, 180 4,559,222 4, 568, 343 4, 573, 995 4, 588,580 4, 645, 502 4, 702, 282 4, 788, 062 4, 816,258 4, 849,226 4, 908, 027 4, 943,435 and 5, 004, 610. During the last years of the decade of the In this century, it was originally assumed theoretically that all active ingredients with a short half-life but high activity and good penetration through the skin, would be suitable for safe and effective administration through TTS systems. However, these early hopes regarding the possibilities of transdermal administration of active ingredients by the TTS system could not be fulfilled. The reasons for this are mainly that the skin is naturally equipped with a non-valuable variety of properties in order to maintain its function as an intact barrier to the penetration of substances that are foreign to the body. (See in this regard: Transdermal Drug Delivery: Problems and Possibilities, BM Knepp et al., CRC Critical Review and Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, Vol. 4, issued on 1 (1987).) Therefore, transdermal administration is available only for a few active ingredients that have an adequate combination of many favorable characteristics. For a specific active ingredient, all the required characteristics that allow safe and effective transdermal administration can not be predicted, theoretically or practically. The requirements for an active ingredient to be suitable for administration P1017 / 99MX transdermal are the following: permeability through the skin, absence of adverse influence on the adhesiveness of the patch by the active ingredient, impediment of skin irritations, impediment of allergic reactions, favorable pharmacokinetic properties, favorable pharmacodynamic properties, - a relatively broad therapeutic spectrum, metabolic properties that are consistent with the therapeutic application with continuous administration. Undoubtedly, the list of previous requirements is not exhaustive. In order to have an active ingredient available for transdermal application, it is desirable to have the combination "correct" of these requirements. What was mentioned above for the active ingredient is applied in a similar way to the TTS composition that contains the particular ingredient and its structure. Typically, therapeutic transdermal systems (TTS) are patches that are equipped with an impermeable cover layer, a removable protective layer and a matrix containing the active ingredient or a reservoir with a semipermeable membrane containing the active ingredient. In P1017 / 99MX the first case, they are called matrix patches and in the second case they are called membrane systems. For the cover layer, films made of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, etc., which can also be metallized or pigmented, are normally used. For the removable protective layer, among others, films made of polyester, polypropylene or even paper with silicone and / or polyethylene coating also come into consideration. For matrices containing active ingredient that are normally used as polymeric materials in pharmaceutical or medical form, based on polyacrylate, silicone, polyisobutylene, butyl rubber, styrene-butadiene copolymer or copolymer of styrene and isoprene, are also used. The membranes used in membrane systems can be microporous or semipermeable and are usually made based on inert polymer, especially polypropylene, polyvinyl acetate or silicone. While the active ingredient matrix compositions can be self-adhesive, depending on the active ingredient being used, matrices containing active ingredient and non-self-adhesive matrices can also exist, so that, as a consequence, the patches or TTS will have to have an overprint in its structure. In order to ensure the required flow rate of the active ingredient, skin penetration reinforcements such as additives are frequently needed, for example aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and / or aromatic-aliphatic alcohols, which may be monovalent or polyvalent and may be of up to 8 carbon atoms, the alcohol / water mixture influencing, saturated and / or unsaturated fatty alcohol with 8 to 18 carbon atoms, a saturated and / or unsaturated fatty acid with 8 to 18 carbon atoms and / or its esters, as well as vitamins. In addition, stabilizers are frequently added to the matrix containing the active ingredient, examples of these are: polyvinylpyrrolidone, α-tocopherol succinate, propyl gallate, methionine, cysteine, and / or cysteine hydrochloride. As indicated in the previous text, several TTS structures and materials used for them are alreknown. In any case, there are many interrelated requirements that must be considered when a drug has to meet the medical requirements satisfying the TTS system form. The following problems should be considered primarily in the development of TTS systems containing active ingredient.

In order to achieve the therapeutically necessary penetration rates of the active ingredient through the skin, a high load of the active ingredient in the polymer matrix is required in most cases. After finishing the application, the active ingredient remaining in the TTS is not used therapeutically and is discarded with the patch. However, this is undesirable, especially in the case of active ingredients with high activity and high cost, for reasons of environmental protection and costs. The polymeric matrix that is loaded with the active ingredient and optionally and additionally, with skin penetration enhancers, is not physically stable over long periods of storage. In particular, recrystallization of the active ingredient can occur, which leads to an uncontrollable decrease in the release capacity of the active ingredient in the TTS. The high loading of the polymeric carrier with the active ingredient and / or skin penetration enhancers makes the adjustment of the optimal adhesive properties of the transdermal system difficult in the case of self-adhesive polymeric films. The rate of resorption of the active ingredient decreases during the application in several days, in an unacceptable manner, so that additional control layers and / or additional control components are necessary. 5. If the layers loaded with active ingredient are made from organic solutions, suffers the problem that the solvent residues remain in the layer containing the active ingredient after the drying process. Additionally, there is the danger of undesirable evaporation of volatile additives during manufacturing. Because for reasons of physical stability and compatibility of the system with the skin, as a general rule, an attempt must be made to have a system completely free of solvents, the deposit should therefore be built in several layers, as the case may be. This again leads to an increase in manufacturing costs. Therefore, the problems described above require a large number of modalities of therapeutic transdermal systems, which is reflected in the prior art. A more recent review of this is provided, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,662,926 (Wick et al., 1997). This document describes transdermal systems that contain a thermoplastic, monolithic polymer film, where an active ingredient, which P1017 / 99MX preference is nicotine, is homogeneously distributed, and also refers to a method for the production without solvents of this layer containing active ingredient, by mixing the active ingredient with the polymeric carrier material in the polymer melt, at temperatures of 170 ° C at 200 ° C. In order to bond the matrix film containing the active ingredient to the skin, there is an additional contact adhesive film that is applied over the active ingredient matrix and, if necessary, there is a patch having a larger area and that is applied on the polymer film containing active ingredient, on the side of the matrix that is farthest from the skin. In the development of estrogen patches are going to solve special pharmaceutical technical problems that should be applied to the treatment of climacteric discomforts. The application must be submitted only once or twice a week. Increasing attention was received in this aspect with the so-called 7-day patches for their cost reasons and compliance by the patient with this indication. The cost aspects are of particular importance here because many sex steroid hormones are very expensive drugs that are provided as a continuous therapy. In addition, when hormones are administered for medical reasons, combination therapy is often desired. Therefore, the natural estrogen 17β-estradiol, is normally administered in the treatment of climacteric discomforts, either continuously or sequentially together with a progestin. A known suitable embodiment of this TTS treatment is represented by monolithic active ingredient patches, which make possible the controlled release of the active components from a thin layer of adhesive. However, in practice, the development of these patches of active ingredient with steroid sex hormones, especially when used for several days, presents one or several difficulties that are mentioned below and that can often be solved only with costly measures and that increase development and / or manufacturing costs. The most important problems are essentially the following: 1. The spheroid sex hormone is released from the adhesive films at a relatively slow rate per unit time, through the skin, and as a consequence relatively large patches must be applied in order to accumulate the therapeutically necessary hormone level in the blood over a period of time and / or the so-called penetration accelerators must be administered together with the active ingredient or ingredients, in order to achieve the transdermal transport rate P1017 / 99MX required 2. The steroid sex hormone is physically unstable in the self-adhesive film, depending on the storage conditions, that is, there is in particular the danger of recrystallization of an active ingredient during storage, which is related to an uncontrollable decrease in the ability to release the active ingredient. 3. The rate of absorption of the active ingredient drops during use for several days in an unacceptable manner, so that additional control components or control layers are necessary. 4. The loaded with a high level of active ingredients and penetration accelerators makes the optimal adjustment of the adhesive properties of the TTS system difficult during development. For example, the cold flow of the self-adhesive deposit layer represents a special problem that, in application in humans, can lead to the leakage of the mass containing the active ingredient beyond the edge of the patch and therefore, to the formation of dirty edges. In addition, the partial or complete separation of the TTS, caused by the action of moisture (for example during bathing, swimming, excessive sweating) and / or due to strong shear stresses as a result of muscle or skin movements, can be observed in the skin / patch limits. 5. Deposit layers for transdermal application are often prepared from solutions, so that the problem of solvent residues remaining in the layer containing the active ingredient after the drying process and optionally the related evaporation and / or the undesirable evaporation of volatile additives during manufacture, may occur. In order to achieve a complete absence of solvent, which should be a main objective as a rule, for reasons of physical stability and compatibility of the system with the skin, the deposit should optionally be built with several layers, but this leads to the elaboration of a more expensive manufacturing process. Regarding the transdermal application of estrogens and / or progestagens and / or androgens with the help of monolithic systems, wherein the active ingredient or ingredients are incorporated within the self-adhesive matrix, according to the state of the art, among others due to their relatively good solvent properties for this group of active ingredients, preference is given to using adhesives based on acrylate copolymers without the addition (EP 0 416 8412, WO 93/10772) or with the addition (WO 96/08255, DE 44 05 898), penetration promoting substances, crystallization inhibitors (WO 95/09618, WO 93/08795), enhancers of the solubility of the active ingredient (DE OS 44 05 898) and water binders (DE 39 33 460). As a rule, the formulations described require the use of organic solvents that must be removed quantitatively during manufacturing. Also, despite the relatively simple structure of the monolithic TTS, the typical requirements of pharmaceutical quality with respect to adhesive properties, reproducibility of active ingredient release and storage stability can only be provided with high technical expenses for development and production due to the difficulties described above. Often, patches should be applied over a large area, especially for the administration of progestins, in order to preserve the blood level of active ingredient required, for several days of application, as a result of which, in the first place, the use of the properties and relative compliance on the part of the patient, worsen and, on the other hand, the cost of preparation is increased even more. Therefore, monolithic systems with sex steroids based on polystyrene block copolymers as carrier materials, are already known in the literature, the use of these allows, in principle, the production of self-adhesive active ingredient deposits from the fusion, without the use of organic solvents. Therefore, in WO 94/26257, steroid-containing adhesives containing rosin esters are disclosed and for which the manufacture of the adhesive matrix containing estradiol and / or levonorgestrol can be made by intensive melting and kneading. and at high temperatures for a prolonged period of time. Transdermal therapeutic systems that are produced in this manner have the disadvantage that the active ingredient or ingredients and / or the pharmaceutical additives are partially decomposed under the conditions of the manufacturing process, that the adhesive and / or compatibility properties of the patch with the skin over a period of several days are insufficient and, in particular, that the gestagen component does not achieve plasma concentrations that are therapeutically sufficient. In addition, patches of active ingredient are known from EP 0 186 019, in which inflatable polymers are added to a mass of rubber adhesive, in water, and from this the estradiol can be released and, in some individual cases, the manufacture It is made according to the hot melting method, if possible. With these formulations it is still difficult to keep sufficient amounts of sex steroid hormones in the patch matrix in solution and release these for a prolonged period of time, at an approximately constant speed, through the skin. In addition, the formulations are known from DE 44 29 667, for the transdermal release of estradiol, which are produced without the use of organic solvents by melting the components of the formulation, adding glycerol as protection against the precipitation of the estradiol hemihydrate. during storage. The adhesive formulations, referred to in the description and examples, based on polystyrene block copolymers, correspond to the state of the art, ie the absorption of active ingredient and the ability of TTS release in this type in general they are very low for the application of hormone patches for several days, especially in the case of gestagens and androgens. In addition to the monolithic system, the multi-layer matrix and reservoir systems are also suitable and known from the literature, wherein the deposition layer of the active ingredient, the adhesive layer and / or the release control layers are separated from one another. in functional and / or spatial form. EP 0 285 563 describes a TTS for the combined application of estrogens and progestins. In this case, the active ingredient deposit contains ethanol as a solvent and release control agent for the active components. In addition, a membrane also participates in the control of the release of the steroid hormones, which is located between the deposit and the layer of adhesive arranged separately. The possible duration of the application of this TTS depends, among others, to a great extent on the content of ethanol in the tank (JA Simón et al. (1991), Fertility and Sterility, 56: 1029-1033), which during the application in human decreases continuously during resorption and thus limits the functional lifespan of the system. Therefore, in addition to the active ingredient, another component that increases resorption is also released, releasing at a relatively high speed, depending on environmental conditions, storage and application, there being risk of physical instability, decrease in adhesive strength and / or local irritations on the skin. The so-called "reinforcement" system is already known, in which, additionally, penetration accelerators of the active ingredient are released into the skin and contain separate layers of deposit, control and adhesive, that is, for the transsepidermal application of testosterone (U.S. 5,152,997). This TTS system has the advantage for the patient that it does not have to adhere to the relatively permeable scrotal skin, which would be the case in another situation, due to the low absorption of the active ingredient in the case of testosterone patches without penetration aids. (for example, as in DE OS 35 23 065). However, the application of these "reinforcement" systems when they are used for more than 24 hours, implies an increased risk of local irritation of the skin, caused by the additives that control the permeation of testosterone to the skin. In particular, in the case of unfavorable application conditions (perspiration, strong movements of the skin, bath), problems arise with regard to adhesion properties. Finally, in the development of transdermal systems, polymers based on acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters are of special interest because of their relatively good ability to absorb and release various active ingredients. In order to avoid the use of solvents in the manufacture of matrix systems based on poly (meth) acrylate, DE 4310012 describes a dermatotherapeutic system in which one or more layers are made of mixtures of poly (meth) acrylates and are produced from the melt, and the first mixing component consists of (meth) acrylate polymers containing functional groups, the second mixing component controls the flow behavior and contains only insignificant amounts of groups P1017 / 99MX functional. Systems composed of poly (meth) acrylates with functional groups are assumed to make it possible to have a controlled release of the active ingredient or ingredients on or through the skin and facilitate simple manufacture. However, while there are advantages in manufacturing compared to solvent-based methods, according to experience, these systems exhibit several disadvantages and these are caused by the following: 1. Longer thermal exposure of all components TTS during (1) the manufacture of the polymeric fusion, (2) the homogenous incorporation of the active ingredient (s) and / or (3) the coating of the hot mass containing the active ingredient on suitable carrier materials, with a higher risk of degradation or decomposition reactions in the polymer melt and / or during storage of the polymer films containing the active ingredient. 2. Difficulties in optimizing the cohesion / adhesion balance of the poly (meth) acrylate-containing layer, since the cross-linking of the acrylate copolymer, with the covalent bonds during the manufacture of the polymer matrix containing the active ingredient in the melt , it is not possible, and combination with problems that may arise due to the cold flow of the polymeric mass during the application on the skin and / or during storage. The strong union of active ingredient / steroid hormones, especially 17β-estradiol, in the polymer matrix of poly (meth) acrylates with a high content of free amino groups, as a result of which the flow rates of sex steroids are reduce compared to poly (meth) acrylate matrices without free amino groups, at the same charge with the active ingredient (see Figure 1, Comparison Example). As the previous list shows, many materials and patch constructions used for these are known. Similarly, there is still a great demand today for many active ingredients that are incorporated into therapeutic transdermal systems to have an available TTS, which makes it possible to provide the therapeutically required release of the active ingredient, without expensive construction and where , above all, the components are in an optimal relationship. This also applies to the active ingredient of the type of sex steroids when they are to be administered transcutaneously, especially to estrogens, progestins and androgens.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the task of the invention is to avoid the disadvantages of the TTS with the sex steroids described above and to provide a TTS for transepidermal administration of sex steroids alone or with other sex steroids, with good adhesive properties, which be of simple construction, compatible with the skin and physically and chemically stable for a prolonged period of application storage, and a) that is released on and through the skin as much active ingredient as possible per unit area, b) that is free of solvents and c) where the active ingredient or ingredients used pass through a thermal exposure as low as possible. To solve this task, a TTS containing spheroid hormone and a method for its preparation is made available, without the use of solvents, and whose special composition surprisingly meets the aforementioned tasks. The Transdermal Therapeutic System (TTS) of this invention contains a matrix mass containing spheroid hormone in the form of a layer, wherein the matrix mass has copolymers of (me) acrylate containing the ammonium group, this mass is extruded by melting at 200 ° C and also contains at least one plasticizer alone or in mixture with terpolymer of ethylene and acrylate and / or polyethylene glycol, as well as at least 2% by weight of each of the steroid hormones present in the matrix mass, without having melted, and is provided with a cover layer to the outside. The elaborate laminate of the cover layer and the matrix mass containing spheroid, with the exception of its release surface on the skin, is either surrounded with a skin patch, free of active ingredient, larger, serving to bind the TTS at the application site and / or to cover the matrix containing active ingredient at the open edges, or having an adhesive film free of active ingredient on the release surface. Advantageously, the silicone-based polymers or the covalently crosslinkable acrylate copolymers can be used as an adhesive film free of active ingredient. The release rates achieved with the TTS according to the invention are so high that the application time in comparison with the patch systems known from the state of the art, may be extended, without increasing the area of application (see Figure 1). In contrast to the monolithic matrix systems, in the development of the TTS according to the invention, it is possible to advantageously optimize the cohesion / adhesion properties of the TTS, on the one hand, and the dissolution rate of solubility and the release behavior of the TTS. active ingredient, on the other, quite separately. Furthermore, it is surprising, with the TTS of the invention, that: (1) at concentrations of active ingredient in the polymer matrix that are high compared to the state of the art, sufficient physical stability is provided to the system during long storage term, and that (2) the introduction of separate separating layers or layers between the active ingredient-containing layer and the active ingredient-free layer may be omitted. Surprisingly, in this type of TTS according to the invention, the adhesion properties of the active ingredient-containing matrix and the skin patch that is provided with a binding aid, complement each other so that immediately after adhesion of the TTS, there is an intimate contact between the active ingredient matrix and the skin, which is retained for several days even when a skin patch is used in a relatively small area, with an adhesive edge free of active ingredient of approximately 3.5 mm of width (Example: in this case of a square TTS with a total area of 20 cm2, squared, with rounded edges (including auxiliary union) the area of the matrix containing active ingredient can be up to approximately 15 cm2) . If according to the present invention the crosslinkable adhesive layers as a binding aid are coated directly on the active ingredient layer, the self-adhesive TTS obtained in this form consisting of the cover layer, the active ingredient layer and the adhesive, also provides surprisingly high steroid release rates during extended periods of application (See Figure 1, Example 2). In spite of the high loading of the matrix mass with at least 2% by weight of active ingredient or ingredients, due to the special qualitative and quantitative composition of the matrix mass, no trend of the active ingredients incorporated into the matrix was observed. recrystallization, although especially in the case of patches containing hormones, sensitivity to moisture was a big problem. As a result of this, the active adhesive surface of the TTS can be kept small, the functional life time of the TTS can be prolonged and compliance by the patient can be taken into consideration. Surprisingly, more than 10% by weight of NETa (= norethisterone acetate) can be incorporated into the matrix mass.

Furthermore, it was surprising that in the matrix composition of the invention tributyl citrate is especially advantageous as a plasticizer. The embodiment according to the invention wherein the matrix mass containing steroid hormone is a solid solution is especially advantageous. In addition, a TTS according to the invention may contain estrogen or progestin alone or in combination. Finally, the TTS according to the invention can contain androgens in one embodiment. Advantageously, the carrier film used for the TTS on the side of the matrix has a metallic oxide or metallic vapor coating. In the sense of the invention, the following terms have the following definitions: a) "solvent-free": solvent is not used for the manufacture of polymer matrices which must be subsequently removed to a large extent during the manufacturing process, such as happens in "solvent-based" methods b) "application period TTS can be applied to the longer one": skin for therapeutic application for up to 7 days c) "solid solution": The active pharmaceutical ingredient is present in the matrix patch in a molecularly dispersed form d) "transepidermal": Same meaning and function as transcutaneous e) "" active ingredient The active ingredient was minimally exposed to added without fusion to the heat treatment ": matrix mass, which was heated by extrusion by melting and then cooled after the addition of the active ingredient.The production method of the TTS according to the invention is characterized by the fact that a matrix mass containing spheroidal hormone, which can be coated, is produced and processed by melt extrusion, wherein the active components are weighed and incorporated continuously without a pre-melt, in the polymer melt When the hot polymer heated up to 200 ° C, the melt of the hot polymer containing the active ingredient is then directly coated on a separable protective layer (= substrate) to a thickness of 0.02 to 0.4 mm and then the resulting two-layer laminate is obtained. cover with a cover layer. To join the matrix of active ingredient on the skin and / or to cover the matrix at the open edges, a larger size skin patch, free of active ingredient or an adhesive film free of active ingredient made from a cross-linked acrylate copolymer, which can be laminated directly onto the polymer matrix containing active ingredient. The TTS according to the invention is provided with a protective film that is removed prior to the application of the preparation on the skin. An essential advantage of the method according to the invention consists in the fact that the deposit of active ingredient (I) is produced without the use of organic solvents and (II) the preparation of the matrix mass containing active ingredient and further processed up to form a layer that contains active ingredient in a continuous process and especially with cost savings. The process times can be shortened to a few minutes and, therefore, the risk of decomposition reactions in the polymer melt containing the active ingredient is reduced at the same time, reducing this to a minimum. Surprisingly, it has been found that the complete dissolution of sex steroids in the polymer melt is provided despite the short processing times under the process conditions that will be explained later in the Examples. In addition, as a result of the continuous manufacture of the polymeric mass containing the steroid hormone, escalation problems are avoided. That is, in order to decrease batch size or load size, no changes are needed in large production facilities for the manufacture of polymer melt containing active ingredient or laminate, which usually requires facilities costly and laborious, as well as qualification and validation work and other optional changes in the formulation. The invention will be explained later with the help of the examples: A) TTS, which is loaded with an active ingredient I. Example 1 ^ A twin screw extruder equipped with three dosing units was continuously loaded in successive processing zones with Eudragit RS 100 (ethylacrylate copolymer and methyl methacrylate with about 5% trimethylammonium chloride ethyl methacrylate), tributyl citrate (TBC) and hemihydrate 17β-estradiol, and the mixture was extruded by melting at a total yield of 150g mass / minute at a temperature of 130-150 ° C. From the dose unit 1, Eudragit RS 100 was introduced to the extruder process part at a speed of 97.2 g / minute, tributyl citrate was introduced from the dosing unit 2 at a speed of 45.82 g / minute and finally , from the dosage unit 3, 17β-estradiol hemihydrate was introduced at a rate of 6,975 g / minute. After leaving the extruder, the obtained hot polymer fusion of estradiol was introduced through an input pipe heated in a direct current, directly to the discharge head of the coating installation and, with the help of a nozzle in Slot-shaped, it was laminated on a siliconized polyester film with a thickness of approximately 100 μm (same protective film), so that the weight per area of the matrix layer containing the active ingredient is about 80 g per m2. After passing through a roller cooling device, the two-layer laminate becomes a polyester film with a thickness of approximately 20 microns (same carrier film). The laminate of three layers in the form of a canvas obtained in this way is rolled on rolls and then pieces of 8 cm2 are obtained by stamping. The resulting TTS contains approximately 2.88 mg of 17β-estradiol calculated as hemihydrate. For application on the skin, after removal of the polyester film Siliconized P1017 / 99MX, a 16 cm2 skin patch that is free of active ingredient (on tape) consisting of an adhesive film based on a crosslinked acrylate copolymer and a carrier film, adheres to the TTS system.

II. Example 2_ (1) Preparation of a deposit layer containing active ingredient. The preparation of the deposit layer containing active ingredient is made by melt extrusion and by hot melt coating, as described in Example 1. (2) Preparation of the adhesive film free of active ingredient. 750 g of a solution of crosslinkable adhesive based on acrylate copolymer with at least one acrylic acid and methacrylic acid derivative (for example Duro-Tak 87-2852) are coated with a scraper blade applicator on a polyester film of approximately 100 μm which is coated on one side with evaporated aluminum and on both sides with silicone, so that after solvent removal at 40-80 ° C and a drying time of approximately 18 minutes, a film of free adhesive is obtained of active ingredient with a weight per area of 20 g / m2"(3) Preparation of TTS A film of adhesive free of active ingredient is obtained according to point (2) above, the deposit layer of point (1) is coated after of the removal of the protective layer and the resulting 4-layer laminate, consisting of the protective film, the adhesive film, the matrix layer containing the active ingredient and the carrier layer, is stamped to obtain 10 cm2 pieces The self-adhesive TTS systems obtained in this form contain approximately 3.6 mg of 17β-estradiol, calculated as hemihydrate.

III. Comparison Example (Polymethacrylate mixture in the composition corresponding to DE 43 10 012) A twin screw extruder equipped with four metering units was loaded in successive processing zones with Eudragit RS 100 (ethyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate copolymer with approx. % of trimethylammonium methacrylate chloride), Eudragit E 100 (copolymer of butyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, and 2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate with an amino group content of 25%), tributyl citrate (TBC) and 17β-estradiol hemihydrate. The mixture was extruded by melting at a total yield of 150 g / minute at a temperature of 130-150 ° C. Eudragit RS 100 (1) and Eudragit E 100 (2) apply P1017 / 99MX with the aid of the dosing units 1 and 2, respectively, a speed of (1) 42.75 g / minute and (2) 59.85 g / minute towards the first processing zone of the extruder. In the following two processing zones, TBC is applied with the aid of the dosing unit 3 at a speed of 39.9 g / minute and the estradiol hemihydrate with the dosing unit 4 at a speed of 7.5 g / minute. The additional processing is done according to Example 1, whereby the 3-layer laminate obtained after the coating, the canvas, consists of the protective film, the matrix containing active ingredient with an air weight of 80 g / m2 and A carrier film is stamped to form pieces of 16 cm2 in size. The resulting self-adhesive TTS contains approximately 6.4 mg of 17β-estradiol, calculated as the hemihydrate.

IV. In vitro investigations Estradiol flow measurements in vitro In order to evaluate the release of the active ingredient in vitro, a TTS system with a stamped area of 5 cm2 was secured in a modified Franz diffusion cell on a skin preparation of mice without fur. Subsequently and immediately the cell was filled with distilled water as a release medium, it was released from air bubbles and subjected to temperature control at 37 ± P1017 / 99MX 0.5 ° C. In the sampling times, the release medium was replaced with fresh water with temperature control at 37 ± 0.5 ° C. The estradiol content in the withdrawn release medium was removed with the aid of high performance liquid chromatography. The results of the investigations are given in Table 1 for Examples 1 and 2 as well as for the comparison example and a commercial matrix patch with a declared release of 50 μg of estradiol per day. Compared with the flow rates shown, the TTS according to the invention evidently releases more estradiol through the skin than the comparison systems.

P1017 / 99MX Table 1: Flow Rates of Estradiol TTS Weight content% Flow rate Estradiol acu ulative (μg / cm2), value (hemihydrate) mg / cm2 medium, n = 3 after 24 h 48 h 72 h Example 1 0.36 4.65 74.2 131.6 171.1? W Example 2 0.36 3.72 33.1 71.0 104.4 Comparison Example 0.40 5.00 24.0 48.0 70.5 (DE 43 10 012) Commercial preparation 0.40 2.50 22.9 38.8 51.8 (matrix patch) V. Bioavailability of estradiol from the TTS according to the invention In an open pharmacological study in humans, the bioavailability of estradiol was tested in 8 post-menopausal women in a quadruple cross-sectional study design, where the TTS is shown in Table 1. Each type of TTS was applied in a period of 6 days with repeated administration, that is to say with change of patch after 3 days. In accordance with the number of test and comparison preparations, a total of 4 treatments were carried out, each with 2 directly after the patch applications. The purification phase between 2 treatments was at least one week. In order to determine the amounts of active ingredient resorbed in transepidermal form, blood samples were taken from the test subjects at specific time intervals. A sensitive GC / MS method (limit of quantification: 5 pg / mL) was used to determine quantitatively the concentration of estradiol in the blood plasma. The time-dependent and area-normalized course for the plasma concentrations of estradiol obtained in 6 days (each with a change in TTS after 3 days) are shown in Figure 1 for the test patches and comparison patches. As can be seen from P1017 / 99MX Figure, with the TTS of the invention, clearly higher estradiol levels were achieved in plasma per unit area compared to the TTS corresponding to the Comparison Example and to the commercial preparation tested.

B) TTS, which are loaded with more than one active ingredient. Example 3 A twin screw extruder equipped with four metering units was continuously loaded in successive processing zones with Eudragit RS 100 (ethyl acrylate copolymer and methyl methacrylate with approximately 5% trimethylammonium chloride ethyl methacrylate), tributyl citrate (TBC), 17β-estradiol hemihydrate and norethisterone acetate, and the mixture was extruded by melting at a total yield of 116.7 g mass / minute at a temperature of 130-150 ° C. From the dosing unit 1, Eudragit RS 100 was introduced at a speed of 62.24 g / minute towards the extruder process part, tributyl citrate was introduced from the dosing unit 2 at a speed of 29.34 g / minute from the processing station. 3, 17β-estradiol hemihydrate was introduced at a rate of 4,667 g / minute and finally, norethisterone acetate was introduced from the dosing station 4 at a rate of 20,417 g / minute. After leaving the extruder, the hot fusion of estradiol-acetate Norethisterone-polymer P1017 / 99MX was introduced through a heatable feed tube directly in a direct current to the discharge head of the installation for coating and was laminated with the aid of a slot-shaped nozzle onto a film of siliconized polyester with approximately 100 μm thickness (= protective film) so that the area weight of the deposit layer is approximately 80 g per μm. Subsequently, after passing through a roller cooling device, the two-layer laminate was covered with a polyester film about 20 microns thick (= carrier film). The laminate of three layers in the form of canvas obtained in this way was rolled into rolls and then stamped to give pieces of 16 cm2. The resulting TTS deposits contained approximately 5.12 mg of 17β-estradiol, calculated as hemihydrate and approximately 22.40 mg of norethisterone acetate. For application on the skin, after removal of the siliconized polyester film, the TTS was covered with a skin patch, free of active ingredient, of 32 cm 2 ("super-tape") consisting of an adhesive film based on a crosslinked acrylate copolymer and a carrier film.

P1017 / 99MX Table 4 Flow rates of estradiol (E2) and nortetisterone acetate (NETa) through excised mouse skin.

In vitro investigations The determination is carried out as described in point II. The measured flow rates are given in Table 4 together with the active ingredient content of the test sample. As can be seen from Table 4, with the method according to the invention, the TTS combination with a high NETa content and a high flow velocity through the excised skin preparations can be produced.

P1017 / 99MX

Claims (11)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following CLAIMS is claimed as property: 1. A Transdermal Therapeutic System for the transcutaneous administration of sex steroids for prolonged periods of time with a binding aid for the therapeutic transdermal system on the skin, characterized in that the system contains a matrix mass in the form of a layer containing steroid hormone, containing (meth) acrylate copolymers containing ammonium groups and at least one plasticizer alone or in admixture with ethylene acrylate terpolymers, at least 2 weight percent of each of the steroid hormones is distributed in a molecularly dispersed form in the matrix mass; and because this is surrounded by a larger patch free of active ingredient to bind to the application site, with the exception of its release surface on the skin.
2. 2. The Therapeutic Transdermal System according to claim 1, characterized in that on the edge, on the steroid hormone-containing matrix mass, an adhesive film free of active ingredient consisting of crosslinked acrylate copolymers is applied, which bind to P1017 / 99MX skin the matrix containing active ingredient.
3. 3. The Therapeutic Transdermal System according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it contains at least one active ingredient that has undergone minimal thermal exposure.
4. 4. The Therapeutic Transdermal System according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the matrix mass containing steroid hormone is a solid solution.
5. 5. The Therapeutic Transdermal System according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the matrix mass containing steroid hormone contains at least one plasticizer.
6. 6. The Therapeutic Transdermal System according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the matrix containing steroid hormone contains citric acid triester as a plasticizer.
7. 7. The Therapeutic Transdermal System according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it contains estrogen or progestin alone or a combination of these.
8. 8. The Therapeutic Transdermal System according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it contains androgens.
9. 9. The Transdermal Therapeutic System P1017 / 99MX according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the carrier film has a metallic vapor oxide coating on the side of the matrix.
10. A method for the production of a Therapeutic Transdermal System according to any of claims 1 and 3 to 9, characterized in that: (1) a homogeneous and recoverable matrix containing steroid hormone is produced, by melt extrusion, with at least up to 2 weight percent of each of the spheroidal hormones, which are continuously weighed and incorporated without the need for fusion within the polymer melt heated to 200 ° C, the matrix mass consists of a methacrylate copolymer containing a group ammonium and at least one plasticizer, alone or in a mixture with an ethylene acrylate terpolymer; (2) coating a carrier continuously with the hot polymer melt containing the active ingredient, produced according to step (1), to a thickness of 0.02 to 0.4 mm; (3) provide the 2-layer laminate obtained according to step (2) with a cover layer; and (4) apply a larger free patch of active ingredient on top of the laminate to attach the system to the skin.
11. 11. A method for the production of a Therapeutic Transdermal System according to claims 2 and 3 to 9, characterized by the P1017 / 99MX fact that a homogenous and recoverable mass containing steroid hormone is formed by melt extrusion, weighing and incorporating without the need for fusion, at least up to 2% by weight of each of the steroid hormones, in a continuous manner towards the polymer melt heated up to 200 ° C, where the fusion consists of a methacrylate copolymer containing an ammonium group, as well as minus a plasticizer, alone or in admixture with an ethylene acrylate terpolymer, a suitable carrier is continuously coated with the hot polymer melt containing the active ingredient to a thickness of 0.02 to 0.4 mm, and then an adhesive film free of active ingredient is applied , which consists of crosslinked acrylate copolymer, for the union of the system to the skin. P1017 / 99MX