Abstract: Stable liposome composition for delivering a pharmaceutical agent, the composition comprising: (a) a suitable aqueous medium; (b) liposomes formed from a suitable phospholipid; (c) at least one pharmaceutical agent being at least partially encapsulated in the liposomes, and being selected from: (i) a lipophilic amine and a pharmaceutically acceptable acid, wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable acid is selected from an organic or inorganic acid, and (ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable organic acid salt of a lipophilic amine, and optionally a pharmaceutically acceptable organic acid; wherein the quantity of the pharmaceutically acceptable acid present in the composition is such that the pH of the liposome composition is less than or approximately equal to the pKa of the amino group of the pharmaceutically active lipophilic amine.

Abstract: An opioid formulation for pulmonary administration in the treatment or management of pain, a pulmonary drug delivery device containing, method of administering, kit containing, and uses of same. The formulation contains at least one rapid-onset opioid and preferably also contains a sustained-effect opioid to reduce the frequency of administration. The invention employs the side effects of the opioid formulation to permit patients to self-limit drug intake, thereby avoiding toxicity while achieving analgesia. A pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic model is employed to determine optimum drug formulations and optimum parameters for administration.

Abstract: A chemically modified, crosslinked hemoglobin product suitable for use as a hemoglobin based oxygen carrier comprises a mixture of hemoglobin species and consists essentially of about 40% tetrameric hemoglobin units of molecular weight about 64,000 daltons, up to 5% dimeric hemoglobin units of molecular weight about 32,000 daltons, and the balance oligomeric hemoglobin units of molecular weight up to about 60,000 daltons, the mixed product containing no polymeric hemoglobin species of molecular weight greater than 600,000 daltons. The product can be made directly by a crosslinking reaction under controlled conditions, without the need for separating therefrom high molecular weight species.

Abstract: Hemoglobin for forming the basis of blood substitute is modified by crosslinking it by reaction with a polyaldehyde produced by ring opening oxidation of a di/tri-saccharide such as raffinose, wherein the o-saccharide solutions are maintained and the reaction is conducted at a pH from about 5.0-7.0, and at a stoichiometry from about 1:1-4:1 based upon the molar ratio of di/tri-saccharide to hemoglobin tetramers, followed by appropriate reduction of the Schiff base linkages so formed to stabilize them. Careful control of the pH of ring opening of the di/tri-saccharide ensures consistent production of the polyaldehyde without unwanted side products and reaction of this product with the hemoglobin at the specified stoichiometry leads to high yields of stabilized, tetrameric hemoglobin and oligomers thereof of predetermined composition and beneficial properties.

Abstract: Hemoglobin is purified from a crude solution thereof, to obtain an aqueous solution containing at least 99% of a preselected hemoglobin species, by a two stage displacement chromatography process. One of the stages is conducted under anionic exchange conditions, and the other under cationic exchange conditions. In both stages, the exchange column is overloaded to displace the hemoglobin species therefrom with contaminants having greater affinity for the column, and using the impure hemoglobin solution as the displacer. Normally, anionic exchange is conducted first, with contaminants more acidic than the hemoglobin displacing the hemoglobin from the column and themselves remaining attached to the column for separation. The cationic exchange process is conducted second, on the eluent from the first column, and in this stage, the more basic contaminants displace the hemoglobin from the column under overload conditions, to yield a substantially pure hemoglobin solution.