Abstract: A composition for the transdermal administration of ionic pharmaceutically active agents comprising the active agent along with a suitable counter ion, water, and isopropanol, at an adjusted pH is disclosed. Also disclosed are transdermal systems which employ this composition and methods of transdermally administering such agents therewith. The main advantage achieved is improved flux rates of active agent over other systems.

Abstract: A method of treating a premature neonatal infant of a gestational age between about 24 and about 35 weeks with a pharmaceutically acceptable, systemically active, substantially skin compatible, water-soluble neonatal therapeutic agent having a molecular weight below about 5000, and which agent is substantially non-transmissable through normal mature intact human skin, comprising:(a) applying to the intact neonatal skin of said infant a transdermal device comprising (i) a backing member, (ii) a substantially shape retaining hydrogel reservoir having a water content of between about 5 percent and about 95 percent preferably between 10 percent and 80 percent by weight of said reservoir and containing an effective amount of said agent, (iii) a skin contacting surface of predetermined area, and (iv) means for maintaining said reservoir in material transmitting relationship to said skin;(b) maintaining said skin contacting surface of said device in material transmitting relationship to said intact neonatal skin of