Crosslinked anion exchange particles and method for producing the particles

• Main Authors: BLIEM; PAUL E, STEFFIER; LARRY W
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.03.1996
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVINGCARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS ORMEDICINAL PREPARATIONS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP

New bile acid sequestrant polymer compositions and a process for preparing the polymers in particulate form, preferably in spherical form, are described. The polymer particles are prepared by crosslinking an amine-containing polymer with an amount of a polyfunctional amine-reactive compound sufficient to crosslink the polymer so that it is essentially water insoluble and has bile acid sequestering efficacy greater than that of cholestyramine, preferably greater than about three times the efficacy of cholestyramine. A preferred polymerization process revolves suspension polymerization of water-soluble amine-containing monomers, such as dialkylaminoalkyl (meth)acrylate esters and dialkylaminoalkyl (meth)acrylamides, in the presence of polyfunctional amine-reactive compounds, such as substituted dihaloalkanes. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the bile acid sequestrant polymer particles and a method for lowering blood cholesterol levels using the pharmaceutical compositions are also described.