Invalidity dossier
US 6524557
Aerosol formulations of peptides and proteins
Current assignee: AstraZeneca AB
Added 9/23/2026, 2:17:38 PM
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Patent summary
Title, assignee, inventors, filing/issue dates, abstract, and a plain-language overview of the claims.
Patent Overview — US 6,524,557 B1
Title: Aerosol formulations of peptides and proteins
Patent number / application: US 6,524,557 B1; application US 08/624,504
Assignee: AstraZeneca AB (original assignee AstraZeneca AB; an earlier assignment to Astra Aktiebolag appears in the record)
Key dates: Filed 1994-12-19; priority claimed from SE 9404467A (1994-12-22) and SE 9502453A (1995-07-06); granted and published 2003-02-25; anticipated expiration 2014-12-19. Legal status listed as "Expired – Fee Related."
Inventors: Kjell Bäckström, Magnus Dahlbäck, Ann Johansson, Göran Källstrand, Elisabet Lindqvist.
Purpose: The invention relates to drug formulations containing medically useful peptides and proteins for inhalation from an aerosol inhaler. The stated aim is to provide formulations using the new generation of hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellants (e.g., P134a, P227, P152a) as replacements for ozone-depleting CFC propellants, since surfactants normally used in CFC formulations are not particularly suitable with HFA propellants.
Plain-language scope: The formulation has three components: (a) an HFA propellant; (b) a pharmaceutically active polypeptide dispersible in the propellant; and (c) a surfactant selected from a C₈–C₁₆ fatty acid or salt thereof, a bile salt, a phospholipid, or an alkyl saccharide. The surfactant is described as having a dual function — aiding dispersion of the drug and enhancing systemic absorption of the polypeptide in the lower respiratory tract. Preferred fatty acid salts are sodium, potassium, and lysine salts of caprylate, caprate, laurate, and myristate, with sodium caprate particularly preferred. Bile salts (especially trihydroxy bile salts such as sodium taurocholate) are the most preferred surfactants. Phospholipids and alkyl saccharides (e.g., decyl glucoside, dodecyl maltoside) are also named.
Not established by this excerpt: The full claim language, dependent claims, working examples, dosage ranges, specific polypeptide species beyond general classes, quantitative absorption data, and the complete propellant list are not included. The excerpt provides no evidence on litigation, ownership transfers, or validity. This overview relies solely on the supplied source.
Generated 10/1/2026, 9:52:23 PM
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Assignment history
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Prior art
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