Pharmaceutical formulation for administration by inhalation comprising an androstane derivative and a beta-2-adrenoreceptor for the treatment of inflammatory and allergic conditions

Abstract

A pharmaceutical formulation for administration by inhalation comprising a compound of formula (I), or a solvate thereof, together with a long-acting β 2 -adrenoreceptor agonist which formulation has a therapeutically useful effect in the treatment of inflammatory disorders of the respiratory tract over a period of 24 hours or more.

1 . A pharmaceutical formulation for administration by inhalation comprising a compound of formula (I),  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or a solvate thereof, together with a long-acting β 2 -adrenoreceptor agonist, wherein the β 2 -adrenoreceptor agonist is a compound of the formula (M):  
         
           
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
         
         or a salt or solvate thereof, wherein:  
         m is an integer of from 2 to 8.  
         n is an integer of from 3 to 11.  
         with the proviso that m+n is 5 to 19,  
         R 11  is —XSO 2 NR 16 R 17  wherein X is —(CH 2 ) p - or C 2-6  alkenylene;  
         R 16  and R 17  are independently selected from hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, C(O)NR 18 R 19 , phenyl, and phenyl (C 1-4 alkyl)-,  
         or R 16  and R 17 , together with the nitrogen to which they are bonded, form a 5-, 6-, or 7-membered nitrogen containing ring, and R 16  and R 17  are each optionally substituted by one or two groups selected from halo, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, hydroxy-substituted C 1-6 alkoxy, —CO 2 R 18 , —SO 2 NR 18 R 19 , —CONR 18 R 19 , —NR 18 C(O)R 19 , or a 5-, 6- or 7-membered heterocylic ring,  
         R 18  and R 19  are independently selected from hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl,  
         C 3-6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, and phenyl (C 1-4 alkyl)-; and  
         p is an integer of from 0 to 6, preferably from 0 to 4;  
         R 12  and R 13  are independently selected from hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, halo, phenyl, and C 1-6 -haloalkyl; and  
         R 14  and R 15  are independently selected from hydrogen and C 1-4 alkyl with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in R 14  and R 15  is not more than 4,  
         which formulation has a therapeutically useful effect in the treatment of inflammatory disorders of the respiratory tract over a period of 24 hours or more.  
       
     
     
         2 . A pharmaceutical formulation according to  claim 1  wherein the compound of formula (I) or a solvate thereof and the long-acting β 2 -adrenoreceptor agonist are both present in particulate form.  
     
     
         3 . A pharmaceutical formulation according to  claim 2  further comprising a particulate carrier.  
     
     
         4 . A pharmaceutical formulation according to  claim 3  wherein the carrier is lactose.  
     
     
         5 . A pharmaceutical formulation according to  claim 1  further comprising a liquified propellant gas.  
     
     
         6 . A pharmaceutical formulation according to  claim 1  wherein the inflammatory disorder of the respiratory tract is asthma.  
     
     
         7 . (canceled)  
     
     
         8 . A method of treatment of an inflammatory disorder of the respiratory tract once-per-day which comprises administration of a pharmaceutical formulation according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . A method of treatment according to  claim 8  wherein the inflammatory disorder of the respiratory tract is asthma.  
     
     
         10 . An inhaler containing a plurality of doses of a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a compound of formula (I)  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or a solvate thereof, together with a long-acting β 2 -adrenoreceptor agonist, wherein the β 2 -adrenoreceptor agonist is a compound of the formula (M):  
         
           
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
         
         or a salt or solvate thereof, wherein:  
         m is an integer of from 2 to 8.  
         n is an integer of from 3 to 11,  
         with the proviso that m+n is 5 to 19,  
         R 11  is —XSO 2 NR 16 R 17  wherein X is —(CH 2 ) p - or C 2-6  alkenylene;  
         R 16  and R 17  are independently selected from hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, C(O)NR 18 R 19 , phenyl, and phenyl (C 1-4 alkyl)-,  
         or R 16  and R 17 , together with the nitrogen to which they are bonded, form a 5-, 6-, or 7-membered nitrogen containing ring, and R 16  and R 17  are each optionally substituted by one or two groups selected from halo, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, hydroxy-substituted C 1-6 alkoxy, —CO 2 R 18 —SO 2 NR 18 R 19 , —CONR 18 R 19 , —NR 18 C(O)R 19 , or a 5-, 6- or 7-membered heterocylic ring,  
         R 18  and R 19  are independently selected from hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 3-6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, and phenyl (C 1-4 alkyl)-; and  
         p is an integer of from 0 to 6, preferably from 0 to 4;  
         R 12  and R 13  are independently selected from hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, halo, phenyl, and C 1-6 haloalkyl; and  
         R 14  and R 15  are independently selected from hydrogen and C 1-6 alkyl with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in R 14  and R 15  is not more than 4,  
         which formulation has a therapeutically useful effect in the treatment of inflammatory disorders of the respiratory tract over a period of 24 hours or more, and which doses are suitable for once-per-day administration of the formulation by inhalation.  
       
     
     
         11 . An inhaler according to  claim 10  wherein the compound of formula (I) or a solvate thereof and the long-acting β 2 -adrenoreceptor agonist are both present in particulate form.  
     
     
         12 . An inhaler according to  claim 10  wherein the formulation further comprises a particulate carrier.  
     
     
         13 . An inhaler according to  claim 12  wherein the carrier is lactose.  
     
     
         14 . An inhaler according to  claim 10  wherein the formulation further comprises a liquefied propellant gas.  
     
     
         15 . (canceled)  
     
     
         16 . An inhaler according to  claim 10  wherein the inflammatory disorder of the respiratory tract is asthma.  
     
     
         17 - 19 . (canceled)  
     
     
         20 . A method for the treatment of a human or animal subject with an anti-inflammatory and/or allergic condition, which method comprises administering to said human or animal subject an effective amount of a formulation as claimed in  claim 1.