ANTIMICROBIAL SKIN PREPARATION

[0001] This invention relates to antimicrobial skin preparations. More specifically, it relates to PVP-I/alcohol preparations that are easy to apply but resist flow after application, are fast drying, and form water-resistant but easily removable films.

[0002] Antimicrobial skin preparations function to reduce skin infection in surgical and other wounds, including needle punctures. The application of antimicrobial preparations to wounds has become standard practice in hospitals, surgery centers, and medical test laboratories. This application is generally carried out through the use of swabs or sponges to deliver the liquid antimicrobial preparation to the skin. The preparations may be prepared for use in a pre-packaged form (i.e., liquid and swab in a sealed package) or as a separate bottled liquid. Multiple applications of antimicrobial skin preparations are often required, with the preparation either being allowed to dry or blotted dry between applications. Since most current antimicrobial skin preparations are water soluble, reapplication is often necessary after the wound is irrigated with water.

[0003] Antimicrobial skin preparations are well known in the art, including those containing iodine complexed with a polymer (iodophors). The polymer is most often polyvinyl pyrrolidone (Povidone). Iodophor preparations typically contain about 7.51-10% by volume of the iodine complex; Povidone-Iodine (PVP-I) solution is one of the most widely accepted preoperative antimicrobials. Solutions containing 5-10% PVP-I are generally recognized as safe. PVP-I solutions form a durable yet water soluble antimicrobial film when dry, and therefore resist pre-mature removal while permitting easy removal with water and mild rubbing. However, most existing iodophor skin preparations are low-viscosity liquids that tend to flow freely after application into areas remote from the wound site. This creates a need for extra care during application and increases the potential for irritation caused by solution pooling under the patient. A product that eliminates the flow problems associated with low-viscosity PVP-I solution is Povidone-Iodine gel (PVP-I gel). PVP-I gel is made by adding a cellulose gel, such as hydroxyethylcellulose, to PVP-I to greatly increase its viscosity to at least 8,000 cp. A PVP-I solution that is gelled with hydroxyethylcellulose is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,718. In order to increase the initial kill of bacteria, alcohol can be added to PVP-I gel, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,882. Gelled PVP-I and PVP-I/alcohol solutions are flow-resistant compositions; however, as a result they are more difficult to dispense and apply than a low viscosity PVP-I solution. Furthermore, solutions in gel form dry slowly, which increases application time and reduces the benefits of the fast acting antimicrobial properties of alcohols in the PVP-I/alcohol gel. Another inherent problem with the current hydrophilic gel preparations is that they are water-soluble and therefore readily rehydrate during wound irrigation or subjection to water-containing body fluids, causing premature removal of the film and interference with surgical drape adhesion during surgical procedures.

[0004] Water-resistant films are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,228,354, 5,922,314 and 4,584,192, but the skin preparations that produce these films are low-viscosity and suffer from the flow/pooling problems discussed above. The PVP-I/alcohol solution disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,354 has a faster drying time than the PVPI/alcohol gel, thus taking full advantage of the fast acting antimicrobial properties of alcohol in conjunction with PVP-I. The solution further eliminates interference with surgical drape adhesion caused by gel, and has controlled moisture resistance thereby reducing the likelihood of premature removal by irrigation during procedures. However, in addition to its low viscosity, the film can only be removed with an aqueous alkaline solution and physical rubbing. Similarly, the composition of U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,192 is resistant to removal with water, and can only be removed by certain alcohols which irritate compromised skin.

[0005] Finally, most prior art antimicrobial skin preparations use water as a solvent, which slows their drying rate, resulting in slow film formation, flow away from the wound site, and lengthened application process time.

[0006] It would be beneficial to have an antimicrobial skin preparation combining the advantages of an antimicrobial agent and an alcohol, which preparation has sufficiently low viscosity for ease of dispensing and application, yet sufficiently high viscosity to cause the solution to remain in the area of the wound and not flow away or pool under the patient; which forms a water-resistant film that is difficult to remove during wound irrigation, but can be easily removed upon completion of the procedure; and which is fast drying so as to take advantage of the fast high initial kill properties of alcohol, limit flow away from the wound site, and decrease application time. Prior to this invention, no single product has been developed to combine the advantages of the various current antimicrobial skin preparations as discussed above.

[0007] The present invention is an antimicrobial skin preparation having a viscosity of 100 cp to 1000 cp, combining the advantages of an antimicrobial agent and an alcohol. This viscosity level is sufficiently low to allow for easy application and dispensation, but sufficiently high to cause the solution to remain in the area of the wound and not flow away from the prep site or pool under the patient. The viscosity measurements referred to above are made at 25 C. with a Brookfield Viscometer Model LVF, using spindle 2 at 30 rpm.

[0008] The solution of the present invention further forms a water-resistant film that is difficult to remove during wound irrigation, and has comparable low potential for rehydration or interference with surgical drape adhesion as standard PVP-I solutions. However, the solution can be easily removed upon completion of the procedure with water and moderate rubbing.

[0009] Additionally, the solution of the present invention is fast drying so as to take advantage of the fast high initial kill properties of alcohol, limit flow away from the wound site, and decrease application time.

[0010] The solution is further formulated to provide a high level of efficacy with minimum required active concentration, thus reducing solution cost and minimizing irritation. The solution is effective and safe for use on intact skin in single step preparation of phlebotomy, I.V., and surgical sites.

[0011] The antimicrobial skin composition of the present invention is comprised of an antimicrobial agent, an alcohol, one or more pH sensitive viscosity builders and water. Surfactants, skin irritation reducers, and buffers may also be included. The active ingredients of the present invention are generally recognized as safe. The use of a pH sensitive viscosity builder eliminates the slow drying and re-hydration problems associated with gel forms of PVP-I and PVP-I/alcohol preparations.

[0012] The antimicrobial skin composition of the present invention is comprised of, in its most general form, an antimicrobial agent, an alcohol, one or more pH sensitive viscosity builders and water. Preferably, the antimicrobial agent is complexed with a polyvinyl lactam, and more preferably the antimicrobial agent constitutes PVP-I. Suitable alcohols for the solution of the present invention include but are not limited to ethanol and isopropanol. Isopropanol is preferred, as it is more efficient than ethanol in dissolving skin oils.

[0013] The viscosity builders in the solution are alcohol compatible and have pH controlled water solubility, and are preferably methacrylic polymers. The preferred viscosity builders include acidic acrylic polymers such as Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer and Carbomer. A more preferred viscosity builder is the Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, which is available under the trade name of Aculyn 22 from Rohm and Haas. Aculyn 22 is supplied by Rohm and Haas at a polymer solids concentration of 30%, with a pH of about 3.0. Acidic acrylic polymers normally function as viscosity builders that become more water-soluble as they are neutralized; the water solubility thereof is limited in the present invention because of the relatively low pH of the solution. While the polymer is insoluble in water at low pH, it is compatible with alcohol regardless of the pH level thereof, and therefore the polymer is especially suitable in the low pH solution of the present invention. Furthermore, viscosity builders having pH controlled water solubility decrease the water solubility of the prep film of the present invention, but allow for easy removal by mild physical rubbing. The main mechanism of Aculyn 22 in building viscosity for the solution of the present invention is its associative thickening properties, caused by physical forces between particles of Aculyn 22 and the solution.

[0014] Preferably, the solution contains 5-10% by weight complexed antimicrobial agent, 60-95% by volume alcohol, 1-5% by solids weight polymer pH sensitive viscosity builder, and water. As regards the alcohol, when using ethanol it should comprise about 60-95% of the volume of the entire solution, whereas isopropanol should comprise about 70-91.3% of the volume of the entire solution. The preferred solution has a pH range from about 1.5 to 6.5, and a specific gravity range of about 0.790 to 0.990 depending upon the applicable concentrations of the actives and excipient, if any. The solution of the present invention may also include a skin irritation reducer (e.g., glycerin), a surface tension adjuster (e.g., a nonionic surfactant such as Nonoxynol-9), a synergistic secondary thickener (e.g., polyvinyl pyrrolidone), acid and base pH adjusters (e.g., phosphoric acid and aminomethyl propanol), buffers and/or additional viscosity builders.

[0015] A more preferred embodiment of the invention includes about 5-10% by weight PVP-I; about 70-91% by volume isopropanol; about 0.2%-0.3% by weight aminomethyl propanol; about 0.01% to 1.0% by weight phosphoric acid; 0.1%-5% by weight glycerin; 0.1% to 1.0% by weight non-ionic surfactant Nonoxynol-9; and 2%-4% pH sensitive methacrylic polymer viscosity builder selected from acidic acrylate polymers which are commonly used as viscosity builders.

[0016] A final preferred antimicrobial skin preparation embodiment of the present invention comprises, by weight: 7.5% PVP-I, 0.75% available iodine (USP/EP Grade); 64.5% isopropanol (USP/EP Grade); 2.4% Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer; 0.27% aminomethyl propanol 95%; 0.06% phosphoric acid (75%); and water. The pH of this preferred embodiment of the present invention is approximately 3.5, the viscosity is approximately 250 cp, and the specific gravity is approximately 0.889.

[0017] The composition of the present invention is preferably manufactured by combining a minimal amount of the alcohol and sufficient amount of the water to provide volume to blend in the antimicrobial agent, if the same is provided in powdered form. As there is some risk of ignition of suspended dust particles when adding a powdered antimicrobial agent, the preliminary alcohol content should be minimal and the dust particles should be added to avoid forming a cloud of finely dispersed particles over the batch. The viscosity builder is then preferably diluted in water and added slowly to the solution. Any additional alcohol can then be added to the solution, as well as any desirable elements such as glycerin and base pH adjusters. Each element should be added slowly, and mixed well into the solution so that the solution is homogeneous prior to the addition of a subsequent element.