Pharmaceutical Preparations Comprising Flutamide

The present invention relates to pharmaceutical preparations comprising 4'-nitro-3'-trifluoromethylisobutyranilide. The USAN has approved the generic name "flutamide" for this compound, and this name will be used hereinafter. The preparation of flutamide is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,060, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical preparation in a dosage unit form adapted for systemic administration, useful in the treatment of prostate carcinoma, comprising a therapeutically effective quantity of flutamide together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Numerous studies have shown that the preparations of the present invention are useful in the treatment of prostatic carcinoma. The preparations of the present invention may also be used to treat other androgen dependent carcinomas.

It will be understood by the prescribing clinician that carcinomas are complex and difficult conditions to treat and that no single treatment will necessarily be effective in curing a particular patient. However, in view of the severity of the condition involved, the relative absence of serious side effects for effective dosages of flutamide, and the possibility of achieving at least an ameliorative effect, the preparations of the present invention are useful in this context.

In the treatment of prostatic carcinoma, the compositions of the present invention should provide a quantity of flutamide equivalent to a dose of about 2 to 3 mg per kg of body weight per day, preferably about 4 to about 20 mg per kg of body weight per day, more preferably about 7 to 14 mg per kg of body weight per day. The aforementioned doses may be divided into two or more portions for administration over the course of the day, for example, one-third of the daily dose administered three times per day. Pharmaceutical preparations for a 70 kilogram mammal should provide a daily dose of flutamide of about 100 mg to about 2000 mg, preferably about 250 mg to about 1500 mg, and more preferably about 500 mg to about 1000 mg, and should be continued until symptomatic relief is obtained, as ascertained by the attending diagnostician.

The pharmaceutical preparations of this invention include such oral dosage forms as tablets, capsules and elixirs as well as parenteral dosage forms, e.g. ampuls and vials.

Additionally, they may be in the form of suppositories (both rectal and urethral). In tablet form flutamide is compounded with an inert pharmaceutical carrier which may contain a suitable binder such as, for example, gums, starches, and sugars. The ingredients may also be incorporated into gelatin capsules or formulated into elixirs which have the advantage of being susceptible to manipulations in flavor by the addition of standard natural or synthetic flavoring agents. Highly satisfactory administration may also be achieved in the form of aqueous parenteral suspension.

Preferably, the aforementioned formulations are so proportioned as to afford a unit dose of about 125 or about 250 mg of flutamide. Thus, for example, a preferred dosage of 750 mg per day could thus be administered as one 250 mg tablet or capsule three times per day or two 125 mg tablets or capsules three times per day.

Representative flutamide formulations are as follows:

Blend the above ingredients using a wet granulation method and compress into tablets using standard techniques.

Using standard techniques, combine the above ingredients to prepare a parenteral suspension.

Blend the above by standard techniques and fill into capsules.