TRANSDERMAL TERBUTALINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF ASTHMA

ASTHMA IS A COSTLY AND WIDESPREAD BREATHING DISORDER PRONE TO STRIKE CHILDREN. ADVANCES IN TREATMENT HAVE LED TO BETA-2 ADRENERGIC DRUGS, SUCH AS TERBUTALINE HEMISULFATE (TBS), WHICH PROVIDE RELIEF WITH FEW OF THE SIDE EFFECTS, SUCH AS TACHYCARDIA, OF EARLIER DRUGS. UNFORTUNATELY, TBS HAS POOR BIOAVAILABILTY BY MOUTH AND BY INHALATION, AND NEITHER TABLETS NOR AEROSOLS ARE IDEAL FOR CHRONIC OR PROPHYLACTIC USE; INHALATION PROVIDES TEMPORARY PROTECTION BUT DOES NOT LEND ITSELF TO UNOBTRUSIVE REPETITIVE USE, WHILE ORAL THERAPY INVOLVES SEVERAL PILLS A DAY AND MAY CAUSE TREMOR. IT IS ASSERTED THAT TRANSDERMAL DELIVERY OFFERS A POTENTIALLY SUPERIOR METHOD FOR BOTH CHRONIC AND PROPHYLACTIC TBS THERAPY. PHASE I WILL SEEK TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBLITY OF A NEW APPROACH TO TBS THERAPY IN VITRO MEASUREMENTS ON HUMAN SKIN AND IN VIVO STUDIES IN RABBITS. PHASE II WILL PURSUE FDA APPROVAL AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF A PRACTICAL TRANSDERMAL TBS ASTHMA TREATMENT SYSTEM.