Patent Picks—Gloss, Microbe Control, Anti-inflammation, Pigment Wetting, Delivery and More in Color and Skin

Patent Picks are compiled by the editors from publicly available sources. This collection features inventions related to color and skin care applications for pigment wetting and dispersion, anti-inflammation, gloss, controlled delivery and microbe inhibition/enhancement.

Silanes to improve pigment wettability and dispersion
U.S. Patent 9029586
Publication date: May 12, 2015
Inventors: B.C. Arkles, J.C. Hollenberg, Y.M. Kim and Y. Pan 

According to these inventors, there remains a need for materials that improve the wettability and/or dispersion of inorganic materials such as pigments. This invention describes a silane compound including a hydrophobic group and a silane ester group linked by a hydrophilic group to treat the surface of pigments and other inorganic materials to improve their wettability and dispersion properties.

Substituted acetylenic imidazo[1,2-A]pyridazines for anti-inflammation  
U.S. Patent 9029533
Publication date: May 12, 2015
Assignee: ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Protein kinases are a large family of proteins that impact a wide variety of cellular processes. According to this patent, in view of their large number and associated diseases, there is thus an ever-existing need for new inhibitors for the various protein kinases. This invention concerns a new family of acetylenic heteroaryl compounds for use as such to treat cancers, bone disorders, metabolic disorders, inflammatory disorders and other diseases.

Polymers for lasting gloss 
U.S. Patent 8968711 B2
Publication date: March 3, 2015
Assignee: L’Oréal

This invention proposes compositions that contain polymers capable of providing long-lasting gloss and desired aesthetic properties. The polymers comprise: a) a backbone obtained by the reaction of:

  • a polyol including 3 to 6 hydroxyl groups;
  • a monocarboxylic acid containing 6 to 32 carbon atoms; and
  • a polycarboxylic acid including at least two carboxylic groups COOH, and/or a cyclic anhydride such as a polycarboxylic acid, and/or a lactone containing at least one carboxylic group COOH;

and b) at least one junction group linked to said polymer backbone and capable of establishing H bonds with one or more partner junction groups, with each pairing of a junction group involving at least three H (hydrogen) bonds.

Colored nonwoven sheet for topical skin delivery  
U.S. Patent 9011394 B2
Publication date: April 21, 2015
Assignee: L’Oréal

Non-woven fabric composite structures having an adhesive matrix situated between two support layers are described in the literature. These were developed to be wetted and applied to the skin, to release at least one active ingredient contained in the matrix. However, according to this patent, these structures generally are white, and there is a need to visually distinguish between the two surfaces of the sheet structure.

The present invention relates to a structure comprising: a colored matrix; one substrate situated on a first side of the matrix; and a second substrate situated on the second side of the matrix. These substrates have different opacities such that one is low enough to enable the subjacent colored matrix to show through, so the matrices appear to be different colors.

Nano-encapsulated controlled delivery 
U.S. Patent 9011964 B1
Publication date: April 21, 2015
Inventor: A.S. Zeng

According to this inventor, there is a need for the controlled delivery of nanosized encapsulated actives, such as medicines, that makes them easy to administer to target areas, requires fewer administrations, lowers toxicity and makes them less expensive overall. Furthermore, since creating nanosized encapsulated medicine is challenging, there is a need to improve the processes, procedures and systems involved.

This patent discloses a mixed-dose nanosized drug including a core drug encapsulated in one or more layers of a protective material having the same drug or a different drug at the same or different concentration. The drugs are encapsulated and layered such that they have different release rates. Methods and systems for manufacturing and administering the drugs also are provided.

Gel for topical delivery
U.S. Patent 9012402 B1
Publication date: April 21, 2015
Inventor: J. Blanchard

Disclosed herein is a drug delivery system that can serve as a platform for the topical delivery of a variety of therapeutic agents. Specifically described is a topical external analgesic gel containing ketoprofen, a skin penetration enhancer/cosolvent, a thickening agent and a base to adjust the pH. This formulation uses a relatively small number of components, is easy to prepare and yields high amounts of the finished product. The chemical stability of ketoprofen and the physical stability of the gel itself ensure a satisfactory shelf-life. Furthermore, this gel was shown to be safe, aesthetically pleasing, i.e., easily washes off with water, is non-irritating to skin, does not stain clothing, etc., and provide rapid relief, thereby helping to ensure user compliance.

Porous particles for stable delivery
U.S. Patent 9029431
Publication date: May 12, 2015
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co.

According to this patent, there is a need for materials that can better stabilize water-in-oil emulsions; for example, pore-stabilizing hydrocolloids used in oil phases that do not have the ideal properties to provide interface stabilization. Therefore, there is also a need for a more reliable and predictable method of preparing porous particles with such oil phases.

In response, described here are porous particles prepared using an evaporative limited coalescence process, in which one or more discrete cavities are stabilized within the continuous polymeric solid phase of the porous particles. The cavities have inner walls and are dispersed within the continuous polymeric solid phase. The porous particles further comprise a cavity-stabilizing hydrocolloid on the inner walls, and an amphiphilic (low HLB) block copolymer disposed at the interface of the cavities and continuous polymeric solid phase. These particles can be used in drug delivery, cosmetic formulations and pharmaceuticals, or as chemical or enzymatic reactors for biological and organic syntheses, or other chemical processes.

Chitosan derivatives for microbe inhibition, enhancement
U.S. Patent 9029351
Publication date: May 12, 2015
Assignee: Synedgen, Inc.

This invention relates to chitosan-derivative compounds and structures, methods of making them and their use for controlling, inhibiting and enhancing microbial populations, including bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. The compounds described include chitosan-arginine compounds, related chitosan-L/D unnatural amino acid compounds, chitosan-acid amine compounds, chitosan-L/D natural amino acid derivative compounds, co-derivatives of the chitosan-derivative compounds, salts of the chitosan derivative compounds, and chitosan-guanidine compounds.

More in Literature/Data