| CPC A61K 9/1272 (2013.01) [A61K 9/0034 (2013.01); A61K 31/436 (2013.01); A61K 49/0084 (2013.01)] | 19 Claims |

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1. A dosage formulation of metastable liposomes comprising:
multilamellar metastable liposomes having a mean diameter of between one and 100 microns, inclusive, which comprise tacrolimus,
wherein the ratio of the volume enclosed by the liposomes at 25° C. relative to the volume enclosed by the liposomes following heating to a temperature that surpasses the gel-fluid phase transition of one or more lipids forming the liposomes is greater than 1.0;
wherein the tacrolimus is entrapped within the lipid forming the liposomes,
wherein the tacrolimus is present in the dosage formulation in an amount ranging from between 20 to 50 mg; and
wherein the metastable liposomes are prepared by a method comprising:
(a) dispersing the lipid forming the liposomes in a co-solvent system to create an isotropic monophasic solution;
(b) mixing the isotropic monophasic solution with the tacrolimus to form a pre-liposomal solution;
(c) lyophilizing the pre-liposomal solution to produce a pre-liposomal lyophilized formulation; and
(d) rehydrating the pre-liposomal lyophilized formulation of step (c) to produce the liposomes.
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