United States Patent:  6,113,944

Assignee:  SmithKline Beecham p.l.c. (Brentford, GB)

Filed:  June 30, 1998

Invented is a novel pharmaceutical composition containing Paroxetine.

Description of the Invention

The present invention relates to novel formulations and to the use of the formulation in the treatment and/or prevention of certain disorders.

U.S. Pat. 4,007,196 describes certain compounds which possess anti-depressant activity. One specific compound mentioned in this patent is known as paroxetine.

This compound has been approved for human use and is being sold in many countries around the world as an anti-depressant agent.

It has been noticed that tablets of paroxetine often develop a pink hue which is highly undesirable.

To date, all tablets which have been sold have been formulated using an aqueous granulation process. It has surprisingly been found that formulation of paroxetine into tablets can be carried out reliably and on a commercial scale using a formulation process in which water is absent, such as by direct compression or by dry granulation.

It has also been surprisingly found that paroxetine formulated into a tablet using a process in which water is absent, is much less likely to develop a pink hue.

Accordingly, the present invention provides paroxetine which is formulated into tablets using a formulation process in which water is absent.

Examples of such a formulation process are dry direct compression of paroxetine or dry granulation of paroxetine followed by compression into tablets. The present invention therefore provides a formulation comprising direct compressed paroxetine admixed with dry excipients in the form of a tablet and a formulation comprising dry granulated and compressed paroxetine admixed with dry excipients in the form of a tablet.

It should be appreciated that the term "dry" means substantially "dry" as opposed to the wholesale addition of water which was previously employed in the wet granulation process.

Direct compression techniques are generally known in the art of pharmaceutical science. For example, paroxetine is conventionally admixed with dry excipients and compressed into tablets.

Dry granulation techniques are generally also known in the art of pharmaceutical science. For example, paroxetine is conventionally admixed with dry excipients and compressed into large slugs or roller compacted into ribbon-like strands. The compacted material is then suitably milled to produce a free flowing powder which is then compressed into tablets.

Additional excipients may then be added and mixed with the free flowing powder before being compressed into tablets.

Examples of excipients include calcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycollate and magnesium stearate which may be admixed in appropriate ratios.

It should be appreciated that particularly good results are obtained when microcrystalline cellulose is absent from the formulation, this is surprising as tablets formulated in the absence of microcystalline cellulose are often prone to breaking up during manufacture or storage.

The paroxetine/excipient mixture may be compressed into an appropriate tablet shape. Preferred shapes include a pentagonal circumcircle, oval, round biconvex or a tilt-tablet such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,822.

Paroxetine when incorporated into the above-mentioned tablets is suitably, present as the hydrochloride hemi-hydrate form which may be prepared according to the procedures outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,723.

The amount of paroxetine present in the above-mentioned tablets is in the range of 10 to 100 mg of paroxetine as measured in terms of the "free base". Particularly preferred amounts include 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg and 50 mg of paroxetine as measured in terms of the "free base". Particularly preferred amounts include 20 mg, 30 mg and 40 mg of paroxetine as measured in terms of the "free base".

Suitable procedures for preparing paroxetine include those mentioned in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,009,196, 4,902,801, 4,861,893 and 5,039,803 and PCT/GB 93/00721.

It has been mentioned that paroxetine has particular utility in the treatment of depression, paroxetine may also be used in the treatment of mixed anxiety and depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, panic, pain, obesity, senile dementia, migraine, bulimia, anorexia, social phobia and the depression arising from premenstrual tension and adolescence.

The present invention therefore also provides a method of treating or preventing any of the above disorders which comprises administering an effective or prophylatic amount to a sufferer in need thereof of paroxetine which is formulated into a tablet using a process in which water is absent.

The present invention further provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising paroxetine which is formulated into a tablet using a process in which water is absent for use in treating or preventing of the above disorders.

The present invention further provides the use of paroxetine which is formulated into a tablet using a process in which water is absent in the manufacture of a medicament for treating or preventing the above disorders .

Claim 1 of 1 Claim

1. A pharmaceutical composition in tablet form containing an amount of paroxetine selected from: 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg and 50 mg, wherein the amount of paroxetine is expressed as the free base, produced by a process which comprises the steps of:

a) dry admixing paroxetine and excipients in a mixer to form a mixture; or

b) dry admixing paroxetine and excipients, compressing the resulting combination into a slug material or roller compacting the resulting combination into a strand material, and milling the prepared material into a free flowing mixture; and

c) compressing the mixture into tablets using a single punch or rotary tablet machine.

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