Title:  Fast dispersing dosage forms essentially free of mammalian gelatin

United States Patent:  6,509,040

Issued:  January 21, 2003

Inventors:  Murray; Owen James (Franklin Township, Somerset County, NJ); Green; Richard (Kent, GB); Kearney; Patrick (Swindon, GB); Grother; Leon Paul (Swindon, GB)

Assignee:  R.P. Scherer Corporation (Basking Ridge, NJ)

Appl. No.:  887604

Filed:  June 22, 2001

The present invention relates to fast dispersing solid dosage forms that preferably dissolve in the oral cavity within sixty (60), more preferably within thirty (30), most preferably within ten (10) seconds. A novel feature of the solid dosage forms according to the invention reside in the fact that the composition is essentially free or absolutely free of mammalian gelatin. It has been discovered that the use of certain modified starches at concentrations from 20 to 90% by weight of the solid dosage form prepares dosage forms that are mechanically and chemically stable and are able to deliver higher concentrations of an active ingredient than the heretofore utilized gelatin based fast dispersing solid dosage forms. Further, the solid dosage forms according to the invention are obtainable by removing a solvent, such as water, from a mixture comprising an active ingredient, a modified starch and a matrix forming agent via freeze drying.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein and in the claims, the term "fast dispersing dosage form (FDDF)" refers to compositions which disintegrate/disperse within 1 to 60 seconds, preferably 1 to 30 seconds, more preferably 1 to 10 seconds and particularly 2 to 8 seconds, of being placed in the oral cavity. The dosage form of the present invention is similar to the dosage forms described in U.K. Pat. No. 1548022, that is, a solid fast dispersing dosage form comprising a network of the active ingredient and a water-soluble or water-dispersible carrier, which is inert towards the active ingredient, the network having been obtained by subliming solvent from a composition in the solid state, that composition comprising the active ingredient and a solution of the carrier in a solvent. The point of distinction being that the modified starch is used as the carrier in place of the conventional mammalian gelatin.

The fast dispersing dosage form according to the invention may also contain, in addition to the active ingredient and modified starch, other matrix forming agents and secondary components. Matrix forming agents suitable for use in the present invention include materials derived from animal or vegetable proteins, such as non-mammalian gelatins, dextrins and soy, wheat and psyllium seed proteins; gums such as acacia, guar, agar, and xanthan; polysaccharides; alginates; carboxymethylcelluloses; carrageenans; dextrans; pectins; synthetic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone; and polypeptide/protein or polysaceharide complexes such as gelatin-acacia complexes.

Matrix forming agents suitable for use in the present invention include sugars such as mannitol, dextrose, lactose, galactose and trehalose; cyclic sugars such as cyclodextrin; inorganic salts such a s s odium phosphate, sodium chloride and aluminum silicates; and amino acids having from 2 to 12 carbon atoms such as a glycine, L-alanine, L-aspartic acid, L-glutamic acid, L-hyd roxyprsline, L-isoleucine , L-leucine and L-phenylalanine.

One or m ore matrix forming agents may be incorporated into the solution or suspension prior to solidification. The matrix forming agent may be present in addition to a surfactant or to the exclusion of a surfactant. In addition to forming the matrix, the matrix forming agent may aid in maintaining the dispersion of any active ingredient within the solution, suspension or mixture. This is especially helpful in the case of active agents that are not sufficiently soluble in water and must, therefore, be suspended rather than dissolved.

Secondary components such as preservatives, antioxidants, surfactants, viscosity enhancers, coloring agents, flavoring agents, pH modifiers, sweeteners or taste-masking agents may also be incorporated into the composition. Suitable coloring agents include red, black and yellow iron oxides and FD & C dyes such as FD & C Blue No. 2 and FD & C Red No. 40. Suitable flavoring agents include mint, raspberry, licorice, orange, lemon, grapefruit, caramel, vanilla, cherry and grape flavors and combinations of these. Suitable pH modifiers include citric acid, tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, maleic acid and sodium hydroxide. Suitable sweeteners include aspartame, acesulfame K and thaumatin. Suitable taste-masking agents include sodium bicarbonate, ion-exchange resins, cyclodextrin inclusion compounds, adsorbates or microencapsulated actives.

In general the modified starch will comprise from 5% to 99.5% by weight solids of the FDDF, normally 20% to 90%, usually 50 to 90%.

Any drug may be used as the active ingredient in the composition of the present invention. Examples of suitable drugs include but are not limited to those listed below:

Analgesics and Anti-inflammatory Agents: aloxiprin, auranofin, azapropazone, benorylate, diflunisal, etodolac, fenbufen, fenoprofen calcim, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, indomethacin, ketoprofen, meclofenamic acid, mefenamic acid, nabumetone, naproxen, oxaprozin, oxyphenbutazone, phenylbutazone, piroxicam, sulindac.

Anthelmintics: albendazole, bephenium hydroxynaphthoate, cambendazole, dichlorophen, ivermectin, mebendazole, oxamniquine, oxfendazole, oxantel embonate, praziquantel, pyrantel embonate, thiabendazole.

Anti-arrhythmic Agents: amiodarone HCl, disopyramide, flecainide acetate, quinidine sulphate.

Anti-bacterial Agents: benethamine penicillin, cinoxacin, ciprofloxacin HCl, clarithromycin, clofazimine, cloxacillin, demeclocycline, doxycycline, erythromycin, ethionamide, imipenem, nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin, rifampicin, spiramycin, sulphabenzamide, sulphadoxine, sulphamerazine, sulphacetamide, sulphadiazine, sulphafurazole, sulphamethoxazole, sulphapyridine, tetracycline, trimethoprim.

Anti-coagulants: dicoumarol, dipyridamole, nicoumalone, phenindione.

Anti-depressants: amoxapine, ciclazindol, maprotiline HCl, mianserin HCl, nortriptyline HCl, trazodone HCl, trimipramine maleate.

Anti-diabetics: acetohexamide, chlorpropamide, glibenclamide, gliclazide, glipizide, tolazamide, tolbutamide.

Anti-epileptics: beclamide, carbamazepine, clonazepam, ethotoin, methoin, methsuximide, methylphenobarbitone, oxcarbazepine, paramethadione, phenacemide, phenobarbitone, phenytoin, phensuximide, primidone, sulthiame, valproic acid.

Anti-fungal Agents: amphotericin, butoconazole nitrate, clotrimazole, econazole nitrate, fluconazole, flucytosine, griseofulvin, itraconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, natamycin, nystatin, sulconazole nitrate, terbinafine HCl, terconazole, tioconazole, undecenoic acid.

Anti-gout Agents: allopurinol, probenecid, sulphinpyrazone.

Anti-hypertensive Agents: amlodipine, benidipine, darodipine, dilitazem HCl, diazoxide, felodipine, guanabenz acetate, indoramin, isradipine, minoxidil, nicardipine HCl, nifedipine, nimodipine, phenoxybenzamine HCl, prazosin HCL, reserpine, terazosin HCl.

Anti-malarials: amodiaquine, chloroquine, chlorproguanil HCl, halofantrine HCl, mefloquine HCl, proguanil HCl, pyrimethamine, quinine sulphate.

Anti-migraine Agents: dihydroergotamine mesylate, ergotamine tartrate, methysergide maleate, pizotifen maleate, sumatriptan succinate.

Anti-muscarinic Agents: atropine, benzhexol HCl, biperiden, ethopropazine HCl, hyoscine butyl bromide, hyoscyamine, mepenzolate bromide, orphenadrine, oxyphencylcimine HCl, tropicamide.

Anti-neoplastic Agents and Immunosuppressants: aminoglutethimide, amsacrine, azathioprine, busulphan, chlorambucil, cyclosporin, dacarbazine, estramustine, etoposide, lomustine, melphalan, mercaptopurine, methotrexate, mitomycin, mitotane, mitozantrone, procarbazine HCl, tamoxifen citrate, testolactone.

Anti-protazoal Agents: benznidazole, clioquinol, decoquinate, diiodohydroxyquinoline, diloxanide furoate, dinitolmide, furzolidone, metronidazole, nimorazole, nitrofurazone, omidazole, tinidazole.

Anti-thyroid Agents: carbimazole, propylthiouracil.

Anxiolytic, Sedatives, Hypnotics and Neuroleptics: alprazolam, amylobarbitone, barbitone, bentazepam, bromazepam, bromperidol, brotizolam, butobarbitone, carbromal, chlordiazepoxide, chlormethiazole, chlorpromazine, clobazam, clotiazepam, clozapine, diazepam, droperidol, ethinamate, flunanisone, flunitrazepam, fluopromazine, flupenthixol decanoate, fluphenazine decanoate, flurazepam, haloperidol, lorazepam, lormetazepam, medazepam, meprobamate, methaqualone, midazolam, nitrazepam, oxazepam, pentobarbitone, perphenazine pimozide, prochlorperazine, sulpiride, temazepam, thioridazine, triazolam, zopiclone.

.beta.-Blockers: acebutolol, alprenolol, atenolol, labetalol, metoprolol, nadolol, oxprenolol, pindolol, propranolol.

Cardiac Inotropic Agents: amrinone, digitoxin, digoxin, enoximone, lanatoside C, medigoxin.

Corticosteroids: beclomethasone, betamethasone, budesonide, cortisone acetate, desoxymethasone, dexamethasone, fludrocortisone acetate, flunisolide, flucortolone, fluticasone propionate, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, prednisone, triamcinolone.

Diuretics: acetazolamide, amiloride, bendrofluazide, bumetanide, chlorothiazide, chlorthalidone, ethacrynic acid, frusemide, metolazone, spironolactone, triamterene.

Enzymes:

Anti-parkinsonian Agents: bromocriptine mesylate, lysuride maleate.

Gastro-intestinal Agents: bisacodyl, cimetidine, cisapride, diphenoxylate HCl, domperidone, famotidine, loperamide, mesalazine, nizatidine, omeprazole, ondansetron HCL, ranitidine HCl, sulphasalazine.

Histamine H,-Receptor Antagonists: acrivastine, astemizole, cinnarizine, cyclizine, cyproheptadine HCl, dimenhydrinate, flunarizine HCl, loratadine, meclozine HCl, oxatomide, terfenadine, triprolidine.

Lipid Regulating Agents: bezafibrate, clofibrate, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, probucol.

Local Anaesthetics:

Neuro-muscular Agents: pyridostigmine.

Nitrates and other Anti-anginal Agents: amyl nitrate, glyceryl trinitrate, isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, pentaerythritol tetranitrate.

Nutritional Agents: betacarotene, vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K.

Opioid Analgesics: codeine, dextropropyoxyphene, diamorphine, dihydrocodeine, meptazinol, methadone, morphine, nalbuphine, pentazocine.

Oral Vaccines: Vaccines designed to prevent or reduce the symptoms of diseases of which the following is a representative but not exclusive list:

Influenza, Tuberculosis, Meningitis, Hepatitis, Whooping Cough, Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Malaria, Cholera, Herpes, Typhoid, HIV, AIDS, Measles, Lyme disease, Travellers Diarrhea, Hepatitis A, B and C, Otitis Media, Dengue Fever, Rabies, Parainfluenza, Rubella, Yellow Fever, Dysentery, Legionnaires Disease, Toxoplasmosis, Q-Fever, Haemorrhegic Fever, Argentina Haemorrhagic Fever, Caries, Chagas Disease, Urinary Tract Infection caused by E.coli, Pneumoccoccal Disease, Mumps, and Chikungunya.

Vaccines to prevent or reduce the symptoms of other disease syndromes of which the following is a representative but not exclusive list of causative organisms:

Vibrio species, Salmonella species, Bordetella species, Haemophilus species, Toxoplasmosis gondii, Cytomegalovirus, Chlamydia species, Streptococcal species, Norwalk Virus, Escherischia coli, Helicobacter pylori, Rotavirus, Neisseria gonorrhae, Neisseria meningiditis, Adenovirus, Epstein Barr Virus, Japanese Encephalitis Virus, Pneumocystis carini, Herpes simplex, Clostridia species, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Klebsielia species, Shigella species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Parvovirus, Campylobacter species, Rickettsia species, Varicella zoster, Yersinia species, Ross River Virus, J.C. Virus, Rhodococcus equi, Moraxella catarrhalis, Borrelia burgdorferi and Pasteurella haemolytica. Vaccines directed to non-infections immuno-modulated disease conditions such as topical and systematic allergic conditions such as Hayfever, Asthma, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Carcinomas.

Vaccines for veterinary use include those directed to Coccidiosis, Newcastle Disease, Enzootic pneumonia, Feline leukaemia, Atrophic rhinitis, Erysipelas, Foot and Mouth disease, Swine, pneumonia, and other disease conditions and other infections and auto-immune disease conditions affecting companion and farm animals.

Proteins, Peptides and Recombinant drugs: insulin (hexameric/dimeric/monomeric forms), glucagon, growth hormone (somatotropin), polypeptides or their derivatives, (preferably with a molecular weight from 1000 to 300,000), calcitonins and synthetic modifications thereof, enkephalins, interferons (especially Alpha-2 interferon for treatment of common colds), LHRH and analogues (nafarelin, buserelin, zolidex), GHRH (growth hormone releasing hormone), secretin, bradykin antagonists, GRF (growth releasing factor), THF, TRH (thyrotropin releasing hormone), ACTH analogues, IGF (insulin like growth factors), CGRP (calcitonin gene related peptide), atrial natriurectic peptide, vasopressin and analogues (DDAVP, lypressin), factor VIII, G-CSF (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor), EPO (erythropoitin).

Sex Hormones: clomiphene citrate, danazol, ethinyloestradiol, medroxyprogesterone acetate, mestranol, methyltestosterone, norethisterone, norgestrel, oestradiol, conjugated oestrogens, progesterone, stanozolol, stiboestrol, testosterone, tibolone.

Spermicides: nonoxynol 9.

Stimulants: amphetamine, dexamphetamine, dexfenfluramine, fenfluramine, mazindol, pemoline.

The precise quantity of active ingredient will depend on the drug selected. However, the active ingredient is generally present in an amount from 0.2 to 95%, normally 1 to 20%, by weight of the composition of the dried dosage form.

Claim 1 of 8 Claims

We claim:

1. A fast dispersing solid dosage form designed to release an active ingredient rapidly in the oral cavity characterized in that said dosage form is essentially free of mammalian gelatin and comprises:

a) at least one active ingredient;

b) at least one modified starch at a concentration of from 20 to 90% by weight; selected from the group consisting of starches whose hydroxyl groups have been esterified, hydroxypropyl di-starch phosphate, an enzymatically modified starch, a pregelatinized di-starch phosphate, hydroxyethyl starch, a pregelatinized acetylated di-starch phosphate and a pregelatinized purified starch; and

c) at least one matrix forming agent;

wherein said solid dosage form has a disintegration/dispersion time of from 1-60 seconds and is obtainable by removing a solvent from a mixture comprising said active ingredient, said modified starch and said matrix forming agent.
 

____________________________________________
If you want to learn more about this patent, please go directly to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Web site to access the full patent.