Abstract: The following description refers to a process for the impregnation of cross-linked polymers with an active ingredient. The process is based on the used of compressed fluids, in particular CO2, with antisolvent effect, and involves the steps of impregnating the polymer with an active ingredient solution, adding a compressed fluid until precipitation of the active ingredient caused by the compressed fluid antisolvent effect, removing the solvent and the compressed fluid. The process allows to obtain accelerated release pharmaceutical formulations that, compared with the formulations already known, contain larger quantities of amorphous or nanocrystalline active ingredient.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for microencapsulating a pharmaceutical substrate comprising the steps of: a) adding insoluble or sparingly soluble particles of the substrate to be microencapsulated to a stable buffer solution having a high ionic strength; b) dissolving a membrane-forming ionic polymer in the buffer; c) forming a coacervate by adding a water-complexing compound causing phase separation of the resulting mixture; and d) allowing the deposition of the coacervate onto the substrate so as to create a coating of polymer around the substrate.

Abstract: This invention provides a formulation for preparing a fast disintegrating tablet comprising a drug in multiparticulate form, one or more water insoluble inorganic excipients, one or more disintegrants, and optionally one or more substantially water soluble excipients, the amounts of said ingredients being such as to provide a disintegration time for the tablet in the order of 75 seconds or less, typically 30 seconds or less.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new layering process, in particular to a process for the manufacture of multiparticulate solid oral dosage forms based on a dry spray layering technique optionally with electrostatic attraction. The invention also relates to an apparatus for use in the process.

Abstract: This invention concerns wettable microcapsules ethylcellulose coated cores and to processes for their preparation; in particular, to microcapsules with ethylcellulose coats that are wettable so that they are suspendable in aqueous medium. The wettable microcapsules can be prepared by applying ethylcellulose onto drug containing core by phase separation from a solvent to provide microcapsules, optionally washing said microcapsules with a solvent in which said microcapsules are substantially insoluble and drying, (a) one or more surfactants is/are incorporated in the solvent at the phase separation step; and/or (b) one or more surfactants is/are incorporated in the solvent used to wash the microcapsules; and/or said microcapsules being coated with one or more surfactants optionally in the presence of a binder.

Abstract: The invention provides a biphasic multicomponent pharmaceutical composition consisting of an oil phase and a water phase, comprising one or more lipophilic or oil carrier, one or more hydrophilic or aqueous carrier, one or more ionic or nonionic type surfactant, one or more cosurfactant, one or more active principle for pharmaceutical use, and a compound able to modify the partition of the active principle between said phases selected from the group consisting of N- methyl pyrrolidone (NMP), isopropyl alcohol, propylene glycol, ethoxy-di-glycol, &bgr;-cyclodextrin, hydroxypropyl &bgr;-cyclodextrin and dimethyl &bgr;-cyclodextrin. The invention also provides a method for making the composition.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions comprising one or more polymers and one or more drugs by the extrusion and spheronization technique, wherein polymers belong to the group of the cross-linked amphiphilic polymers.

Abstract: A complex between carrageenan and a water soluble drug characterized in powder form having an average particle size comprised between 10 and 100 &mgr;m, and the basic water drug is contained in the complex in amounts ranging from 1.5 and 5 mmol/g carrageenan, a process for preparing this complex and relative controlled release pharmaceutical compositions containing it.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel compositions, in particular to compositions comprising calcitonin or a fragment or conjugate thereof and to methods for preparing such compositions. It also relates to oral formulations comprising the compositions and to shelf stable formulations of calcitonin or a fragment or conjugate thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides a granular product useful as a pharmaceutical carrier which can be used for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions that are capable of rapid suspension in water or aqueous media including saliva. The compositions may be used by addition to a glass of water with stirring or taken directly in the mouth. The granular product may be prepared by a process which comprises subjecting a mixture of a thickening agent and a disintegrating agent to wet granulation with an aqueous medium as wetting agent or dry granulation and preparing the pharmaceutical composition from the granular product and the pharmaceutically active ingredient. A water-soluble inert excipient, which may be a sugar, may be mixed with the granular product prior to mixing with the pharmaceutically active ingredient.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to obtain a targeted and controlled release of drugs, the pharmacological action and absorption of which takes place in the intestine and in particular in the ileum and in the colon.To achieve this objective the drug is coated with two membranes, one having pH dependent solubility and the other insoluble but permeable to intestinal juices.As long as the coated drug remains in the stomach and in the upper part of the intestinal tract, that is as long as the pH is lower than 5.5, it is not released.Only when it reaches an environment with a higher pH (small intestine and/or colon), the pH dependent membrane dissolves and the release of the drug can begin.From this moment the second membrane, pH-independent but permeable to intestinal juices, carries out its action which is to slow down and control the dissolution of the drug in the small intestine-colon tract.

Abstract: The invention provides a solid pharmaceutical composition for addition to water to produce a suspension of a drug comprising (a) a drug which is substantially water-insoluble or microencapsulated; (b) a thickening or suspending agent; (c) a pharmaceutically acceptable acid; (d) a pharmaceutically acceptable carbonate or bicarbonate; characterised in that the weight ratio of c+d:b is from 1:1.5 to 1:15 and the amount of c+d is sufficient to obtain rapid hydration of the thickening or suspending agent (b) when the composition is mixed with water such that a homogeneous suspension of the drug is obtained within 30 seconds. A method for preparing the composition is also described.