Abstract: A mill dried colloidal microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is obtained in a process comprising the steps of a) providing colloidal MCC having a moisture content of from 20 to 75 percent, based on the total weight of the moist colloidal MCC; and b) mill-drying the moist colloidal MCC in a single device capable of milling and drying in combination. The process can provide mill-dried colloidal microcrystalline cellulose having similar particle size distribution (LEFI, DIFI and EQPC), and a similar or higher tapped/untapped bulk density, a similar or lower Carr index, a similar or higher viscosity and a similar moisture content as the corresponding spray-dried colloidal microcrystalline cellulose.

Abstract: A composition comprises a mixture of a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose having a DS of from 1.0 to 2.7 and an MS of from 0.40 to 1.30, wherein the sum of the DS and MS is from 1.8 to 3.6, and wherein DS is the degree of substitution of methoxyl groups and MS is the molar substitution of hydroxypropoxyl groups, and a sugar alcohol in a weight ratio of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose to sugar alcohol of from 98:2 to 85:15. The composition may for instance be used to purge extrusion equipment.

Abstract: A sustained release composition for oral administration comprises particles of a physiologically active ingredient mixed with a hydroxyalkyl methylcellulose, wherein the ether substituents are methyl groups, hydroxyalkyl groups, and optionally alkyl groups being different from methyl, the hydroxyalkyl methylcellulose has an MS(hydroxyalkyl) of 0.05 to 1.00, and hydroxy groups of anhydroglucose units are substituted with methyl groups such that [s23/s26?0.2*MS(hydroxyalkyl)] is 0.30 or less, and wherein the concentration of hydroxyalkyl methylcellulose is 0.1-10% by dry weight of the active ingredient.

Abstract: A sustained release solid composition for oral administration comprises a physiologically active ingredient embedded in a matrix of a water-insoluble ethylcellulose which has a DS(ethyl) of at least 1.8, wherein the concentration of ethylcellulose is 0.1-20% by dry weight of the active ingredient.

Abstract: A process for fractionating an esterified cellulose ether comprising groups of the formula —C(O)—R—COOH, wherein R is a divalent hydrocarbon group, comprises the steps of a) blending the esterified cellulose ether comprising groups of the formula —C(O)—R—COOH with an aqueous liquid and setting the temperature of the resulting blend to less than 10° C. to dissolve a portion of the esterified cellulose ether in the aqueous liquid, b) separating the non-dissolved portion of the esterified cellulose ether from the remainder of the blend, and c) recovering or disposing of the esterified cellulose ether that is dissolved in the aqueous liquid.

Abstract: A process for recovering an esterified cellulose ether from a reaction product mixture obtained from a reaction of (a) a cellulose ether with (b) an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid anhydride or a di- or tricarboxylic acid anhydride or a combination of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid anhydride and a di- or tricarboxylic acid anhydride, comprises the steps of (i) contacting the reaction product mixture with an aqueous liquid and precipitating the esterified cellulose ether from the reaction product mixture, and (ii) isolating the precipitated esterified cellulose ether from the mixture obtained in step (i), Tackiness of the esterified cellulose ether can be reduced when before or in step (i) a particulate silicon oxide or metal oxide is dispersed or suspended in the reaction product mixture, the aqueous liquid or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A sustained release composition for oral administration comprises a physiologically active ingredient mixed with a methylcellulose, wherein the methylcellulose has anhydroglucose units joined by 1-4 linkages and wherein hydroxy groups of anhydroglucose units are substituted with methyl groups such that the s23/s26 is more than 0.27, and wherein the concentration of methylcellulose is from 0.1 to 10% by dry weight of the active ingredient.

Abstract: A sustained release composition for oral administration comprises a physiologically active ingredient mixed with a methylcellulose, wherein the methylcellulose has anhydroglucose units joined by 1-4 linkages and wherein hydroxy groups of anhydroglucose units are substituted with methyl groups such that the s23/s26 is 0.27 or less, the composition further comprising a liquid diluent in a weight ratio of liquid diluent to active ingredient in the range of 0:1 to 0.85:1.

Abstract: An aqueous composition which is useful for producing coatings and capsule shells comprises a) dispersed particles of an esterified cellulose ether comprising (i) groups of the formula —C(O)—R—COOA or (ii) a combination of aliphatic monovalent acyl groups and groups of the formula —C(O)—R—COOA, wherein R is a divalent hydrocarbon group and A is hydrogen or a cation, and the total degree of ester substitution is more than 0.70, and b) an esterified cellulose ether comprising aliphatic monovalent acyl groups and groups of the formula —C(O)—R—COOH, R being a divalent hydrocarbon group, wherein I) the degree of neutralization of the groups —C(O)—R—COOH is not more than 0.4, II) the total degree of ester substitution is from 0.03 to 0.70, and III) the esterified cellulose ether b) has a solubility in water of at least 2.0 weight percent at 2° C.

Abstract: An esterified cellulose ether is produced in a highly efficient manner in a process for reacting a cellulose ether with an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid anhydride and a dicarboxylic acid anhydride, wherein the process comprises the steps of a) preparing a reaction mixture comprising the cellulose ether, the aliphatic monocarboxylic acid anhydride and the aliphatic carboxylic acid such that the molar ratio of aliphatic carboxylic acid to anhydroglucose units of cellulose ether is up to 9.0:1 and heating the reaction mixture to a temperature of from 60° C. to 110° C. prior to, during or after mixing the components of the reaction mixture, and b) keeping the reaction mixture at least 15 minutes at the temperature of from 60° C. to 110° C. before adding dicarboxylic acid anhydride to the reaction mixture.

Abstract: An aqueous composition comprising a cellulose ether acetate being at least partially dissolved in an aqueous liquid is produced in a process, wherein an aqueous liquid is mixed with a cellulose ether acetate having a degree of substitution of acetyl groups, DSAc, of from 0.05 to 0.75 and the temperature of the mixture of the cellulose ether acetate and the aqueous liquid is set to less than 10 C to at least partially dissolve the cellulose ether acetate in the aqueous liquid.

Abstract: An esterified cellulose ether is provided wherein the ester groups are phthalyl groups, the degree of substitution of phthalyl groups is from 0.02 to 0.18, the degree of neutralization of phthalyl groups is not more than 0.75, and the esterified cellulose ether has a solubility in water of at least 2.0 weight percent at 2° C.

Abstract: Esterified cellulose ethers which have i) as ester groups aliphatic monovalent acyl groups or a combination of aliphatic monovalent acyl groups and groups of the formula —C(O)—R—COOA wherein R is a divalent aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon group and A is hydrogen or a cation, ii) a weight average molecular weight Mw of from 80,000 Dalton to 220,000 Dalton, iii) a Polydispersity Mw/Mn of from 1.3 to 4.0, and iv) an Mz/Mn of not more than 18.5, when the weight average molecular weight Mw, the number average molecular weight Mn and the z-average molecular weight Mz are measured by SEC-MALLS using as mobile phase a mixture produced from 40 parts by volume of acetonitrile and 60 parts by volume of aqueous buffer containing 50 mM NaH2—PO4 and 0.1 M NaNO3. are useful as enteric polymers for pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Abstract: An esterified cellulose comprising aliphatic monovalent acyl groups and groups of the formula —C(O)—R—COOH, R being a divalent hydrocarbon group, has the following properties: i) the degree of neutralization of the groups —C(O)—R—COOH is not more than 0.4, ii) the total degree of ester substitution is from 0.03 to 0.38, and iii) the esterified cellulose ether has a solubility in water of at least 2.0 weight percent at 20° C.

Abstract: A process for producing a water-soluble cellulose derivative of a reduced content of water-insoluble particles comprises the steps of a) reacting cellulose with an alkaline material to produce alkali cellulose, b) reacting the produced alkali cellulose with one or more derivatizing agents to produce a water-soluble cellulose derivative, c) washing the produced cellulose derivative with an aqueous liquid once or several times to provide a moist cellulose derivative having a water content of 25 to 85 percent, based on the total weight of the moist cellulose derivative, d) subjecting the moist cellulose derivative to homogenization to form the moist cellulose derivative to a paste, and e) pressing the paste through a filter of a pore size of up to 200 ?m.

Abstract: In a process for preparing an esterified cellulose ether a cellulose ether is esterified with (i) an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid anhydride or (ii) a dicarboxylic acid anhydride or (iii) a combination of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid anhydride and a dicarboxylic acid anhydride in the presence of an alkali metal carboxylate and an aliphatic carboxylic acid, wherein the molar ratio [alkali metal carboxylate/anhydroglucose units of cellulose ether] is not more than [1.20/1] and the molar ratio [aliphatic carboxylic acid/anhydroglucose units of cellulose ether] is from [3.55/1] to [9.0/1].

Abstract: An esterified cellulose ether is provided wherein the ester groups are phthalyl groups, the degree of substitution of phthalyl groups is from 0.02 to 0.18, the degree of neutralization of phthalyl groups is not more than 0.75, and the esterified cellulose ether has a solubility in water of at least 2.0 weight percent at 2° C.

Abstract: Esterified cellulose ethers which have i) as ester groups aliphatic monovalent acyl groups or groups of the formula —C(O)—R—COOA or a combination of aliphatic monovalent acyl groups and groups of the formula —C(O)—R—COOA, wherein R is a divalent aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon group and A is hydrogen or a cation, and ii) a content of not more than 0.85 weight percent acetone-insoluble esterified cellulose ether particles, when the esterified cellulose ether is present in a mixture of 12.5 weight parts of esterified cellulose ether and 87.5 weight parts of acetone at 21° C., the weight percent acetone-insoluble esterified cellulose ether particles being based on the total weight of the esterified cellulose ether, wherein iii) not more than 14 percent of the acetone-insoluble esterified cellulose ether particles have a particle size of more than 90 micrometers.

Abstract: A cellulose ether acetate phthalate is provided, wherein the degree of substitution of phthalyl groups is from 0.02 to 0.25, the degree of neutralization of phthalyl groups is not more than 0.5, the degree of substitution of acetyl groups is from 0.02 to 0.40, and the total degree of substitution of phthalyl and acetyl groups is not more than 0.50. The cellulose ether acetate phthalate has a solubility in water of at least 2.0 weight percent at 2° C.

Abstract: 1. An esterified cellulose ether which i) comprises groups of the formula —C(O)—R—COOH or a combination of aliphatic monovalent acyl groups and groups of the formula —C(O)—R—COOH, wherein R is a divalent hydrocarbon group, ii) has a weight average molecular weight Mw of up to 70,000 Dalton, iii) has a degree of neutralization of the groups —C(O)—R—COOH of not more than 0.4, and iv) has a solubility in water of at least 2.0 weight percent at 2° C., is useful for preparing enteric capsules.