Abstract: A method of treating a warm-blood vertebrate. The vertebrate may be a human being or a lower animal. The treatment method involves administering to the vertebrate in need of such treatment a pharmaceutically effective amount of a complex of halide-free glucosamine and a therapeutic drug having a pKa of less than 7. Preferably, the complex is stabilized by coating it with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable polymer comprising a water-soluble, water-immiscible and/or water-swellable homopolymer and/or copolymer. Suitable polymers include carboxypolymethylene homopolymers and copolymers; polyethylene glycol homopolymers and copolymers, povidone homopolymers and copolymers, polyacrylic acid homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylamide homopolymers and copolymers; polysaccharides; and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing polymers. The resultant polymer-coated complex will be stable upon exposure to ambient temperature and/or the atmosphere.

Abstract: A complex of glucosamine having a purity of at least about 99 wt. % and a maximum halide content of about 0.01 wt. %, and a therapeutic drug having a pKa of less than 7. Preferably, the complex is stabilized by coating it with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable polymer comprising a water-soluble, water-immiscible and/or water-swellable homopolymer and/or copolymer. Suitable polymers include carboxypolymethylene homopolymers and copolymers; polyethylene glycol homopolymers and copolymers, povidone homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylic acid homopolymers and copolymers; polyacrylamide homopolymers and copolymers; polysaccharides; and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing polymers. The resultant coated complex will be stable upon exposure to ambient temperature and/or the atmosphere.