Abstract: In an oral pharmaceutical controlled release multiple-units formulation, individual units containing an active substance are coated with a substantially water-insoluble, but water-diffusible controlled release coating which includes(1) an inner film layer which causes adhesion between the units at elevated temperatures, comprising a water-dispersible film-forming agent, and(2) an outer film layer comprising a water-based film-forming agent which prevents adhesion between the units at elevated temperatures and imparts flowability to the units.The inner film layer may additionally comprise a substance which is capable of forming a continuous phase.By subjecting the thus coated units to heating to accelerate the formation of a continuous phase of the film-forming agent of the inner layer and optionally also of the additional substance, a coating is formed which substantially does not change its diffusion characteristics in the course of time.

Abstract: Enterically administrable diagnostic compositions for investigating alimentary functions comprising multiple units of a size of at the most 5 mm, preferably between 0.5 and 1.3 mm, in particular between 0.7 and 1.0 mm, each unit comprising a tracer substance binding agent (such as an ion exchange resin) with which a radioactive tracer substance with a half-life of at the most 5 days, in particular .sup.99m Tc, .sup.113m ln, .sup.111 ln and .sup.129 Cs, is associated. The tracer substance binding agent is being formulated with pharmaceutically acceptable excipients, in particular granulating excipients, in such a way that the exposure of the gastrointestinal mucosa to the tracer substance binding agent is reduced and that the units do not disintegrate during the passage through the gastrointestinal tract.