EP1401406A2 — Delivery of a bioactive material

USPTO Abstract

A solid phannaceutical composition comprising a water-soluble bioactive material and an encapsulating material which is present in the composition in the form of continuous solid phase, and in which solid particles of the bioactive material are dispersed and encapsulated in the continuous solid phase of the encapsulating material, wherein each of the bioactive material and the encapsulating material is normally a solid at room temperature and the melting point of the encapsulating material is lower than the melting point of the bioactive material, the bioactive material being preferably a bisphosphonate, most preferably alendronate, and the encapsulating material includes an enhancer, preferably a mono- or di-glyceride, or an encapsulating surfactant, preferably, a polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene block copolymer having surface active properties, and a process for preparing the composition in which solid particles of the bioactive material are mixed with and dispersed in the encapsulating material which is in molten (liquid) form; and cooling the molten form of the encapsulating material to form a solid pharmaceutical composition having the solid particles of the bioactive material dispersed and encapsulated in a continuous solid phase of the encapsulating material.