Patent ID: 6506407
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: A61K

Abstract:
An oral drug delivery system for releasing a drug specifically in the colon of the gastrointestinal tract, wherein said system comprises a drug (b) coated with a pharmaceutically acceptable acrylic or cellulosic organic acid-soluble polymer material which dissolves at a pH lower than 6 (a), in an amount of from 2.5% to 40% and a saccharide (c), which rapidly generates an organic acid by the action of enterobacteria in the lower part of the gastrointestinal tract in an amount of from 10% to 99.9%, wherein said composition comprising the drug (b) coated with the organic acid-soluble polymer material (a) and saccharide (c), is further coated with a pharmaceutically acceptable enteric coating polymer material which dissolves at a pH not lower than 6 (d) and wherein said composition when orally administered, is delivered to the lower part of the gastrointestinal tract without releasing the drug (b) at the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract and, at the lower part of the gastrointestinal tract, the polymer (a) coating the drug (b) is dissolved by organic acids generated by degradation of the saccharide (c), by the enterobacteria.