Patent ID: 6866867

Claim:
A process for the preparation of an agglomerated solid dosage form, comprising (1) preparing an aqueous slurry of (a) microcrystalline cellulose; (b) a microcrystalline cellulose compressibility augmenting agent which (I) physically restricts the proximity of the interface between adjacent cellulose surfaces; (ii) inhibits interactions between adjacent cellulose surfaces, via the creation of a hydrophobic boundary at cellulose surfaces; or (iii) accomplishes both (I) and (ii) above; (c) an active agent; and (d) an effective amount of a sustained release carrier; (2) thereafter spray drying the resultant aqueous slurry in a manner which inhibits quasi-hornification, thereby obtaining agglomerated particles which are directly compressible into a solid sustained release matrix which provides release of the active agent over a time period of about 8 to about 24 hours.