Patent ID: 8093207

Claim:
A finished pharmaceutical product adapted for oral delivery of a physiologically active peptide agent to a subject, said product in the form of a dry blend comprising: (a) a therapeutically effective amount of said active peptide; (b) at least one pharmaceutically acceptable pH-lowering agent, wherein the at least one pH-lowering agent is only selected from a tricarboxylic organic acid; and (c) at least one absorption enhancer effective to promote bioavailability of said active agent, wherein at least one absorption enhancer is selected from an acylcarnitine, wherein the pH-lowering agent is present in said finished pharmaceutical product in a quantity which, if said product were added to 10 milliliters of 0.1M aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution, would be sufficient to lower the pH of said solution to no higher than 5.5, and wherein the product has an outer surface, wherein the entire outer surface is free of an acid-resistant protective vehicle, said outer surface thereby being directly exposed to the aqueous environment of the stomach following administration of the product to the subject.