Patent application EP16170066A (EP), filed 2016-05-18
Publication number: EP3246000A1
Title: SEPARABLE CAPSULE FOR SPRINKLING APPLICATIONS
Abstract: [0001]    A comestible dosage form article, in the form of a hard capsule, for administration to a target subject, the dosage form comprising at least one body and at least one cap telescopically engageable with the body, the cap and the body being separable such to allow dispensing of a contents therefrom. The capsule comprising a sensory trigger over at least a portion of the outer surface of the capsule arranged to provide a visual, taste, and/or tactile deterrence to ingestion thereof.
IPC codes: A61J   3/    07            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: A hard capsule (1, 21, 31) for sprinkle applications comprising at least one body (2, 22, 32) and at least one cap (3, 23, 33) telescopically engageable with said body (2, 22, 32) wherein said cap (3, 23, 33) and said body (2, 22, 32) are separable such to allow dispensing of a contents therefrom and characterized in that said capsule (1, 21, 31) comprises a sensory trigger (4, 24, 34) over at least a portion of the outer surface of said capsule (1, 21, 31) arranged to provide a visual, taste, and/or tactile deterrence to ingestion of said hard capsule (1, 21, 31).
number: 2
text: A capsule (1, 21, 31) according to Claim 1 wherein the sensory trigger (4, 24, 34) comprises one or more protrusions, preferably at least 2, more preferably at least 4, and typically in the form of continuous rings along the circumference of the cap (3, 23, 33) and/or body (2, 22, 32) generally each said ring disposed substantially parallel to each other and at a distance (d) separating each said ring in a direction parallel to a capsule centerline (X).
number: 3
text: A capsule (1, 21, 31) according to Claim 1 wherein the sensory trigger (4, 24, 34) comprises one or more protrusions, preferably at least 2, more preferably at least 4, even more preferably from 5 to 16, and typically in the form of discontinuous rings along the circumference of the cap (3, 23, 33) and/or body (2, 22, 32) generally each said ring being disposed substantially parallel to each other and at a distance (d) separating each said ring in a direction parallel to a capsule centerline (X), and wherein each said discontinuous ring is formed by a plurality of protrusions and/or recesses arranged in series.
number: 4
text: A capsule (1, 21, 31) according to Claims 2 to 3 wherein the distance (d) is from 50µm to 2000µm, preferably from 100µm to 1000µm, more preferably from 150µm to 700µm, and preferably wherein the rings are substantially equidistant from each other.
number: 5
text: A capsule (1, 21, 31) according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the sensory trigger (4, 24, 34) comprises one or more friction inducing members arranged to provide a gripping surface to ease opening of said capsule (1, 21, 31) compared to a capsule free of said friction inducing members.
number: 6
text: A capsule (1, 21, 31) according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the sensory trigger (4, 24, 34) is formed by one or more bands of a banding composition along at least a portion of the cap (3, 23, 33) and/or body (2, 22, 32) circumference and over the outer surface of said cap (3, 23, 33) and/or body (2, 22, 32), said one or more bands being acentrically located at a position distal from a cap rim (5, 25, 35) such that the cap (3, 23, 33) and body (2, 22, 32) are not joined together by said band.
number: 7
text: A capsule (1, 21, 31) according to Claim 6 wherein the one or more bands are applied to said capsule (1, 21, 31) in the form of a liquid banding composition that is subsequently dried and solidified.
number: 8
text: A capsule (1, 21, 31) according to Claim 6 wherein the one or more bands are applied to said capsule (1, 21, 31) in the form of adhesive strips adhered to said cap (3, 23, 33) and/or body (2, 22, 32) outer surface.
number: 9
text: A capsule (1, 21, 31) according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the length thereof along an axis parallel to the capsule centerline (X), when in a fully assembled and closed state, is of from 25mm to 30mm, and said capsule (1, 21, 31) further having a maximum diameter of from 9mm to 11 mm, and wherein the body (2, 22, 32) of said capsule (1, 21, 31) is elongated such that the length ratio (Lb:Lc) of an exposed body surface (Lb) and the cap (Lc) along the capsule centerline (X) is from 1 to 1.3, preferably from 1.1 to 1.3.
number: 10
text: A capsule (1, 21, 31) according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the sensory trigger (4, 24, 34) comprises one or more taste inducing materials to impart a taste to the capsule (1, 21, 31), said taste being selected from salty, bitter, sour, acrid or combinations thereof.
number: 11
text: A capsule (1, 21, 31) according to Claim 10 wherein the one or more taste inducing materials are selected from the group consisting of Secoiridoid derivatives like foliamenthin, menthiafolin, dihydrofoliamenthin, and centapikrosid; gentiopikrosid derivatives like amarogentin, swerosid, and gentiobiose; iridoide derivatives like loganin, and harpagosid; kondurangenin derivatives; chinin; chinidin; cinchoninchinova acid; diterpene like marrubiin; sesquiterpenlactones like nobilin, salonitenolid, cnicin; taraxin acid and derivatives like taraxocolids; cynaropikrin; quassin; quassin derivatives; acorons; ajmalin; atropine; hyoscyamin; scopolamine; aloe; berberin; carnosol; cascarillin; cucurbitacine; columbin; gentianose; ginkgolide; humulone; lingane; lupulone; lycopodin; naringin; hesperidin; hesperidose; quillajasaponin; saponines; saponosides; fenchon; absinthin; and mixtures thereof.
number: 12
text: A capsule (1, 21, 31) according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the composition of the sensory trigger (4, 24, 34) is different from the composition of the capsule cap (3, 23, 33) and body (2, 22, 32) shells.
number: 13
text: A capsule (1, 21, 31) according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the sensory trigger (4, 24, 34) is distinct and fixedly joined to said capsule (1, 21, 31).
number: 14
text: A method of making a capsule (1, 21, 31) according to any of the preceding Claims, the method comprising the steps of:
number: 15
text: Use of a hard capsule (1, 21, 31) according to any of Claims 1 to 13 for deterring oral administration thereof, preferably for directly mixing the content therein into a comestible food product, and/or to improve ease of opening thereof compared to a capsule free of the sensory trigger (4, 24, 34).
Office action: search_report, dated 2017-11-22
Rejection reasons: novelty_epc_54
Prior art cited: ref_id: EP0861061B1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
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ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: EP1057862B1
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severity: background
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severity: background
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ref_id: WO2012095746A2
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severity: background
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ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: EP2994114A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: - F. PODCZECK; B. JONES: "Pharmaceutical Capsules", 2004, PHARMACEUTICAL PRESS, pages: 182 - 183
ref_type: npl
severity: background
ref_id: WO2014181200A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: GB2356842A
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: EP0951835A2
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US3702653A
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2016074326A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US3702653
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: EP0951835
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
ref_id: GB2356842
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
ref_id: WO2014181200
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
Final disposition: pending (2017-11-22)