Layered pharmaceutical composition suitable for oral use in the treatment of diseases where absorption takes place over a large part of the
gastrointestinal tract. The composition comprising A) a
solid inner layer comprising i) an active substance, and ii) one or more disintegrants / exploding agents, one of more effervescent agents or a mixture thereof. the
solid inner layer being sandwiched between two outer
layers B1) and B2), each outer layer comprising iii) a substantially
water soluble and / or crystalline
polymer or a mixture of substantially
water soluble and / or crystalline polymers, the
polymer being a polyglycol in the form of one of a) a homopolymer having a MW of at least about 100,000 daltons, and b) a
copolymer having a MW of at least about 2,000 daltons, or a mixture thereof, and iv) an active substance, which is the same as in said
solid inner layer A), and layer A being different from layer B, the layered composition being coated with a
coating C) that has at least one opening exposing at least one surface of said outer layer, the
coating being substantially insoluble in and impermeable to fluids and comprising a
polymer, and the composition having a cylindrical form optionally with one or more tapered ends, wherein the ratio between the surface area of one end surface of the cylinder and the length of the cylinder is in a range of from 0.02 to 45 mm.