Bisphosphonate Oral Dosage Form with Delayed Release

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current oral bisphosphonate therapies often result in upper gastrointestinal irritation and require specific dosing instructions to minimize interactions with food, leading to decreased absorption and patient compliance issues due to their poor absorption in the gastrointestinal tract and interference with food intake.

Innovation Solution

Development of an oral dosage form containing a bisphosphonate and a chelating agent, designed for delayed release in the lower gastrointestinal tract, allowing for effective absorption regardless of food intake and reducing upper gastrointestinal irritation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If bisphosphonate is administered orally in upper gastrointestinal tract, then it can be absorbed, but it causes upper gastrointestinal irritation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveabsorption effectivenessVSAvoidgastrointestinal irritation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the gastrointestinal tract into upper and lower segments, and targets drug delivery specifically to the lower segment (small intestine or colon) using delayed-release technology. This segmentation allows the drug to bypass the upper GI tract where irritation occurs, while still achieving effective absorption in the lower tract where bisphosphonates are naturally absorbed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs delayed-release mechanisms (enteric coatings, pH-sensitive matrices, or time-dependent release systems) that are designed in advance to prevent premature drug release. These preliminary protective measures ensure the drug remains intact during transit through the upper GI tract and only releases in the lower tract, avoiding irritation before absorption occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If bisphosphonate is taken with food, then patient compliance improves, but absorption decreases due to interference with food intake

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient complianceVSAvoidabsorption effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent separates the drug release location from food intake locations by targeting the lower GI tract. Since food primarily resides in the upper GI tract (stomach and small intestine) during digestion, delivering the drug to the colon or distal small intestine creates a spatial separation that allows concurrent food intake without interference, thereby maintaining both compliance and absorption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The delayed-release mechanism acts as an intermediary that mediates between the need for patient convenience (taking with food) and the need for effective absorption. This intermediary system ensures the drug is protected from food interactions during transit and only releases in a location where food interference is minimized, allowing both goals to be achieved simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If bisphosphonate is administered without delayed release, then manufacturing is simpler, but gastrointestinal irritation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveformulation simplicityVSAvoidgastrointestinal irritation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite material systems that combine bisphosphonate with delayed-release matrices or coatings (such as enteric-coated tablets, pH-sensitive polymers, or time-dependent release formulations). These composite structures integrate multiple functional components (drug, coating material, matrix, disintegrants) into a single formulation that maintains manufacturing feasibility while providing the protective delayed-release functionality to prevent irritation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The oral dosage form enables pharmaceutically effective absorption of bisphosphonates with or without food, simplifying treatment regimens, increasing patient compliance, and minimizing upper gastrointestinal irritation.

Implementation Method 1

a chelating agent for enabling administration of the bisphosphonate active ingredient with food or beverages

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChelation:

Implementation Method 2

means for effecting delayed release of the bisphosphonate and the chelating agent in the lower gastrointestinal tract

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectpH-dependent dissolution:

Data Source

PatentUS7645459B2Dosage forms of bisphosphonates
Publication Date: 2010.01.12 ALLERGAN PHARMACEUTICALS INTERNATIONAL LTD

AI summary

Oral dosage forms of a bisphosphonate comprised of a safe and effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a bisphosphonate, a chelating agent, and, means for effecting delayed release of the bisphosphonate and the chelating agent in the lower gastrointestinal tract provide delivery of the pharmaceutical composition to the lower gastrointestinal tract of the mammal subject and pharmaceutically effective absorption of the bisphosphonate with or without food or beverages. The present invention substantially alleviates the interaction between bisphosphonates and food or beverages, which interaction results in the bisphosphonate active ingredient not being available for absorption. The resulting oral dosage form may thus be taken with or without food. Further, the present invention effects delivery of the bisphosphonate and the chelating agent to the lower GI tract, substantially alleviating the upper GI irritation associated with bisphosphonate therapies. These benefits simplify previously complex treatment regimens and can lead to increased patient compliance with bisphosphonate therapies.