Method of administering a partial dose using a segmented pharmaceutical tablet

• US 20070031494A1
• Filed: 05/25/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accu-Break Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Accu-Break Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Solomon, Lawrence, Kaplan, Allan
• Granted Patent: US 7,838,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/472
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/2072 characterised by shape, structure or size; Tablets with holes, special break lines or identification marks; Partially coated tablets; Disintegrating flat shaped forms A61K9/0004, A61K9/0056, A61K9/0065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/2086 Layered tablets, e.g. bilayer tablets; Tablets of the type inert core-active coat active cores with a complete drug-free outer coat A61K9/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/2095 Tabletting processes; Dosage units made by direct compression of powders or specially processed granules, by eliminating solvents, by melt-extrusion, by injection molding, by 3D printing mechanical aspects A61J3/00

Abstract

A method for providing partial doses of a drug or drugs is disclosed. The method includes breaking of a tablet configured to have an active layer as a first segment and an inactive support layer or substrate as a second segment, or breaking a layered tablet through a first active segment which is deeply or completely scored.

Claims

1. A method of providing a partial dose of a drug or drugs contained in a layered tablet, said method comprising:

a) providing a tablet consisting essentially of a first segment containing a drug or drugs and a second inactive or substantially drug-free segment;

b) dividing said tablet through said first and second segments to create a tablette comprising the partial dose; and

c) administering to a patient in need of treatment said tablette containing the partial dose of the drug or drugs.

12. A method of breaking a pharmaceutical tablet as defined in claim 1 which comprises breaking said tablet through a score provided in a segment.

2. A method of providing a partial dose of a drug or drugs contained in a compressed pharmaceutical tablet, said method comprising:

a) providing a tablet comprising a first scored segment containing a drug or drugs, and a second segment containing said drug or drugs, if any, in an amount less than contained in said first segment, said score extending at least 50% through said first segment;

b) dividing said tablet through said score and each segment of said tablet to create a tablette comprising the partial dose; and

c) administering to a patient in need of treatment said tablette containing said partial dose of the drug or drugs.

3. The method of claim 2 in which the score is at least about 70% through said first segment.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said score traverses 100% through said first segment and contacts said second segment.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said second segment is an inactive or substantially drug-free segment.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said tablet is an immediate release dosage form.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein said tablet further includes a third segment containing a drug or drugs.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said third segment is adjoined at a face of said second segment opposite the interface of said first and second segments.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said third segment contains a same drug or drugs contained in said first segment.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein said second segment contains a drug or drugs different from the drug or drugs contained in said first segment.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein said second segment contains the same drug or drugs contained in said first segment at a different drug-to-segment weight to weight ratio.

13. A method of breaking a pharmaceutical tablet of claim 2 which comprises breaking said tablet through said score.

14. A method of providing a partial dose of a drug or drugs contained in a layered tablet, said method comprising:

a) providing a tablet consisting essentially of a first segment containing a drug or drugs and a second inactive or substantially drug-free segment;

b) directing or instructing a user of said tablet to divide said tablet through said first and second segments to create a tablette for administration of said tablette to a patient in need of treatment using said partial dose of the drug or drugs.

15. A method of providing a partial dose of a drug or drugs contained in a compressed pharmaceutical tablet, said method comprising:

a) providing a tablet comprising a first scored segment containing a drug or drugs, and a second segment containing said drug or drugs, if any, in an amount or concentration less than in said first segment, said score extending at least 50% through said first segment;

b) directing or instructing a user of said tablet to break through said score and said first and second segments to create a tablette for administration of said tablette to a patient in need of treatment using said partial dose of the drug or drugs.

16. The method of claim 15 in which the score is at least about 70% through said first segment.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said second segment is an inactive segment substantially free of drug.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said tablet is an immediate release dosage form.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said tablet includes a third segment containing a drug or drugs adjoined at a face of said second segment opposite the interface of said first and second segments and said breaking step comprises breaking through the three segments.