SMOKELESS TOBACCO PRODUCT

• US 20100242978A1
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris Products SA (Philip Morris Limited)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris Products SA (Philip Morris Limited)
• Inventors: Fuisz, Richard C.
• Application Number:
  US12/757,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20100242978A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/352
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 27/74 with a synthetic polymer matrix or excipient, e.g. vinylic, acrylic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 27/79 in the form of films
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 13/00 Tobacco for pipes, for cigars, e.g. cigar inserts, or for cigarettes; Chewing tobacco; Snuff reconstituted tobacco products A24B3/14
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/14 made of tobacco and a binding agent not derived from tobacco
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 3/18 Other treatment of leaves, e.g. puffing, crimpling, cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/02 for treating wounds, ulcers, burns, scars, keloids, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/34 Tobacco-abuse

Abstract

A nonaqueous, extrudable composition includes at least one thermoplastic polymer in an amount of more than 20 wt % of the whole composition and tobacco. A smokeless tobacco product in the form of a sheet can be made by extruding or hot melt shaping a nonaqueous composition comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer and tobacco, the sheet being soluble in a user'"'"'s mouth and resulting in sustained release of nicotine to the user. The sheet can be in a form that may be placed in the buccal cavity of, on the palate of or sublingually in the user, and have an average dissolution time of 5 to 50 minutes for delivering super bioavailable nicotine to the user.

Claims

1-112. -112. (canceled)

113. A smokeless tobacco product comprising a sheet made by extruding or hot melt shaping a nonaqueous composition comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer and tobacco, the sheet comprising a matrix comprising the at least one thermoplastic polymer and the tobacco distributed in the matrix, the matrix being soluble in a user'"'"'s mouth and resulting in sustained release of nicotine to the user.

114. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, wherein the at least one polymer comprises hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC).

115. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 114, wherein the nonaqueous composition does not include a plasticizer.

116. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, wherein the tobacco is in the form of snuff.

117. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, further comprising a mucosal absorbing enhancer.

118. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, further comprising a buffering agent for controlling a pH of the composition.

119. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 118, wherein the buffering agent is present in an amount to provide the product with a pH of 6 to 9.5 when the composition is present in the user'"'"'s mouth.

120. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, further comprising a mucosal absorbing enhancer.

121. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, wherein the composition includes less than 6 wt % water.

122. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, further comprising a flavoring.

123. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, further comprising a plasticizer.

124. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, wherein the sheet has an average dissolution time of 5 to 50 minutes, measured for a sheet having a surface area of approximately 1-1.5 in² and a thickness of approximately 10-50 mil, to dissolve fully in a buccal cavity of a user.

125. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, wherein the sheet has a tensile strength of at least 4 lbs.

126. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, wherein the sheet has a uniformity in the range of +−

10%.

127. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, wherein the at least one thermoplastic polymer is contained in an amount of at least 20 wt % of the whole composition.

128. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, wherein the at least one thermoplastic polymer comprises a water soluble polymer.

129. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, wherein the tobacco is present in an amount of less than 100 mg in a single dose of the product such that a user'"'"'s maximum measured nicotine plasma concentration is greater than 4 ng/ml.

130. The smokeless tobacco product according to claim 113, further comprising a water insoluble polymer in an amount to lengthen dissolution time of the product.

131. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 113, wherein the absence of tack is sufficient that one strip does not adhere to another when packaged together.