Over-coated product including consumable center and medicament

• US 7,935,362 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2005
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WM Wrigley Jr Company (Mars Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WM Wrigley Jr Company (Mars Incorporated)
• Inventors: Matulewicz, Leonard, Wokas, William J., Ream, Ronald L., Ream, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AHMED, HASAN SYED
• Application Number:
  US11/269,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20060141008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,001 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 424/440
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/26 Carbohydrates, e.g. sugar alcohols, amino sugars, nucleic acids, mono-, di- or oligo-saccharides; Derivatives thereof, e.g. polysorbates, sorbitan fatty acid esters or glycyrrhizin
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0056 Mouth soluble or dispersible forms; Suckable, eatable, chewable coherent forms; Forms rapidly disintegrating in the mouth; Lozenges; Lollipops; Bite capsules; Baked products; Baits or other oral forms for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0058 Chewing gums non-medicinal aspects, preparing chewing gum A23G4/00; chewing gum for care of the teeth or oral cavity, e.g. with breath freshener A61Q11/00

Abstract

Methods and products for delivering a medicament or agent to an individual are provided as well as methods for producing the product. The product includes one or more coatings having a medicament or agent. The coatings can further comprise one or more fat-based confectioneries to provide a coated product that has an improved aesthetic and taste appeal to a consumer. The medicament or agent is present within a coating that surrounds a consumable center. By chewing the coated product, the medicament or agent is released from the product within the buccal cavity.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a medicament to an individual comprising the steps of:

providing a product that includes a chewable consumable center and a chewable coating that surrounds the chewable consumable center, the chewable coating comprising a medicament and a fat-based confectionery, wherein the chewable coating further comprises at least 50% by weight of the product; and

placing the product in the mouth of the individual and causing the medicament to be released from the product into the buccal cavity of the individual.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fat-based confectionery comprises an ingredient selected from the group consisting of white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fat-based confectionery comprises a flavor selected from the group consisting of chocolate, strawberry cream, orange, peach and mint and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the coating includes a high-intensity sweetener.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the high-intensity sweetener is chosen from the group consisting of aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, and acesulfame-k.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the medicament is chosen from the group consisting of:

analgesics;

muscle relaxants;

antibiotics;

antivirals;

antihistamines;

decongestants;

anti-inflammatories;

antacids;

psychotherapeutic agents;

insulin;

vitamins;

minerals;

nutraceuticals;

nutritional supplements;

diuretics;

vitamins;

minerals;

anesthetics;

antitussives;

bioengineered pharmaceuticals; and

cardiovascular agents.

7. A product including a medicament comprising:

a chewable consumable center; and

a chewable coating comprising a medicament and a fat-based confectionery that surrounds the consumable center, the coating comprising at least 50% by weight of the product.

8. The product of claim 7, wherein the fat-based confectionery comprises an ingredient selected from the group consisting of white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate and combinations thereof.

9. The product of claim 7, wherein the fat-based confectionery comprises a flavor selected from the group consisting of chocolate, strawberry cream, orange, peach and mint and combinations thereof.

10. The product of claim 7, wherein the medicament is chosen from the group consisting of:

analgesics;

muscle relaxants;

antibiotics;

antivirals;

stimulants;

antihistamines;

decongestants;

anti-inflammatories;

antacids;

psychotherapeutic agents;

insulin;

vitamins;

minerals;

nutraceuticals;

nutritional supplements;

diuretics;

vitamins;

minerals;

anesthetics;

antitussives;

bioengineered pharmaceuticals; and

cardiovascular agents.

11. The product of claim 7, wherein the coating includes a taste masking agent.

12. The product of claim 11, wherein the taste masking agent is chosen from the group consisting of:

zinc gluconate, ethyl maltol, glycine, acesulfarne-k, aspartame;

saccharin;

fructose;

xylitol;

isomalt;

maltitol;

spray dried licorice root;

glycerrhizine;

sodium gluconate;

glucono delta-lactone;

ethyl vanillin;

dextrose;

sucralose;

vanillin; and

ethyl maltol.

13. The product of claim 11, wherein the taste masking agent comprises approximately 30% to about 99% by weight of the coating.

14. The product of claim 7, wherein the coating includes approximately 0.1% to about 5% by weight of a high-intensity sweetener chosen from the group consisting of aspartame, sucralose, saccharine, and acesulfame-k.

15. A product including a medicament comprising:

a chewable consumable center;

a first chewable coating comprising a medicament that surrounds the consumable center, wherein the first coating comprises at least 50% by weight of the product; and

a second fat-based confectionery coating that surrounds the first chewable coating and chewable consumable center.

16. The product of claim 15, wherein the fat-based confectionery comprises an ingredient selected from the group consisting of white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate and combinations thereof.

17. The product of claim 15, wherein the fat-based confectionery comprises a flavor selected from the group consisting of chocolate, strawberry cream, orange, peach and mint and combinations thereof.

18. The product of claim 15, wherein the consumable center is tableted.

19. The product of claim 15, wherein the medicament is chosen from the group consisting of:

analgesics;

muscle relaxants;

antibiotics;

antivirals;

stimulants;

antihistamines;

decongestants;

anti-inflammatories;

antacids;

psychotherapeutic agents;

insulin;

vitamins;

minerals;

nutraceuticals;

nutritional supplements;

diuretics;

vitamins;

minerals;

anesthetics;

antitussives;

bioengineered pharmaceuticals; and

cardiovascular agents.

20. The product of claim 15, wherein the first coating includes approximately 0.1% to about 5% by weight of a high-intensity sweetener chosen from the group consisting of aspartame, sucralose, saccharine, and acesulfame-k.

21. The product of claim 15, wherein the first coating includes a taste masking agent.

22. The product of claim 21, wherein the taste masking agent is chosen from the group consisting of:

zinc gluconate, ethyl maltol, glycine, acesulfame-k, aspartame;

saccharin;

fructose;

xylitol;

isomalt;

maltitol;

spray dried licorice root;

glycerrhizine;

sodium gluconate;

glucono delta-lactone;

ethyl vanillin;

dextrose;

sucralose;

vanillin; and

ethyl maltol.

23. The product of claim 21, wherein the taste masking agent comprises approximately 30% to about 99% by weight of the first coating.

24. A method for delivering a medicament to an individual comprising the steps of:

providing a product that includes a chewable consumable center and a chewable first coating that surrounds the consumable center, the chewable first coating comprising a medicament and at least 50% by weight of the product;

providing a second fat-based confectionery coating that surrounds the chewable first coating and the chewable consumable center; and

placing the product in the mouth of the individual and causing the medicament to be released from the product into the buccal cavity of the individual.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the fat-based confectionery comprises an ingredient selected from the group consisting of white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate and combinations thereof.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the fat-based confectionery comprises a flavor selected from the group consisting of chocolate, strawberry cream, orange, peach and mint and combinations thereof.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the consumable center is tableted.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the medicament is chosen from the group consisting of:

analgesics;

muscle relaxants;

antibiotics;

antivirals;

antihistamines;

decongestants;

anti-inflammatories;

antacids;

psychotherapeutic agents;

nutraceuticals;

nutritional supplements;

diuretics;

vitamins;

minerals;

anesthetics;

antitussives;

bioengineered pharmaceuticals; and

cardiovascular agents.

29. A method of manufacturing a product containing an agent comprising the steps of:

preparing a chewable consumable center by tableting a chewable consumable product to produce a chewable tableted consumable center;

applying a chewable coating to the chewable tableted consumable center by placing alternating layers of a powder and a syrup on the center to create a chewable coated product, at least one of the powder or syrup layers including at least one agent wherein the chewable coating further comprises at least 50% by weight of the product; and

applying a fat-based confectionery coating that surrounds the tableted consumable center.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the coating includes a high-intensity sweetener.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the agent is a medicament.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the medicament is chosen from the group consisting of:

analgesics;

muscle relaxants;

antibiotics;

antivirals;

antihistamines;

decongestants;

anti-inflammatories;

antacids;

psychotherapeutic agents;

insulin;

vitamins;

minerals;

nutraceuticals;

nutritional supplements;

diuretics;

vitamins;

minerals;

anesthetics;

antitussives;

bioengineered pharmaceuticals; and

cardiovascular agents.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein at least two alternating layers are coated on to the tableted consumable center.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the powder comprises at least 70% by weight of the coating.