DOSAGE FORMS FOR ADMINISTERING COMBINATIONS OF DRUGS

摘要

The present invention is directed to dosage forms that can be used in therapeutic methods involving the oral co-administration of a combination of at least two drugs, one of which impairs gastrointestinal absorption and one of which does not. The dosage forms are designed so that the drug impairing absorption is not released into the gastrointestinal tract of a patient until after the drugs that do not impair absorption have been released and substantially absorbed. The invention may be used in treatment of migraine using a combination of triptans and NSAIDs or in the treatment of pain using a combination of NSAIDs and opioid analgesics.

主权项

1. A pharmaceutical composition in unit dosage form for oral administration, comprising:
a) a therapeutically effective amount of a first drug, wherein said first drug impairs the absorption of medication from the gastrointestinal tract of patients and essentially all of said first drug is either surrounded by a membrane that delays its release after ingestion or is formulated with components that delay its release after ingestion; and b) a therapeutically effective amount of a second drug, wherein said second drug does not impair the absorption of medication from the gastrointestinal tract of patients; and wherein, upon ingestion of said unit dosage form by a patient, i) said second drug is released from said unit dosage form into the gastrointestinal tract of said patient before said first drug; and ii said first drug is not released from said unit dosage form for a period of time equal to at least one-fourth Tmax2, wherein Tmax2 is the time needed for said second drug to reach peak plasma concentration when said second drug is administered to a patient as the sole active agent.