| Technology |
Rationale |
Products |
Company |
| CONТlN® |
Drug blended with hydrophilic cellulose, then hydrated with polar solvent and fixed with a higher aliphatic alcohol to produce a semi-permeable matrix with uniform porosity. |
Uniphyl® once daily theophylline MS Contin® and Oxycontin® for use in pain management. |
Purdue Frederick, Norfolk, CT, USA |
| CODAS® |
Chronotherapeutical oral drug absorption system consisting of drug loaded beads that are coated with release-controlling polymer. Polymer consists of water-soluble and water-insoluble polymers to induce a lag time. |
Verelan® PA containing verapamil for use in hypertension |
Elan Drug Technologies, San Francisco, CA, USA |
| CEFORM® |
Biodegradable polymers/bioactives are subjected to varying temperature, thermal gradients and flow processes to produce microspheres of uniform size and shape (150-180μm) |
Cardizem® LM containing diltiazem for use in hypertension. |
Fuisz Technologies, Chantilly, VA, USA |
| DIFFUCAPS® |
A multiparticulate system consisting of an inactive core, coated with an active pharmaceutical ingredient mixed with a water-soluble composition. This may be in the form of beads, pellets or granules. |
Innopran® XL containing Propranolol for use in hypertension. |
Eurand Pharmaceuticals LTD, Dayton, Ohio, USA |
| GEOMATRIX® |
The controlled release is achieved by constructing a multilayered tablet made of two basic key components; 1) hydrophilic polymers such as hydroxypropylmethycellulose (HPMC) and 2) surface controlling barrier layers. Active loaded core surface that is available for drug relase when exposed to the fluid is controlled by barrier layers. |
Sular® (nisoldipine CR) andCoruno® (molsidomine) |
SkyePharma, Muttenz, Switzerland |
| TIMERx® |
A novel polysaccharide system that adopts the use of xanthan gum and locust bean gum in the presence of secondary and tertiary components, to form water-soluble granules. |
‘Tablet within a tablet’ to obtain different chronotherapeutic profiles. Geminex® is an improvement which provides the potential for dual therapy. |
Penwest Pharmaceuticals, Danbury, CT, USA |
| OROS® |
As osmotic pump system comprising a central drug reservoir surrounded by a semi-permeable membrane, which is surrounded by osmotically active agents in tablets with a strategically laser-drilled orifice. |
Covera® HS containing verapamil for use in hypertension |
Alza Corporation, Mountainview, CA, USA |
| PULSINCAP® |
Consists of a drug reservoir housed within a water-soluble capsule body. The open end is plugged with swellable polymers that are pushed out when in contact with fluid, releasing drug from the reservoir. |
A versatile system that can create lag times as well as allowing tablets/minitablets, solutions or beads to be housed within the capsule body. |
R.P. Scherer International Corporation, Troy, MI, USA |
| PULSYSTM |
A novel pulsatile release technology that consists of one immediate-release and two delayed-release components with the use of soluble and insoluble coatings. |
MoxatagTM containing amoxicillin for use in antibiotic therapy. |
Middlebrook Pharmaceuticals, Westlake, Texas, USA |
