Dosage form comprising drug and maltodextrin

Claim 2

An improvement in a dosage form for delivering a drug to an animal, wherein the dosage form comprises: (a) a wall comprising a composition permeable at least in part to the passage of fluid, which wall surrounds; (b) a compartment; (c) at least one exit passageway in the wall that connects the exterior of the dosage form with the composition; (d) a composition in the compartment comprising a hydrogel that in the presence of fluid in the compartment expands and occupies space in the compartment; and, (e) a composition in the compartment comprising a and an osmotically effective solute, wherein the improvement comprises a maltodextrin in the composition that is compatible with the drug, aids in delivering the drug through the passageway from the compartment and comprises a 500 to 1,000,000 molecular weight and a degree of polymerization of 3 to 6,140.

Claim 3

The dosage form for delivering a drug according to claim 1, wherein the drug is a member selected from the group consisting of bromocriptine and its therapeutically acceptable salts.

Claim 4

The dosage form for delivering a drug according to claim 1, wherein the drug is a member selected from the group consisting of eldepryl and its therapeutically active salts.

Claim 5

The dosage form for drug according to claim 1, wherein the drug is a member selected from the group consisting of lisuride, pergolide, mesulergine, levodopa, carbidopa, levodopa-carbidopa, amantadine, trihexyphenidyl, benztropine, biperiden, ethopropazine, procyclidine, benztropine mesylate, trihexyphenidyl hydrochloride, procyclidine hydrochloride, and biperiden hydrochloride.

Claim 6

The dosage form for drug according to claim 1, wherein the drug is present in the composition as a drug pair, said pair comprising a member selected from the group consisting of bromocriptine, lisuride, pergolide, mesulergine, levodopa, carbidopa, levodopa-carbidopa, amantadine, deprenyl, trihexyphenidyl, benztropine, biperiden, ethopropazine, and procyclidine, and a different member selected from the group consisting of bromocriptine, lisuride, pergolide, mesulergine, levodopa, carbidopa, levodopacarbidopa, amantadine, deprenyl trihexyphenidyl, benztropine, biperiden, ethopropazine, and procyclidine.

Claim 7

An improvement in a method of drug therapy, wherein the method comprises: (A) admitting into a patient a dosage form, which dosage form comprises: (1) a wall comprising a composition that is permeable to the passage of fluid, which wall surrounds; (2) a compartment; (3) a composition in the compartment comprising a non-toxic hydrogel that imbibes fluid and expands in the presence of the imbibed fluid; (4) a passageway in the wall connecting the exterior of the dosage form with the compartment; (5) a composition in the compartment comprising a drug and wherein the improvement comprises a maltodextrin in the composition that is compatible with the drug for providing substantially complete delivery of the drug from the dosage form; (B) imbibing fluid into the compartment for the hydrogel to absorb and expand thereby pushing the drug through the passageway; and (c) administering the drug to the patient in need of the drug.

Claim 8

An improvement in a method of drug therapy, wherein the method comprises: (A) admitting into a patient a dosage form, which dosage form comprises: (1) a wall comprising a composition that is permeable to the passage of fluid, which wall surrounds; (2) a compartment; (3) a composition in the compartment comprising a non-toxic hydrogel that imbibes fluid and expands in the presence of the imbibed fluid; (4) a passageway in the wall connecting the exterior of the dosage form with the compartment; (5) a composition in the compartment comprising a drug and wherein the improvement comprises a maltodextrin in the composition that is compatible with the drug for providing substantially complete delivery of the drug from the dosage form; (B) imbibing fluid into the compartment for the hydrogel to absorb and expand thereby pushing the drug through the passageway; and (c) administering the drug to the patient in need of the drug.

Claim 9

An improvement in a method of drug therapy according to claim 6, wherein the drug is bromocriptine administered as a prolactin inhibitor.