Solid carriers for improved delivery of active ingredients in pharmaceutical compositions

Abstract

The present invention provides solid pharmaceutical compositions for improved delivery of a wide variety of pharmaceutical active ingredients contained therein or separately administered. In one embodiment, the solid pharmaceutical composition includes a solid carrier, the solid carrier including a substrate and an encapsulation coat on the substrate. The encapsulation coat can include different combinations of pharmaceutical active ingredients, hydrophilic surfactant, lipophilic surfactants and triglycerides. In another embodiment, the solid pharmaceutical composition includes a solid carrier, the solid carrier being formed of different combinations of pharmaceutical active ingredients, hydrophilic surfactants, lipophilic surfactants and triglycerides. The compositions of the present invention can be used for improved delivery of hydrophilic or hydrophobic pharmaceutical active ingredients, such as drugs, nutritional agents, cosmeceuticals and diagnostic agents.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A pharmaceutical composition formulated for oral delivery, the composition comprising:
 (1) an active ingredient, which is testosterone undecanoate;   (2) a lipophilic surfactant, which is a mono- and/or di-glyceride;   (3) a non-ionic hydrophilic surfactant, which is polyoxyl 40 castor oil (CREMPOPHOR® RH40); and   (4) polyethylene glycol;   wherein the composition is free of ethanol.   
     
     
         22 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 21 , wherein the mono- and/or di-glyceride is glycerol monolinoleate (Maisine).