Buccal drug delivery

1. A lozenge for buccal delivery of a drug prepared by a method comprising the steps:

(a) mixing:

(a)(i) a gum selected from the group consisting of gum acacia, gum arabic, carob gum, carrageenan, ghatti gum, guar gum, karaya gum, pectin, tragacanth gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum or mixtures thereof;

(a)(ii) one or more non-crystallising sugars or non-crystallising sugar alcohols selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, mannitol, isomalt or mixtures thereof; and

(a)(iii) water in an amount sufficient to ensure the gum (a)(i) and one or more non-crystallising sugars or non-crystallising sugar alcohols (a)(ii) are fully dissolved during step (b);

(b) heating and mixing the mixture of step (a) to a temperature of at least 90° C. to 120° C. to obtain a homogeneous mass;

(c) cooling the homogeneous mass of step (b) to 90° C. or lower;

(d) adding a drug selected from the group consisting of nicotine, an anti-emetic, an anti-migraine or an analgesic to the cooled homogeneous mass of step (c) and mixing to form a non-crystalline gel matrix; and

(e) molding the mass of step (d) to form lozenges, whereby the lozenges have an amorphous structure, contain less than 10 wt % sucrose and wherein the gum (a)(i) is 40-90 wt % and the one or more non-crystallising sugars or non-crystallising sugar alcohols (a)(ii) is 60-10 wt % based upon the weight of gum (a)(i) and the one or more non-crystallising sugars or non-crystallising sugar alcohols (a)(ii).

2. The lozenge of claim 1 wherein the gum (a)(i) is 50-80 wt % and the one or more non-crystallising sugars or non-crystallising sugar alcohols (a)(ii) is 50-20 wt % based upon the weight of gum (a)(i) and the one or more non-crystallising sugars or non-crystallising sugar alcohols (a)(ii).

3. The lozenge of claim 1 wherein the lozenge exhibits a dissolution profile such that after 20 minutes, 35-65% of the lozenge has dissolved; after 40 minutes 60-90% of the lozenge has dissolved; and after 60 minutes, more than 70% of the lozenge has dissolved.

4. The lozenge of claim 1 wherein step (b) heats the mixture of step (a) to approximately 110-120° C.

5. The lozenge of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of adding one or more buffering agents to the mixture of steps (a), (b), (c) or (d).

6. The lozenge of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of adding a pH adjustment agent to the mixture of steps (a), (b), (c) or (d) to adjust the pH to approximately 7.5-9.0.

7. The lozenge of claim 1 further comprising one or more components selected from flavorings, taste masking agents, colorings, buffer components, pH adjusting agents, excipients, stabilizers and sweeteners.

8. A lozenge for buccal delivery of nicotine prepared by a method comprising the steps:

(a) mixing:

(a)(i) a gum selected from the group consisting of gum acacia, gum arabic or mixtures thereof;

(a)(ii) a non-crystallising form of sorbitol, a non-crystallizing form of xylitol or a mixture of a non-crystallising form of sorbitol and a non-crystallising form of xylitol; and

(a)(iii) water in an amount sufficient to ensure the gum (a)(i) and the non-crystallising form of sorbitol, the non-crystallizing form of xylitol or the mixture of the non-crystallising from of sorbitol and the non-crystallising form of xylitol (a)(ii) are fully dissolved during step (b);

(b) heating and mixing the mixture of step (a) to a temperature of at least 90° C. to 120° C. to obtain a homogeneous mass;

(c) cooling the homogeneous mass of step (b) to 90° C. or lower;

(d) adding nicotine to the cooled homogeneous mass of step (c) and mixing to form a non-crystalline gel matrix;

(e) adding one or more alkali metal phosphate salt buffering agents to the mixture of steps (a), (b), (c) or (d);

(f) optionally adding a pH adjustment agent to the mixture of steps (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) to adjust the pH to approximately 7.5-9.0; and

(g) molding the mass of steps (e) or (f) to form lozenges, whereby the lozenges have an amorphous structure, contain less than 10 wt % sucrose and wherein the gum (a)(i) is 40-90 wt % and the non-crystallising form of sorbitol, the non-crystallizing form of xylitol or the mixture of the non-crystallising form of sorbitol and the non-crystallising form of xylitol (a)(ii) is 60-10 wt % based upon the weight of (a)(i) and (a)(ii).

9. The lozenge of claim 8 wherein the gum (a)(i) is 50-80 wt % and the non-crystallising form of sorbitol, the non-crystallizing form of xylitol or the mixture of the non-crystallising form of sorbitol and the non-crystallising form of xylitol (a)(ii) is 50-20 wt % based upon the weight of (a)(i) and (a)(ii).

10. The lozenge of claim 8 further comprising one or more components selected from flavorings, taste masking agents, colorings, buffer components, pH adjusting agents, excipients, stabilizers and sweeteners.