Melt-formulated, multi-particulate oral dosage form

1. A melt-formulated, multiparticulate granule or pellet, oral dosage form comprising clavulanic acid or at least one physiologically acceptable salt thereof, and at least one sucrose fatty acid ester, wherein the sucrose fatty acid ester is in an amount from 10-25% by weight relative to the total weight of the dosage form, is derived from a saturated or unsaturated C 12-22 fatty acid, has a melting range of 50-80 ° C. and has an HLB value of less than or equal to 3; and wherein the dosage form releases 100% of the clavulanic acid within 15 minutes or less when placed in artificial intestinal fluid at a pH of 6.8.

2. A dosage form according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one physiologically acceptable auxiliary substance.

3. A dosage form according to claim 1 , comprising at least one of potassium clavulanate and sodium clavulanate.

4. A dosage form according to claim 1 , comprising potassium clavulanate.

5. A dosage form according to claim 1 , containing from 1 to 90 wt. % of clavulanate, calculated as free acid, relative to the total weight of the dosage form.

6. A dosage form according to claim 5 , containing from 30 to 80 wt. % of clavulanate, calculated as free acid, relative to the total weight of the dosage form.

7. A dosage form according to claim 1 , comprising at least one mono-, di-, tri- or poly-ester of sucrose with at least one fatty acid.

8. A dosage form according to claim 7 , comprising a mixture mono-, di-, tri- and poly-esters of sucrose with at least one fatty acid.

9. A dosage form according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sucrose fatty acid ester is derived from saturated C 12 -C 22 fatty acids.

10. A dosage form according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sucrose fatty acid ester is derived from at least one of stearic acid and palmitic acid.

11. A dosage form according to claim 1 , wherein the sucrose fatty acid ester has an HLB value of less than or equal to 2.

12. A dosage form according to claim 11 , wherein the sucrose fatty acid ester has an HLB value of about 1.

13. A dosage form according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sucrose fatty acid ester has a melting range of 55° C. to 65° C.

14. A dosage form according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sucrose fatty acid ester has no influence on release of the clavulanic acid.

15. A dosage form according to claim 2 , wherein said at least one physiologically acceptable auxiliary substance is selected from the group consisting of water-soluble fillers, water-insoluble fillers, and nucleating agents.

16. A dosage form according to claim 2 , comprising at least one auxiliary substance selected from the group consisting of lactose, microcrystalline cellulose, silicon dioxide, CaHPO 4 , kaolin, talcum, titanium dioxide, mannitol, and pH regulators.

17. A dosage form according to claim 16 , comprising at least one auxiliary substance selected from the group consisting of kaolin, CaHPO 4 and silicon dioxide, and a pH regulator selected from the group consisting of citric acid, Na 2 HPO 4 and ascorbic acid.

18. A dosage form according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one physiologically acceptable auxiliary substance amounts to 1 to 60% by weight relative to the total weight of the dosage form.

19. A dosage form according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one physiologically acceptable auxiliary substance amounts to 3 to 45% by weight relative to the total weight of the dosage form.

20. A dosage form according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one physiologically acceptable auxiliary substance amounts to 5 to 15% by weight relative to the total weight of the dosage form.

21. A dosage form according to claim 1 , wherein the dosage form is in the form of melt-granules or melt-pellets.

22. A dosage form according to claim 1 , wherein the dosage form is packaged in a capsule, a sachet, a bottle or a drinking straw or is press-molded into a tablet.

23. A process for producing a dosage form according to claim 1 , said process comprising:

at least partially softening the sucrose fatty acid ester by energy input to such an extent that it provides a binder action;

optionally cooling the softened sucrose fatty acid ester;

mixing the softened sucrose fatty acid ester with the clavulanic acid or at least one physiologically acceptable salt thereof and optionally one or more physiologically acceptable auxiliary substances, and

granulating the resulting mixture, and

optionally rounding and cooling the granules,

wherein the mixing and energy input may proceed in any desired time sequence.

24. A process according to claim 23 , wherein the sucrose fatty acid ester component is optionally mixed with an auxiliary substance, melted and cooled, the cooled component or mixture is mixed with the optionally heated clavulanic acid, is partially melted with energy input, is granulated, and is optionally rounded and cooled.

25. A process according to claim 23 , wherein the clavulanic acid or salt and the optional auxiliary substances are heated to a temperature of 50° C. to 80° C. prior to granulation.

26. A process according to claim 25 , wherein the clavulanic acid or salt and the optional auxiliary substances are heated to a temperature of 60° C. to 65° C. prior to granulation.

27. A process according to claim 23 , further comprising rapidly cooling the clavulanic acid-containing granules or pellets directly after production thereof by addition of dry ice or by introduction of liquid nitrogen.

28. A dosage form obtained by the process of claim 23 .

29. A combination of two separate pharmaceutical preparations said combination consisting of a first separately formulated dosage form according to claim 1 and a separately formulated second oral dosage form comprising at least one β-lactam antibiotic.

30. A preparation according to claim 29 , wherein said β-lactam antibiotic is amoxicillin.

31. A preparation according to claim 30 , wherein the amoxicillin is present in the form a physiologically acceptable salt, or as a hydrate.

32. A preparation according to claim 29 , wherein the weight ratio of the clavulanic acid-containing dosage form calculated on the basis of the free clavulanic acid to the β-lactam antibiotic-containing dosage form calculated on the basis of the β-lactam antibiotic is in the range from 1:2 to 1:14.

33. A preparation according to claim 32 , wherein the weight ratio of the clavulanic acid-containing dosage form calculated on the basis of the free clavulanic acid to the β-lactam antibiotic-containing dosage form calculated on the basis of the β-lactam antibiotic is in the range from 1:4 to 1:8.

34. A method of treating a bacterial infection, said method comprising administering to a bacterially infected patient an effective anti-bacterial amount of a preparation according to claim 29 .

35. A method according to claim 34 , wherein said patient is a human afflicted with otitis media or a respiratory infection or a urinary tract infection.