Orally disintegrating solid dosage forms comprising progestin and methods of making and use thereof

1. A non-effervescent, orally disintegrating solid pharmaceutical dosage form comprising: (a) a progestin equivalent to about 0.5 mg to about 2 mg of levonorgestrel; (b) an ionic disintegrant and no non-ionic disintegrant; and (c) a hydrophilic water-insoluble non-ionic excipient; wherein the ionic disintegrant is present in a concentration of greater than 8% to about 60% by weight of the dosage form and the hydrophilic water-insoluble non-ionic excipient is present in a concentration of about 1% to about 20% by weight of the dosage form.

2. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein the ionic disintegrant is selected from the group consisting of croscarmellose sodium, sodium starch glycolate, polacrilin potassium, carboxymethyl cellulose calcium and combinations thereof.

3. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein the ionic disintegrant is croscarmellose sodium.

4. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein the ionic disintegrant is sodium starch glycolate.

5. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein the ionic disintegrant is polacrilin potassium.

6. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein the ionic disintegrant is a combination of croscarmellose sodium and polacrilin potassium.

7. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein the ionic disintegrant is a combination of sodium starch glycolate and polacrilin potassium.

8. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein the ionic disintegrant is in a concentration of about 10% to about 50% by weight of the dosage form.

9. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic water-insoluble non-ionic excipient is selected from the group consisting of microcrystalline cellulose, pregelatinized starch, cellulose compounds, starches, crospovidone and combinations thereof.

10. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic water-insoluble non-ionic excipient is in a concentration of about 2% to about 15% by weight of the dosage form.

11. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein greater than 40% by weight of the progestin dissolves into solution in less than about 7 minutes when the dosage form is placed in a surfactant containing medium according to USP method II at 75 rpm.

12. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein at least 75% by weight of the progestin dissolves into solution in less than about 15 minutes when the dosage form is placed in a surfactant containing medium according to USP method II at 75 rpm.

13. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein at least 75% by weight of the progestin equivalent to about 0.75 mg of levonorgestrel dissolves into solution in less than about 15 minutes when the dosage form is placed in a medium of 5 ppm Tween 80 in 900 mL of water according to USP method II at 75 rpm.

14. The pharmaceutical dosage form of claim 1 , wherein at least 75% by weight of the progestin equivalent to about 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel dissolves into solution in less than about 15 minutes when the dosage form is placed in a medium of 0.1% SDS in 0.1 N HC 1 according to USP method II at 75 rpm.

15. A method of treating a female in need of emergency contraception, the method comprising: administering postcoitus to the female a first orally disintegrating solid pharmaceutical dosage form; and administering to the female within about 12 hours of administration of the first dosage form a second orally disintegrating solid pharmaceutical dosage form, wherein each of the first and second dosage forms comprises: (a) a progestin equivalent to about 0.75 mg of levonorgestrel; (b) an ionic disintegrant and no non-ionic disintegrant; and (c) a hydrophilic water-insoluble non-ionic excipient; wherein the ionic disintegrant is present in a concentration of greater than 8% to about 60% by weight of the dosage form and the hydrophilic water-insoluble non-ionic excipient is present in a concentration of about 1% to about 20% by weight of the dosage form.

16. A method of treating a female in need of emergency contraception, the method comprising administering postcoitus to the female an orally disintegrating solid pharmaceutical dosage form comprising: (a) a progestin equivalent to about 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel; (b) an ionic disintegrant and no non-ionic disintegrant; and (c) a hydrophilic water-insoluble non-ionic excipient; wherein the ionic disintegrant is present in a concentration of greater than 8% to about 60% by weight of the dosage form and the hydrophilic water-insoluble non-ionic excipient is present in a concentration of about 1% to about 20% by weight of the dosage form.

17. A therapeutic package for treating a female in need of emergency contraception, the package comprising:

(a) one or more non-effervescent, orally disintegrating solid dosage forms of claim 1 ;

(b) a suitable container; and

(c) a label directing administering the pharmaceutical dosage form to a female in need thereof.

18. A process for preparing a non-effervescent, orally disintegrating solid pharmaceutical dosage form, the process comprising: mixing an ionic disintegrant and no non-ionic disintegrant and a progestin equivalent to about 0.5 mg to about 2 mg of levonorgestrel to form an initial mixture; adding to the initial mixture a hydrophilic water-insoluble non-ionic excipient to form a final mixture; and compressing the final mixture to produce the pharmaceutical dosage form; wherein the ionic disintegrant is present in a concentration of greater than 8% to about 60% by weight of the dosage form and the hydrophilic water-insoluble non-ionic excipient is present in a concentration of about 1% to about 20% by weight of the dosage form.

19. The process of claim 18 , wherein the ionic disintegrant is selected from the group consisting of croscarmellose sodium, sodium starch glycolate, polacrilin potassium, carboxymethyl cellulose calcium and combinations thereof.

20. The process of claim 18 , wherein the ionic disintegrant is in a concentration of about 10% to about 50% by weight of the dosage form.

21. The process of claim 18 , wherein the hydrophilic water-insoluble non-ionic excipient is selected from the group consisting of microcrystalline cellulose, pregelatinized starch, cellulose compounds, starches, crospovidone and combinations thereof.

22. The process of claim 18 , wherein the hydrophilic water-insoluble non-ionic excipient is in a concentration of about 2% to about 15% by weight of the dosage form.

23. The process of claim 18 , wherein greater than 40% by weight of the progestin dissolves into solution in less than about 7 minutes when the dosage form is placed in a surfactant containing medium according to USP method II at 75 rpm.

24. The process of claim 18 , wherein at least 75% by weight of the progestin dissolves into solution in less than about 15 minutes when the dosage form is placed in a surfactant containing medium according to USP method II at 75 rpm.

25. The process of claim 18 , wherein at least 75% by weight of the progestin equivalent to about 0.75 mg of levonorgestrel dissolves into solution in less than about 15 minutes when the dosage form is placed in a medium of 5 ppm Tween 80 in 900 mL of water according to USP method II at 75 rpm.

26. The process of claim 18 , wherein at least 75% by weight of the progestin equivalent to about 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel dissolves into solution in less than about 15 minutes when the dosage form is placed in a medium of 0.1% SDS in 0.1 N HC 1 according to USP method II at 75 rpm.

27. The process of claim 18 , further comprising adding a non-polymeric water-soluble carrier to the initial mixture.

28. The process of claim 18 , further comprising adding a flavorant, a sweetener or a glidant to the final mixture.

29. The process of claim 18 , further comprising adding a lubricant to the final mixture.