Gallium nitrate formulations

1. A method of preparing an oral pharmaceutical formulation comprising

(a) a hydrate of gallium nitrate, and

(b) at least one delivery agent selected from N-(8-[2-hydroxybenzoyl]-amino) caprylic acid, N-(10-[2-hydroxybenzoyl]-amino) decanoic acid, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof;

the method comprising at least one of the following steps:

(a) (i) preparing wet granules consisting essentially of (A) the hydrate of gallium nitrate, (B) the at least one delivery agent; and (C) (i) starch and polyvinylpyrrolidone, (ii) starch, gelatin and polyvinylpyrrolidone, (iii) starch, fumed silica and gelatin, or (iv), starch, propyl gallate and polyvinylpyrrolidone; and

(ii) drying the wet granules at a temperature between 30° C. and 50° C.; and

(b) using a low compression pressure of about 700 psi to prepare tablets comprising the at least one delivery agent, colloidal silicon dioxide and the hydrate of gallium nitrate,

wherein decomposition of the hydrate of gallium nitrate in the oral pharmaceutical formulation is reduced.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drying occurs for 2-12 hours.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivery agent is N-(10-[2-hydroxybenzoyl]-amino) decanoic acid, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the delivery agent is the disodium salt of N-(10-[2-hydroxybenzoyl]-amino) decanoic acid.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivery agent is N-(8-[2-hydroxybenzoyl]-amino) caprylic acid, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pharmaceutical formulation, upon oral ingestion to a human, provides one or more of the following:

(a) plasma gallium concentrations of about 0.1 to about 5 μg/ml or about 0.9 to about 2.0 μg/ml,

(b) average steady state plasma levels of gallium from about 1000 to about 2500 ng/ml, or

(c) a decrease in serum calcium (corrected for albumin) of at least 2.0 mg/dl in a human with hypercalcemia.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises step (a).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises step (b).

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the granules consist essentially of the hydrate of gallium nitrate, the at least one delivery agent, starch and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the granules consist essentially of the hydrate of gallium nitrate, the at least one delivery agent, starch, gelatin and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the granules consist essentially of the hydrate of gallium nitrate, the at least one delivery agent, starch, fumed silica and gelatin.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the granules are dried at about 40° C.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein discoloration of the pharmaceutical formulation is reduced.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the decomposition which is reduced is oxidative decomposition.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the granules consist essentially of the hydrate of gallium nitrate, the at least one delivery agent, starch, propyl gallate, and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrate of gallium nitrate is gallium nitrate nonahydrate.