Chronotherapeutic dosage forms

1. A delayed release oral solid dosage form comprising:

a tablet core comprising a mixture of a therapeutically effective amount of a drug and a pharmaceutically acceptable surfactant selected from the group consisting of (i) an anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of monovalent alkyl carboxylates, acyl lactylates, alkyl ether carboxylates, N-acyl sarcosinates, polyvalent alkyl carbonates, N-acyl glutamates, fatty acid-polypeptide condensates, sulfuric acid esters, alkyl sulfates, ethoxylated alkyl sulfates, ester linked sulfonates, alpha olefin sulfonates, phosphated ethoxylated alcohols and mixtures thereof; (ii) a cationic surfactant selected from the group consisting of monoalkyl quaternary ammonium salts, dialkyl quaternary ammonium compounds, amidoamines, and aminimides, and mixtures thereof; (iii) an amphoteric surfactant selected from the group consisting of N-substituted alkyl amides, N-alkyl betaines, sulfobetaines, N-alkyl 6-aminoproprionates, and mixtures thereof; (iv) a polyethylene glycol, a polyethyleneglycol ester, a polyethyleneglycol ether, and mixtures thereof; and (v) a mixture of any of (i)-(iv); the surfactant comprising about 2.8 or from about 5 to about 50% of the core, by weight; and a delayed release material compression coated onto said core, said delayed release material comprising one or more natural or synthetic gums, said compression coating delaying the release of said drug from said dosage form until after a period of time from about 2 to about 18 hours after exposure of the dosage form to an aqueous solution; wherein the surfactant is included in an amount sufficient to facilitate the complete release of the drug from the dosage form in less than about 4 hours after initial release of the drug from the delayed release oral solid dosage form.

2. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 1 , wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, a non-ionic surfactant, and mixtures thereof.

3. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 1 , wherein said surfactant is in an amount of from about 5 to about 50 percent by weight of the core.

4. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 1 , wherein said drug is a glucocorticosteroid selected from the group consisting of prednisolone, prednisone, cortisone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, betametasone, dexamethasone, triamcinolone, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and mixtures thereof.

5. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 1 , wherein said one or more natural or synthetic gums are agglomerated with a saccharide material prior to being compression coated onto said core.

6. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 1 , which delays release of said drug until at least about 4 hours to about 18 hours after exposure of the dosage form to an aqueous solution.

7. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 1 , wherein said delayed release material further comprises an ionizable gel strength enhancing agent selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate, sodium chloride, potassium sulfate, sodium carbonate, lithium chloride, tripotassium phosphate, sodium borate, potassium bromide, potassium fluoride, sodium bicarbonate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium citrate, sodium acetate, calcium lactate, magnesium sulfate, sodium fluoride, and mixtures thereof.

8. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 1 , wherein said core further comprises from about 5 to about 20 percent disintegrant, by weight.

9. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 1 , wherein said drug is a glucocorticosteroid.

10. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 1 , wherein said core further comprises an effective amount of disintegrant.

11. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 1 , wherein said gums comprise a mixture of xanthan gum and locust bean gum.

12. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 1 , wherein the drug and surfactant are granulated along with a disintegrant and a pharmaceutically acceptable inert diluent.

13. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is included in an amount sufficient to facilitate at least about 80% of the drug from the dosage form within about one hour after the initial release of the drug from the delayed release oral solid dosage form.

14. A delayed release oral solid dosage form comprising:

a core comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a drug, a pharmaceutically acceptable surfactant selected from a polyethylene glycol, a polyethyleneglycol ester, a polyethyleneglycol ether, and mixtures thereof, the surfactant comprising greater than 10 to about 50% of the core, by weight; and a delayed release material compression coated onto said core, said delayed release material comprising one or more natural or synthetic gums, said compression coating delaying the release of said drug from said dosage form until after a period of time from about 2 to about 18 hours after exposure of the dosage form to an aqueous solution; wherein the surfactant is included in an amount sufficient to facilitate the complete release of the drug from the dosage form in less than about 4 hours after initial release of the drug from the delayed release oral solid dosage form.

15. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 14 , wherein the drug and surfactant are granulated along with a disintegrant and a pharmaceutically acceptable inert diluent.

16. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 14 , wherein the core is a tablet core comprising a mixture of the drug and the surfactant.

17. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 14 , wherein the surfactant included in the core further comprises sodium lauryl sulfate.

18. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 14 , wherein the surfactant is included in an amount sufficient to facilitate at least about 80% of the drug from the dosage form within about one hour after the initial release of the drug from the delayed release oral solid dosage form.

19. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 14 , wherein the surfactant comprises from about 18.8% to about 28.1% polyethylene glycol.

20. The delayed release oral solid dosage form of claim 19 , wherein the surfactant further comprises about 2.8% sodium lauryl sulfate.