Extended release compositions comprising tolterodine

1. An extended release pharmaceutical composition comprising tolterodine and an extended release polymer(s), wherein the composition comprises:

a) i) a drug layer comprising tolterodine tartrate and monosaccharide and/or disaccharide on an inert core wherein the drug layer is substantially free of the extended release polymer; or

ii) a drug core comprising tolterodine tartrate and monosaccharide and/or disaccharide wherein the drug core is substantially free of the extended release polymer; and

b) a polymer layer comprising extended release polymer(s).

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein tolterodine tartrate is 0.1 to 8% w/w of the composition.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the monosaccharide and/or disaccharide in the drug layer or the drug core is selected from glucose, dextrose, fructose, mannitol, sucrose, sorbitol, lactose, galactose, maltose, arabinose, ribose, xylose, erythrose, threose, mannose, or mixtures thereof.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the monosaccharide and/or disaccharide in the drug layer or the drug core is at least 10% w/w of the composition.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of tolterodine tartrate to monosaccharide and/or disaccharide in the drug layer or the drug core is from 1:5 to 1:100.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the drug layer or the drug core further comprises of anti-tack agent selected from talc, colloidal silicon dioxide, glyceryl monostearate, sodium lauryl sulfate, glyceryl behenate, stearic acid, magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, or mixtures thereof.

7. The composition of claim 6 , wherein weight ratio of tolterodine to anti-tack agent in the drug layer or the drug core is from 1:0.1 to 1:20.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the extended release polymer is selected from ethylcellulose, polymethacrylate(s), cellulose acetate phthalate, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate trimellitate, cellulose acetate, hydroxypropylcellulose, povidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene glycol, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, starch, hydroxyethylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, or mixtures thereof.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer further comprises of plasticizer selected from triacetin, triethylcitrate, polyethylene glycol, acetyltribytylcitrate, miglyol, hydrogenated oils, acetyltriethylcitrate, polysorbate, oleic acid, cetyl alcohol, propylene glycol, dibutylsebacate, diethylphthalate, dibutylphthalate, meglumine, or mixtures thereof.

10. A process for the preparation of an extended release pharmaceutical composition comprising tolterodine, wherein the process comprises the steps of:

a) providing an inert core comprising a substantially water soluble material, a water swellable material, or mixtures thereof;

b) coating the inert core with a drug layer comprising tolterodine tartrate, and monosaccharide and/or disaccharide; and

c) coating the drug layer with a polymer layer comprising extended release polymer(s), optionally a plasticizer and optionally an anti-tack agent to obtain extended release pellets, wherein the drug layer is substantially free of the extended release polymer(s).

11. The process of claim 10 , wherein the coating of drug layer on the inert core comprising steps of:

a) dispersing and/or dissolving tolterodine tartrate in a solvent selected from water, organic solvent(s), or mixtures thereof to obtain drug dispersion or solution;

b) dispersing and/or dissolving monosaccharide and/or disaccharide in a solvent selected from water, organic solvent(s), or mixtures thereof;

c) mixing dispersion or solution of step b) with drug dispersion or solution obtained in step a);

d) optionally adding anti-tack agent to the dispersion or solution of step c); and

e) spraying the resulting dispersion or solution on the inert core followed by drying and sizing.

12. A process for the preparation of an extended release pharmaceutical composition comprising tolterodine, wherein the process comprises the steps of:

a) preparing a drug core comprising tolterodine tartrate, monosaccharide and/or disaccharide, and optionally an anti-tack agent; and

b) coating said drug core with a polymer layer comprising extended release polymer(s), and, optionally, a plasticizer, an anti-tack agent or mixtures thereof, on the drug core to obtain extended release pellets, wherein the drug core is substantially free of the extended release polymer(s).

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein preparation of the drug core comprises steps of:

a) mixing tolterodine tartrate, monosaccharide and/or disaccharide and optionally anti-tack agent in a mixer to obtain drug mixture;

b) granulating the drug mixture with a granulating solvent selected from water, organic solvent(s), or mixtures thereof to obtain granules;

c) extruding the granules to obtain extrudates; and

d) spheronizing the extrudates to obtain drug core; and

e) drying and sizing the drug core.

14. The process of claim 10 or 12 , wherein coating of the extended release polymer(s) onto the drug layer or onto the drug core comprises the steps of:

a) dispersing and/or dissolving extended release polymer(s) in a solvent selected from water, organic solvent(s) or mixtures thereof to obtain polymer dispersion or solution;

b) optionally adding one or more additives selected from anti-tack agent, plasticizer, pigments, colorant, or mixtures thereof to polymer dispersion or solution;

c) spraying the resulting dispersion or solution on drug layer to obtain extended release pellets; and

d) drying and sizing of extended release pellets.

15. The process of claim 10 or 12 , wherein tolterodine tartrate is from 0.1% to 8% w/w of the composition.

16. The process of claim 10 or 12 , wherein the monosaccharide and/or disaccharide is selected from glucose, dextrose, fructose, mannitol, sucrose, sorbitol, lactose, galactose, maltose, arabinose, ribose, xylose, erythrose, threose, mannose and mixtures thereof.

17. The process of claim 10 or 12 , wherein the monosaccharide and/or disaccharide is at least 10% w/w of the composition.

18. The process of claim 10 or 12 , wherein the weight ratio of tolterodine tartrate to monosaccharide and/or disaccharide in the drug layer or the drug core is from 1:5 to 1:100.

19. The process of claim 10 or 12 , wherein the weight ratio of tolterodine tartrate to anti-tack agent in the drug layer or drug core is from 1:0.1 to 1:20.

20. The process of claim 10 or 12 , wherein the extended release polymer is selected from ethylcellulose, polymethacrylate(s), cellulose acetate phthalate, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate trimellitate, cellulose acetate, hydroxypropylcellulose, povidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene glycol, microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, starch, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, or mixtures thereof.