Pharmaceutical cyclosporin compositions

1. An oral cyclosporin composition comprising multiple minicapsules or minispheres in a single-unit dosage form, the minicapsules or minispheres having a core comprising a cyclosporin in a solubilised liquid form, and wherein the cyclosporin in a solubilised form is encapsulated with a gelling agent selected from gelatin and alginate, the minicapsules or minispheres being coated with a composition comprising ethylcellulose and having a release profile to delay release of the solubilised cyclosporin and to release the solubilised cyclosporin at least in the colon.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the minicapsules and minispheres are seamless.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the minicapsule or minisphere is a coated one layer minicapsule or minisphere.

4. The composition of claim 1 which has a dissolution profile, when tested in a U.S.P. Type II apparatus (paddles) at 37° C. and 50 rpm, in pH 6.8 buffer as follows: up to 4 hours: less than or equal to about 20% cyclosporin released; 6 hours: less than or equal to about 35% cyclosporin released; 8 hours: less than or equal to about 50% cyclosporin released; 12 hours: less than or equal to about 60% cyclosporin released; 18 hours: less than or equal to about 75% cyclosporin released; and 24 hours: from about 25% to about 100% cyclosporin released.

5. The composition of claim 1 which has a dissolution profile, when tested in a U.S.P. Type II apparatus (paddles) at 37° C. and 50 rpm, in pH 6.8 buffer as follows: 1 hour: less than or equal to about 20% cyclosporin released; 4 hours: less than or equal to about 35% cyclosporin released; 6 hours: less than or equal to about 50% cyclosporin released; 12 hours: less than or equal to about 60% cyclosporin released; 16 hours: less than or equal to about 75% cyclosporin released; and 24 hours: from about 25% to about 100% cyclosporin released.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the coating further contains a methacrylate.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the coating includes a dissolution enhancing agent.

8. The composition of claim 6 wherein the dissolution enhancing agent is degraded by bacteria normally present in the lower gastrointestinal tract.

9. The composition of claim 6 wherein the dissolution enhancing agent is selected from one or more of pectin, amylose and alginate and derivatives thereof.

10. The composition of claim 7 wherein the dissolution enhancing agent is pectin.

11. The composition as claimed in claim 6 wherein the polymeric material is ethylcellulose and wherein the coating further includes a dissolution enhancing agent, which dissolution agent is present in an amount of from 0.5 to 2% w/w of ethylcellulose.

12. The composition of claim 1 wherein each minicapsule has applied thereto a coating comprising:

a polymeric material selected from; ethylcellulose; and a composite of methacrylate and ethylcellulose; and

an agent degraded by bacteria normally present in the lower gastrointestinal tract.

13. The composition of claim 12 wherein the agent is selected from one or more of pectin, amylose and alginate and derivatives thereof.

14. The composition of claim 1 wherein the coating composition further comprises a natural polysaccharide.

15. The composition of claim 14 wherein the coating comprises a said coating that comprises a combination of a polymer with a natural polysaccharide and wherein the natural polysaccharide comprises a natural polysaccharide selected from amylose, pectin, alginate, amylopectin, chitosan and galactomannan.

16. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the cyclosporin is cyclosporin A.

17. The composition of claim 1 wherein the core is a hydrophobic solution and the minicapsules comprise an encapsulating shell obtainable by gelling a shell solution which is gelatin-based.

18. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition comprises minicapsules, which minicapsules have the characteristics of minicapsules obtained by utilisation of surface tensions of a hydrophobic core solution comprising the cyclosporin in a solubilised form and a shell solution that is gelatin or alginate based, which solutions are ejected through a nozzle having one orifice and subject to specific frequencies and which form into a spherical form and fall into a cooling air flow or a cooling or hardening solution where the shell solution is gelled or solidified.

19. The composition of claim 18 wherein the shell solution is gelatin-based and each minicapsule has thereon:

a coating comprising a first polymeric material selected from; ethylcellulose; and a composite of methacrylate and ethylcellulose; and

an optional separate coating comprising a second polymeric material.

20. The composition of claim 1 comprising a hard gelatin capsule, a sprinkle, or a tablet containing the minicapsules.

21. The composition of claim 1 wherein the cyclosporin is combined with another active pharmaceutical in a single oral dosage form.

22. A composition of claim 21 wherein the other active is selected from calcineurin inhibitors; cytostatics; antibodies and fragments thereof; sirolimus; interferons; opioids; TNFα-binding proteins; mycophenolate mofetil acid; essential oils; plant extracts; therapeutic peptides; vaccines; antibodies or fragments thereof.

23. The composition of claim 21 wherein the other active is selected from any one or combination of tacrolimus, sirolimus, hydralazine, DMOG and other prolyl- and/or asparaginyl-hydroxylase inhibitors, EPA, DHA, natural plant extracts, natural marine extracts, and siRNA constructs.

24. The composition of claim 1 wherein the cyclosporin is combined with another active pharmaceutical in a single oral dosage form, the other active pharmaceutical being selected from prolyl- and/or asparaginyl-hydroxylase inhibitors.

25. The composition of claim 1 wherein the cyclosporin is combined with hydralazine in a single oral dosage form.

26. A composition of claim 21 wherein the other active ingredient is selected from budesonide and other corticosteroids, prednisone, hydrocortisone and other adrenal steroids, administered alone or in combination with a xanthine or methylxanthine; interleukin-10 and other cytokines; antibiotics; azathioprine; 6-mercaptopurine; methotrexate and other immunomodulating agents, and soluble TNF receptor, antibodies raised to TNF and other anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents; and zinc.

27. An oral cyclosporin formulation comprising a cyclosporin and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and adapted to inhibit absorption of the cyclosporin in the upper gastrointestinal tract and to release cyclosporin in the ileum and/or colon, wherein the formulation is selected from:

formulations in a single-unit dosage form comprising multiple solid-, semi-solid or liquid filled seamless minicapsules comprising one or more layers, the minicapsules being coated with a composition comprising ethylcellulose and having a release profile to release the cyclosporin in the ileum and/or colon, the cyclosporin being encapsulated with a gelling agent selected from gelatin and alginate;

and

formulations in a single-unit dosage form comprising multiple minispheres comprising (i) a hydrophobic solution or suspension comprising cyclosporin and (ii) gelatin in which the hydrophobic solution is encapsulated, the minispheres being coated with a composition comprising ethylcellulose and having a release profile to release the cyclosporin in the ileum and/or colon.

28. An oral cyclosporin composition comprising multiple minicapsules in a single-unit dosage form, the minicapsules having a core comprising a cyclosporin in a solubilised form, the minicapsules being coated with a delayed release composition comprising ethylcellulose and having a release profile to release the cyclosporin in a solubilised form in the distal gut, wherein the minicapsules are minicapsules in which the cyclosporin is encapsulated with a gelling agent selected from gelatin and alginate.

29. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the minicapsules or minispheres have a release profile to release the solubilized cyclosporin in the ileum and colon.

30. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the cyclosporin is protected from absorption in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

31. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the minicapsules or minispheres have a release profile to release in the colon an amount of the solubilized cyclosporin effective for managing an inflammatory or immune disorder that affects the colon.

32. The composition of claim 18 , wherein the cyclosporin is protected from absorption in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

33. The composition of claim 18 , wherein the minicapsules have a release profile to release in the colon an amount of the solubilized cyclosporin effective for managing an inflammatory or immune disorder that affects the colon.

34. The composition of claim 33 , wherein the shell solution is gelatin-based and each minicapsule has applied thereto a coating comprising a polymeric material selected from; ethylcellulose; and a composite of methacrylate and ethylcellulose.

35. The composition of claim 34 , wherein the polymeric material is ethylcellulose.

36. The formulation of claim 27 , wherein the minicapsules and minispheres have a release profile to release in the colon an amount of the solubilized cyclosporin effective for managing an inflammatory or immune disorder that affects the colon.

37. The composition of claim 1 which has a dissolution profile, when tested in a U.S.P. Type II apparatus (paddles) at 37° C. and 50 rpm, in pH 6.8 buffer as follows: up to 4 hours: less than or equal to about 20% cyclosporin released.

38. The composition of claim 37 which has a dissolution profile, when tested in a U.S.P. Type II apparatus (paddles) at 37° C. and 50 rpm, in pH 6.8 buffer as follows: 24 hours: from about 75% to about 100% cyclosporin released.

39. The composition of claim 1 which has a dissolution profile, when tested in a U.S.P. Type II apparatus (paddles) at 37° C. and 50 rpm, in pH 6.8 buffer as follows: 1 hour: less than or equal to about 20% cyclosporin released; 4 hours: less than or equal to about 35% cyclosporin released.

40. The composition of claim 39 which has a dissolution profile, when tested in a U.S.P. Type II apparatus (paddles) at 37° C. and 50 rpm, in pH 6.8 buffer as follows: 16 hours: about 75% cyclosporin released.

41. The composition of claim 18 which has a dissolution profile, when tested in a U.S.P. Type II apparatus (paddles) at 37° C. and 50 rpm, in pH 6.8 buffer as follows: up to 4 hours: less than or equal to about 20% cyclosporin released.

42. The composition of claim 41 which has a dissolution profile, when tested in a U.S.P. Type II apparatus (paddles) at 37° C. and 50 rpm, in pH 6.8 buffer as follows: 24 hours: from about 75% to about 100% cyclosporin released.

43. The composition of claim 18 which has a dissolution profile, when tested in a U.S.P. Type II apparatus (paddles) at 37° C. and 50 rpm, in pH 6.8 buffer as follows: 1 hour: less than or equal to about 20% cyclosporin released; 4 hours: less than or equal to about 35% cyclosporin released.

44. The composition of claim 43 which has a dissolution profile, when tested in a U.S.P. Type II apparatus (paddles) at 37° C. and 50 rpm, in pH 6.8 buffer as follows: 16 hours: about 75% cyclosporin released.