Oral pharmaceutical compositions of dabigatran etexilate

1. A composition comprising: a mixture of at least two distinct types of particles wherein

a) the first type of particles comprise dabigatran etexilate in the form of the free base or in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or polymorph thereof, wherein the first type of particles is free from organic acids and inorganic acids; and

b) the second type of particles comprise at least one pharmaceutically acceptable organic acid, wherein the second type of particles is coated with a protective coating layer and is free from dabigatran etexilate.

2. The composition according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

3. The composition according to claim 1 , comprising from 0.01 wt % to 90 wt % of dabigatran etexilate, as dabigatran etexilate mesylate.

4. The composition according to claim 1 , comprising from 2 wt % to 95 wt % of the at least one pharmaceutically acceptable organic acid.

5. A unit dosage form prepared from the composition according to claim 1 , which comprises from 50 mg to 200 mg of dabigatran etexilate mesylate.

6. A process for the preparation of the composition according to claim 2 , comprising the step of mixing the first type of particles and the second type of particles with the at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

7. The process of claim 6 , wherein the first type of particles are prepared by granulation.

8. The process according to claim 7 , comprising the steps of:

i) blending dabigatran etexilate in the form of the free base or in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or polymorph thereof and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient;

ii) granulating the blend of step (i) with a binder solution to form granules of dabigatran etexilate;

iii) blending at least one organic acid and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient;

iv) granulating the blend of step (iii) with a binder solution to form organic acid granules;

v) coating the organic acid granules with a protective coating layer;

vi) blending the granules of step (ii) with the coated granules of step (v) to form a mixture of at least two types of granules;

vii) optionally blending the mixture of at least two types of granules of step (vi) with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient;

viii) adding a lubricant to the blend of step (vii);

ix) filling the lubricated mixture of step (viii) into suitable hard capsules.

9. The process according to claim 7 , comprising the steps of:

i) blending dabigatran etexilate in the form of the free base or in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or polymorph thereof and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient;

ii) granulating the blend of step (i) with a binder solution to form granules of the dabigatran etexilate;

iii) blending at least one organic acid and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient;

iv) extruding and spheronizing the blend of step (iii) to form organic acid pellets;

v) coating the organic acid pellets of step (iv) with a protective coating layer;

vi) blending the granules of step (ii) with the coated pellets of step (v) to form a mixture of at least two types of particles;

vii) optionally blending the mixture of at least two types of granules of step (vi) with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient;

viii) adding a lubricant to the blend of step (vii);

ix) filling the lubricated mixture of step (viii) into suitable hard capsules.

10. The composition according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is selected from the group consisting of binders, disintegrants, diluents, surfactants, glidants, lubricants, and combinations thereof.

11. A composition consisting of a mixture of two distinct types of particles and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, wherein

a) the first type of particles comprise dabigatran etexilate in the form of the free base or in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or polymorph thereof, wherein the first type of particles is free from organic and inorganic acids; and

b) the second type of particles comprise at least one pharmaceutically acceptable organic acid, wherein the second type of particles is coated with a protective coating layer and is free from dabigatran etexilate.

12. The composition according to claim 11 , comprising from 0.01 wt % to 90 wt % of dabigatran etexilate, as dabigatran etexilate mesylate.

13. The composition according to claim 11 , wherein the first type of particles comprise at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

14. The composition according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is selected from the group consisting of binders, disintegrants, diluents, surfactants, glidants, lubricants, and combinations thereof.

15. A capsule unit dosage form prepared from the composition according to claim 14 , which comprises from 50 mg to 200 mg of dabigatran etexilate mesylate.

16. A capsule containing a pharmaceutical composition consisting of a mixture of two distinct types of particles and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, wherein

a) the first type of particles comprise dabigatran etexilate in the form of the free base or in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or polymorph thereof, wherein the first type of particles is free from organic and inorganic acids; and

b) the second type of particles comprise at least one pharmaceutically acceptable organic acid, wherein the second type of particles is coated with a protective coating layer and is free from dabigatran etexilate.

17. The capsule according to claim 16 containing from 50 mg to 200 mg of dabigatran etexilate mesylate.

18. The capsule according to claim 16 , wherein the first type of particles comprise at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.