Oral Dosage forms having a High Loading of a Gabapentin Prodrug

1 .- 30 . (canceled)

31 . A method for treating alcohol dependency comprising orally administering to a patient in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a sustained release tablet dosage form comprising 1-([α-isobutanoyloxyethoxy)carbonyl]aminomethyl)-1-cyclohexane acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients.

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the dosage form comprises from about 300 mg to about 1300 mg of 1-([α-isobutanoyloxyethoxy)carbonyl]aminomethyl)-1-cyclohexane acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the dosage form comprises about 600 mg of 1-([α-isobutanoyloxyethoxy)carbonyl]aminomethyl)-1-cyclohexane acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

34 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the 1-([α-isobutanoyloxyethoxy)carbonyl]aminomethyl)-1-cyclohexane acetic acid is in the free acid form.

35 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the 1-([α-isobutanoyloxyethoxy)carbonyl]aminomethyl)-1-cyclohexane acetic acid or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is crystalline.

36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the crystalline 1-([α-isobutanoyloxyethoxy)carbonyl]aminomethyl)-1-cyclohexane acetic acid has a melting point range of between about 63° C. and about 64° C. as determined by differential scanning calorimetry.

37 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable excipient is a lubricant.

38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the lubricant is selected from the group consisting of magnesium stearate, sodium stearyl fumarate, and stearic acid.

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the lubricant is magnesium stearate.

40 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the lubricant is present in dosage form from about 0.5 wt % to about 4 wt %.

41 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the tablet dosage form further comprises one or more pharmaceutically acceptable vehicles selected from the group consisting of surfactants, lubricants, plasticizers, binding agents, diluents, anti-adherents, glidants, buffers, dyes, wetting agents, emulsifying agents, pH buffering agents, stabilizing agents, thickening agents and disintegrants.

42 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle is a diluent selected from the group consisting of dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate, calcium sulfate, dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, lactose, cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, kaolin, mannitol, sodium chloride, dry starch, pregelatinized starch, compressible sugar, and combinations thereof.

43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the diluent is dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate.

44 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle is a glidant selected from the group consisting of talc, magnesium stearate, glycerol monostearate, colloidal silicon dioxide and combinations thereof.

45 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle is a lubricant selected from the group consisting of calcium stearate, glyceryl behenate, glyceryl monostearate, magnesium stearate, mineral oil, polyethylene glycol, sodium stearyl fumarate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, stearic acid, talc, hydrogenated vegetable oil, zinc stearate, and combinations thereof.

46 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle is a surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, zwitterionic, amphoteric surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, polyethyleneglycol esters or ethers, and combinations thereof.

47 . The method of claim 46 , wherein the anionic surfactant is 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 and phosphated ethoxylated alcohols.

48 . The method of claim 47 , wherein the alkyl sulfate is sodium lauryl sulfate.