Formulation comprising particles containing a water-swellable or water-soluble polymeric component and a lipid component

1. An ingestible particle having a sieve diameter in the range from 0.05 to 3 mm, comprising

(a) a water-swellable or water-soluble polymeric component, and

(b) a first lipid component,

and optionally

(c) an amino acid,

(d) a vitamin, and/or

(e) a micro-nutrient;

wherein

the first lipid component comprises a medium or long chain fatty acid compound, and

the water-swellable or water-soluble polymeric component is embedded within the first lipid component in such a way that the water swellable or water-soluble polymeric component is dispersed within the first lipid component,

wherein the water-swellable or water-soluble polymeric component comprises at least one

polymeric material selected from poly(carboxylate), chitosan, cellulose ethers, xanthan gum, a plant fibre, and a carbomer,

wherein the medium or long chain fatty acid compound is a monoglyceride,

wherein the weight ratio of the first lipid component to the water-swellable or water-soluble polymeric component is in the range from 1 to 3,

the particle is in the form of a granule, a pellet, or a minitablet, and

wherein the particle is free of a synthetic drug substance.

2. The particle of claim 1 further comprising a coating comprising a second lipid component and/or a hydrophilic component, wherein the coating may be substantially free of the water-swellable or water-soluble polymeric component,

wherein the second lipid component comprises a mono-, di-, or triglyceride, and

wherein the hydrophilic component is selected from crospovidone, croscarmellose, low-substituted hypromellose, ion-exchange resins, sugars or sugar alcohols, methylcellulose, hyprolose, hypromellose, polyvinyl alcohol, povidone, polyvinyl acetate, (meth)acrylate copolymer, and mixtures thereof.

3. The particle of claim 1 , wherein the poly(carboxylate) is selected from alginic acid, poly(acrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid), copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acid, poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylic acid);

wherein the cellulose ether is selected from hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, methylcellulose, and carboxymethylcellulose;

wherein the poly(carboxylate) and/or the carboxymethylcellulose is optionally partially or entirely neutralised; and

wherein the polymeric material is optionally at least partially crosslinked.

4. The particle of claim 1 , wherein the water-swellable or water-soluble polymeric component comprises a plant fibre or a carbomer.

5. The particle of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid is selected from

(a) L-amino acids;

(b) the group consisting of L-isoleucine, L-valine, L-tyrosine, L-methionine, L-lysine, L-arginine, L-cysteine, L-phenylalanine, L-glutamate, L-glutamine, L-leucine, and L-tryptophan;

(c) the group consisting of L-phenylalanine, L-leucine, L-glutamine, L-glutamate, and L-tryptophan; or

(d) L-tryptophan.

6. The particle of claim 1 , wherein the vitamin is selected from retinol, retinal, beta carotene, thiamine, cyanocobalamine, hydroxycyanocobalamine, methylcobalamine, riboflavin, niacin, niacinamide, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, pyridoxal, biotin, folic acid, folinic acid, ascorbic acid, cholecalciferol, ergocalciferol, tocopherol, tocotrienol, phylloquinone, and menaquinone.

7. The particle of claim 1 , wherein the micro-nutrient is selected from organic acids; trace minerals; and cholesterol.

8. The particle of claim 1 , wherein the medium or long chain fatty acid compound in the first lipid component has a melting range below 37° C.

9. The particle of claim 2 , essentially consisting of the water-swellable or water-soluble polymeric component, the first lipid component, and optionally the amino acid(s), the vitamin(s), the micro-nutrient(s), the second lipid component, and optionally one or more pharmacologically inert excipients.

10. A solid composition for oral administration comprising a plurality of particles of claim 1 , wherein the particles in the composition optionally have a mass median sieve diameter in the range from 0.1 mm to 3 mm, and/or wherein the dynamic angle of repose of a suspension prepared from suspending the composition in water at a weight ratio of 1 is less than 30°.

11. A solid composition for oral administration obtainable by compressing a plurality of particles of claim 1 into tablets.

12. The composition of claim 10 , essentially consisting of the particles and optionally one or more pharmacologically inert excipients.

13. A single dose unit or package comprising the composition of claim 10 , wherein the amount of the composition is from 3 g to 20 g, and/or wherein the amount of the first lipid component in the composition is at least 2 g.

14. The composition according to claim 10 , further comprising a device for the collection, storage and/or display of information relating to a subject's adherence to a therapy and/or the effectiveness of the therapy, wherein the therapy is to treat obesity, and wherein the device is optionally a wearable device.