Pharmaceutical compositions comprising active drugs, contraceptive kits comprising active drugs, and methods of administering the same

1. A method of providing contraception in a patient, the method comprising:

administering daily an active pharmaceutical composition, formulated in a solid form for oral administration to said patient, comprising 2 mg to 6 mg drospirenone,

a binder, a filler, a lubricant, and a glidant;

wherein said binder is in an amount ranging from 50.0% to 65.0% by weight of said pharmaceutical composition and is selected from one or more of the following: starches, gums, microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, and polyvinyl pyrrolidone;

wherein said filler in an amount ranging from 25.0% to 35.0% by weight of said pharmaceutical composition and is selected from one or more of the following: lactose anhydrous, microcrystalline cellulose, starches, dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate, calcium sulfate trihydrate, calcium sulfate dihydrate, calcium carbonate, lactose, dextrose, sucrose, mannitol, and sorbitol;

wherein said glidant is in an amount ranging from 0.2% to 6.0% by weight of said pharmaceutical composition and is selected from one or more of the following: silicon dioxide, magnesium trisilicate, powdered cellulose, starches, talc and tribasic calcium phosphate;

wherein said lubricant is in an amount ranging, from 0.2% to 0.6% by weight of said pharmaceutical composition and is selected from one or more of the following: magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, talc, propylene glycol, PEG, stearic acid, vegetable oil, sodium benzoate, sodium lauryl sulfate, magnesium lauryl sulfate, and mineral oil polyoxyethylene monostearate;

wherein said drospirenone is provided in particle form having a size distribution characterized by a d 50 particle size in the range of about 1.0 pm to about 60 pm;

wherein the dissolution rate of said drospirenone in said pharmaceutical composition is such that when subjected to an in vitro dissolution test according to the USP XXIII Paddle Method: no more than 50% of said drospirenone initially present in said pharmaceutical composition is dissolved within 30 minutes; and

wherein said pharmaceutical composition does not contain an estrogen.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a 28 consecutive day dosing regimen comprising:

administering said active pharmaceutical composition for 24 to 28 consecutive days followed by up to 4 consecutive days wherein no active pharmaceutical composition is administered to said patient; and

administering said active pharmaceutical composition daily at approximately the same time of day such that the interval between any two dosages is approximately 24 hours.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

administering a placebo dosage unit, formulated in a solid form for oral administration to said patient, during said up to 4 consecutive days wherein no active pharmaceutical composition is administered.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said active pharmaceutical compositions and said placebo dosage units are both provided in tablet form.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein said patient may miss one daily dosage of said active pharmaceutical composition within said 28 consecutive day dosing regimen, the method further comprising:

administering said missed dosage of said active pharmaceutical composition as soon as possible, but within about 24 hours; and

resuming said daily administration for the remaining days within said 28 consecutive day dosing regimen.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein said patient may miss 2 or more non-consecutive daily dosages of said active pharmaceutical composition within said 28 consecutive day dosing regimen, the method further comprising:

administering said missed dosages of said active pharmaceutical composition as soon as possible, but within about 24 hours; and

on each occasion, resuming said daily administration for the remaining days within said 28 consecutive day dosing regimen.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said particle size distribution of said drospirenone is further characterized by having:

(i) a d 90 particle size of less than 100 μm; and

(ii) a d 10 particle size of more than 3 μm.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said drospirenone particles are obtained by a process consisting of: milling, crystallization, precipitation, sieve, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said milling process comprises subjecting said drospirenone to one or more mills selected from the group consisting of: a fluid energy mill, a ball mill, a rod mill, a hammer mill, a cutting mill, and an oscillating granulator.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said drospirenone is provided in an amount of about 4 mg.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pharmaceutical composition, when orally administered to said patient under fasting conditions, provides a pharmacokinetic profile for drospirenone comprising:

(i) a mean T max ranging from about 2.2 hours to about 6 hours; and

(ii) a mean C max which is less than about 30 ng/ml.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said pharmacokinetic profile for said drospirenone additionally comprises an AUC oh-tlast which is at least 300 ng·h/ml.

13. A method of providing contraception in a patient, the method comprising:

administering daily an active pharmaceutical composition, formulated in a solid form for oral administration to said patient, comprising 2 mg to 6 mg drospirenone, and one or more pharmaceutically-acceptable excipients to said patient;

wherein said active pharmaceutical composition comprises a binder, a filler, a lubricant, and a glidant;

wherein said binder is in an amount ranging from 50.0% to 65.0% by weight of said pharmaceutical composition and is selected from one or more of the following: starches, gums, microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, and polyvinyl pyrrolidone;

wherein said filler is in an amount ranging from 25.0% to 35.0% by weight of said pharmaceutical composition and is selected from one or more of the following: lactose anhydrous, microcrystalline cellulose, starches, dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate, calcium sulfate trihydrate, calcium sulfate dihydrate, calcium carbonate, lactose, dextrose, sucrose, mannitol, and sorbitol;

wherein said glidant is in an amount ranging from 0.2% to 6.0% by weight of said pharmaceutical composition and is selected from one or more of the following: silicon dioxide, magnesium trisilicate, powdered cellulose, starches, talc and tribasic calcium phosphate;

wherein said lubricant is in an amount ranging from 0.2% to 0.6% by weight of said pharmaceutical composition and is selected from one or more of the following: magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, talc, propylene glycol, PEG, stearic acid, vegetable oil, sodium benzoate, sodium lauryl sulfate, magnesium lauryl sulfate, and mineral oil polyoxyethylene monostearate;

wherein said drospirenone is provided in particle form having a size distribution characterized by a d 50 particle size in the range of about 10 pm to about 60 pm;

wherein said pharmaceutical composition, when orally administered to said patient under fasting conditions, provides a pharmacokinetic profile for drospirenone comprising:

(i) a mean T max ranging from about 2.2 hours to about 6 hours;

(ii) a mean C max which is less than about 30 ng/ml; and

(iii) an AUC oh-last which is at least 300 ng·h/ml; and

wherein said pharmaceutical composition does not contain an estrogen.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising a 28 consecutive day dosing regimen comprising:

administering said active pharmaceutical composition for 24 to 28 consecutive days followed by up to 4 consecutive days wherein no active pharmaceutical composition is administered to said patient; and

administering said active pharmaceutical composition daily at approximately the same time of day such that the interval between any two dosages is approximately 24 hours.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

administering a placebo dosage unit, formulated in a solid form for oral administration to said patient, during said up to 4 consecutive days wherein no active pharmaceutical composition is administered.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said active pharmaceutical compositions and said placebo dosage units are both provided in tablet form.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said patient may miss one daily dosage of said active pharmaceutical composition within said 28 consecutive day dosing regimen, the method further comprising:

administering said missed dosage of said active pharmaceutical composition as soon as possible, but within about 24 hours; and

resuming said daily administration for the remaining days within said 28 consecutive day dosing regimen.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein said patient may miss 2 or more non-consecutive daily dosages of said active pharmaceutical composition within said 28 consecutive day dosing regimen, the method further comprising:

administering said missed dosages of said active pharmaceutical composition as soon as possible, but within about 24 hours; and

on each occasion, resuming said daily administration for the remaining days within said 28 consecutive day dosing regimen.

19. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said drospirenone is provided in an amount of about 4 mg.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein said pharmaceutical composition exhibits improved pharmacokinetics as compared to combined oral contraceptives containing drospirenone.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said improved pharmacokinetics comprises one or more of the following: a delayed mean T max , a reduced mean C max , and a reduced mean AUC oh-tlast .

22. The method of claim 13 , wherein said pharmacokinetic profile improves the tolerance of said drospirenone as compared to combined oral contraceptives containing drospirenone.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein said improved tolerance comprises a reduction in side-effects comprising one or more of the following: hyperkalemia, spotting, and irregular bleeding.

24. The method of claim 13 , wherein said pharmacokinetic profile improves said patient's bleeding profile as compared to conventional progestogen-only contraceptives.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein said improved bleeding profile comprises a reduction in the incidence of unscheduled spotting and bleeding.

26. The method of claim 1 , wherein the binder comprises microcrystalline cellulose, the filler comprises anhydrous lactose, the glidant comprises silicon dioxide, and the lubricant comprises magnesium stearate.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises about 4 mg drospirenone, about 33.02 mg microcrystalline cellulose, about 17.50 mg anhydrous lactose, about 0.29 mg silicon dioxide, and about 0.33 mg magnesium stearate.

28. The method of claim 1 , wherein said starches of said filler are selected from one or more of the following: pregelatinized starch and modified starch.

29. The method of claim 13 , wherein said starches of said filler are selected from one or more of the following: pregelatinized starch and modified starch.