Method for treating depression

1. A method for treating depression in patients with depression and bipolar disorder who have not responded to antidepressants and to avoid dose dumping upon ingestion of alcohol, said method comprising orally administering an oral dosage form to a subject in need of such treatment, said oral dosage form comprising ketamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, wherein the dosage form provides an in vitro release of ketamine, when measured according to the USP Basket Method I in 0.1M HCl at 37° C. at 100 rpm, of 0 to 40% after 2 hours, of 10 to 70% after 4 hours, of 30 to 85% after 6 hours and of 45 to 100% after 8 hours,

wherein the dosage form provides an in vitro release of ketamine, when measured according to the USP 1 Basket Method in 0.1M HCl at 100 rpm, after one hour at 37° C., in an aqueous solution containing 20% by volume of ethanol, in a ratio of less than 2:1 relative to the amount of ketamine released, so measured, after one hour at 37° C. in an ethanol-free aqueous solution,

wherein the dosage form is a multi-particulate controlled release dosage form, wherein the dosage form comprises pellets containing a core comprising ketamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, and a release control layer comprising a release control substance coated upon the core, wherein the release control substance is a water insoluble polymer, and

wherein the pellets are contained in an external phase of at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a layer comprising ketamine coated on an inert core.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the release control substance is an alkyl cellulose.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the release control substance is ethylcellulose.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the external phase comprises carboxymethyl cellulose, optionally in the form of a salt, as a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the oral dosage form is a tablet.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ketamine salt is ketamine hydrochloride and wherein the amount comprised in the oral dosage form is in the range of from 5 to 400 mg ketamine hydrochloride.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dosage form is administered once or twice daily.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the oral dosage form is a multi-particulate tablet, wherein the tablet comprises

i) ketamine-containing cores comprising

1 to 30 wt. % inert beads,

1 to 40 wt. % ketamine,

0.01 to 10 wt. % binder, and

0 to 10 wt. % glidant,

ii) a release-control layer coated on each ketamine-containing core, comprising

1 to 40 wt. % release-control substance,

0.01 to 10 wt % pore builder,

0.01 to 10 wt. % plasticizer,

0 to 15 wt. % glidant,

and

iii) an external phase comprising

20 to 85 wt. % filler,

0 to 3 wt. % lubricant and

0 to 5 wt. % glidant,

wherein all wt. % are based on the total weight of the tablet.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the administration of a single oral dosage form leads in vivo to a C max of ketamine of 1 to 150 ng/ml and to a AUC 0-∞ of 5 to 1000 h·ng/ml.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein T max of ketamine is 3 to 9 h.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the oral dosage form has an absolute bioavailability F abs of 5 to 25%.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the subject is suffering from spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cancer, immune mediated disorders, metabolic conditions, herpes zoster infection, HIV-related neuropathies, or nutritional deficiencies.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the oral dosage form is prepared by:

a) coating inert cores with a layer comprising ketamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvent thereof,

b) coating the coated inert cores with a release-control layer comprising the release-controlling substance, thus forming pellets,

c) mixing the pellets with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient,

d) forming a tablet from the mixture comprising the pellets and the at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

15. A method for treating depression in patients with depression and bipolar disorder who have not responded to antidepressants and to avoid dose dumping upon ingestion of alcohol, said method comprising orally administering an oral dosage form to a subject in need of such treatment, said oral dosage form comprising ketamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, wherein the dosage form provides an in vitro release of ketamine, when measured according to the USP Basket Method I in 0.1M HCl at 37° C. at 100 rpm, of 0 to 40% after 2 hours, of 10 to 70% after 4 hours, of 30 to 85% after 6 hours and of 45 to 100% after 8 hours,

wherein the dosage form provides an in vitro release of ketamine, when measured according to the USP 1 Basket Method in 0.1M HCl at 100 rpm, after one hour at 37° C., in an aqueous solution containing 20% by volume of ethanol, in a ratio of less than 2:1 relative to the amount of ketamine released, so measured, after one hour at 37° C. in an ethanol-free aqueous solution,

wherein the dosage form is a multi-particulate controlled release tablet, wherein the tablet comprises pellets containing a core comprising ketamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, and a release control layer comprising a release control substance coated upon the core, wherein the release control substance is a water insoluble polymer,

wherein the core comprises

1 to 30 wt. % inert beads,

1 to 40 wt. % ketamine,

0.01 to 10 wt. % binder, and

0 to 10 wt. % glidant,

wherein the release-control layer comprises

1 to 40 wt. % release-control substance,

0.01 to 10 wt % pore builder,

0.01 to 10 wt. % plasticizer,

0 to 15 wt. % glidant,

wherein the pellets are contained in an external phase of at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient,

wherein the external phase comprises

20 to 85 wt. % filler,

0 to 3 wt. % lubricant and

0 to 5 wt. % glidant,

wherein the external phase comprises carboxymethyl cellulose, optionally in the form of a salt, as a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, and

wherein all wt. % are based on the total weight of the dosage form.

16. An oral dosage form comprising ketamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof for use in the treatment of depression in patients with depression and bipolar disorder who have not responded to antidepressants, and to avoid dose dumping upon ingestion of alcohol,

wherein the dosage form provides an in vitro release of ketamine, when measured according to the USP I Basket Method in 0.1M HCl at 37° C. at 100 rpm of 0 to 40% after 2 hours, of 10 to 70% after 4 hours, of 30 to 85% after 6 hours and of 45 to 100% after 8 hours,

wherein the dosage form provides an in vitro release of ketamine, when measured according to the USP I Basket Method in 0.1M HCl at 100 rpm, after one hour at 37° C., in an aqueous solution containing 20% by volume of ethanol, in a ratio of less than 2:1 relative to the amount of ketamine released, so measured, after one hour at 37° C. in an ethanol-free aqueous solution,

wherein the dosage form is a matrix controlled release dosage form or a multi particulate controlled release dosage form,

wherein in said matrix controlled release dosage form ketamine is dissolved or dispersed in an inert matrix and is released by diffusion through the inert matrix once administered, and

wherein said multi particulate controlled release dosage form comprises pellets containing a core comprising ketamine and a release control layer coated upon the core.