Ready to use diclofenac stick packs

1. A liquid diclofenac formulation in a ready to use stick pack comprising:

a) a therapeutically effective amount of diclofenac or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof;

b) from about 0.05% to about 1.5% of an alkalizing agent imparting a pH of from about 7 to about 10 to the formulation; and

c) a sugar-based aqueous means for solubilizing and stabilizing said formulation.

2. The formulation of claim 1 comprising about 50 mg of diclofenac or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in from about 8 to about 25 or 50 g of said formulation.

3. The formulation of claim 2 , wherein said sugar-based aqueous means comprises a sugar selected from the group consisting of mono-, di-, tri-, and tetra- saccharides and sugar alcohols and combinations thereof.

4. The formulation of claim 2 , wherein:

a) said sugar-based aqueous means comprises a sugar selected from monosaccharides and sugar alcohols and combinations thereof;

b) said monosaccharides are selected from the group consisting of fructose; and

c) said sugar alcohols are selected from the group consisting of glycerol; erythritol;

xylitol; sorbitol; maltitol; and combinations thereof.

5. The formulation of claim 1 comprising:

a) from about 0.1% to about 1% diclofenac or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof;

b) from about 0.05% to about 1.5% bicarbonate; and

c) from about 95% to about 99.85% of said sugar-based aqueous means.

6. The formulation of claim 1 wherein said sugar-based aqueous means comprises:

a) from about 0% to about 95% water; and

b) from about 5% to about 95% of a fruit sugar or monosaccharide or a combination thereof.

7. The formulation of claim 1 wherein said sugar-based aqueous means comprises:

a) from about 0% to about 95% water; and

b) from about 5% to about 95% of a fruit sugar or monosaccharide or a combination thereof comprising:

i) from about 10% to about 90% sorbitol; and

ii) from about 10% to about 90% of xylitol, maltitol, glycerol, fructose, erythritol or a combination thereof.

8. The formulation of claim 1 wherein said sugar-based aqueous means comprises:

a) from about 0% to about 40% water; and

b) from about 60% to about 80% of a fruit sugar or monosaccharide or a combination thereof comprising:

i) from about 10% to about 90% sorbitol; and

ii) from about 10% to about 90% of xylitol, maltitol, glycerol, fructose, erythritol or a combination thereof.

9. The formulation of claim 1 wherein said sugar-based aqueous means comprises:

a) from about 0% to about 60% water; and

b) from about 40% to about 90% of sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, glycerol, fructose, erythritol or a combination thereof.

10. The formulation of claim 1 wherein said sugar-based aqueous means comprises:

a) from about 0% to about 75% water; and

b) from about 25% to about 75% of xylitol.

11. The formulation of claim 1 wherein said sugar-based aqueous means comprises:

a) from about 0% to about 75% water; and

b) from about 25% to about 75% of maltitol.

12. The formulation of claim 1 wherein said sugar-based aqueous means comprises:

a) from about 0% to about 75% water; and

b) from about 25% to about 75% of glycerol.

13. The formulation of claim 1 wherein said sugar-based aqueous means comprises:

a) from about 0% to about 75% water; and

b) from about 25% to about 75% of fructose.

14. The formulation of claim 1 wherein said sugar-based aqueous means comprises:

a) from about 0% to about 85% water; and

b) from about 15% to about 45% of erythritol.

15. The formulation of claim 1 having a density of from about 1.02 to about 1.5 g/ml.

16. The formulation of claim 1 wherein said diclofenac is present as diclofenac potassium and said bicarbonate is present as potassium bicarbonate.

17. The formulation of claim 1 wherein the formulation comprises from about 25% to about 90% non-crystallizing sorbitol.

18. A method of treating a condition selected from pain and migraine in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of the formulation of claim 1 .

19. The formulation of claim 3 , wherein said sugar-based aqueous means comprises;

a) a sugar selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, and galactose; or

b) a sugar alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene glycol, glycerol, erythritol, threitol, arabitol, xylitol, ribitol, mannitol, sorbitol, galactitol, fucitol, iditol, inositol, volemitol, isomalt, maltitol, lactitol, maltotriitol, maltotetraitol and polyglycitol.

20. A liquid diclofenac formulation in a ready to use stick pack comprising:

a) about 0.47% diclofenac potassium;

b) about 0.21% potassium hydrogen carbonate;

c) about 20% xylitol;

d) about 0.06% sucralose; and

e) water.

21. A method of treating pain or migraine in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of the formulation of claim 5 .

22. A method of treating pain or migraine in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of the formulation of claim 16 .

23. A method of treating pain or migraine in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of the formulation of claim 20 .

24. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said alkalizing agent is selected from the group consisting of ammonia solution, ammonium carbonate, diethanolamine, monoethanolamine, potassium hydroxide, sodium borate, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydroxide, triethanolamine, and trolamine.

25. The formulation of claim 1 , further comprising a flavoring agent, wherein said flavoring agent is selected from the group consisting of acacia syrup, acesulfame K, alitame, anise, apple, aspartame, banana, Bavarian cream, berry, black currant, butterscotch, calcium citrate, camphor, caramel, cherry, cherry cream, chocolate, cinnamon, bubble gum, citrus, citrus punch, citrus cream, cotton candy, cocoa, cola, cool cherry, cool citrus, cyclamate, cylamate, dextrose, eucalyptus, eugenol, fructose, fruit punch, ginger, glycyrrhetinate, glycyrrhiza (licorice) syrup, grape, grapefruit, honey, isomalt, lemon, lime, lemon cream, monoammonium glyrrhizinate, maltol, mannitol, maple, marshmallow, menthol, mint cream, mixed berry, neohesperidine DC, neotame, orange, pear, peach, peppermint, peppermint cream, raspberry, root beer, rum, saccharin, safrole, sorbitol, spearmint, spearmint cream, strawberry, strawberry cream, stevia, sucralose, sucrose, sodium saccharin, saccharin, aspartame, neotame, acesulfame potassium, mannitol, talin, xylitol, sucralose, sorbitol, swiss cream, tagatose, tangerine, thaumatin, tutti fruitti, vanilla, walnut, watermelon, wild cherry, wintergreen, xylitol, and mixtures thereof.