Orally administered corticosteroid compositions

1. An orally disintegrating tablet comprising:

(i) about 1 mg to about 6 mg of fluticasone propionate; and

(ii) at least one disintegrant;

wherein upon administration a therapeutically effective amount of fluticasone propionate is deposited topically in the upper gastrointestinal tract, and

wherein the orally disintegrating tablet disintegrates within 60 seconds when tested using the USP <701>Disintegration Test.

2. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 1 , comprising about 1 mg to about 2 mg of fluticasone propionate.

3. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 1 , comprising about 3 mg of fluticasone propionate.

4. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 1 , comprising a sugar alcohol and/or saccharide.

5. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 1 , wherein the orally disintegrating tablet comprises drug particles and rapidly dispersing granules, wherein the drug particles comprise fluticasone propionate and at least one excipient, and the rapidly dispersing granules comprise the disintegrant and a sugar alcohol and/or saccharide.

6. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 5 , wherein the rapidly dispersing granules have an average particle size of less than about 300 μm, and each of the disintegrant and sugar alcohol and/or saccharide have an average particle size of about 1-30 μm.

7. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 5 , wherein the drug particles have an average particle size of about 100-400 μm.

8. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 5 , the drug particles have an average particle size of about 100-400 μm, the rapidly dispersing granules have an average particle size of less than about 300 μm, and each of the disintegrant and sugar alcohol and/or saccharide have an average particle size of about 1-30 μm.

9. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 5 , comprising about 1 mg to about 2 mg of fluticasone propionate.

10. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 5 , comprising about 3 mg of fluticasone propionate.

11. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 8 , comprising about 1 mg to about 2 mg of fluticasone propionate.

12. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 8 , comprising about 3 mg of fluticasone propionate.

13. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 1 , wherein the disintegrant is crospovidone, sodium starch glycolate, crosslinked carboxymethyl cellulose, low-substituted hydroxylpropylcellulose, mannitol, xylitol, sorbitol, maltol, maltitol, lactose, sucrose, maltose, or combinations thereof.

14. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 13 , wherein the disintegrant is crospovidone.

15. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 5 , wherein the sugar alcohol and/or saccharide is mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, arabitol, ribitol, dulcitol, iditol, isomalt, lactitol, erythritol, lactose, sucrose, maltose, or combinations thereof.

16. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 15 , wherein the sugar alcohol is mannitol.

17. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 5 , wherein the ratio of disintegrant to sugar alcohol, saccharide or mixture thereof in the rapidly dispersing microgranules ranges from about 90/10 to about 99/01.

18. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 1 , wherein the orally disintegrating tablet disintegrates within 60 seconds when tested in simulated saliva fluid using the USP <701>Disintegration Test.

19. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 1 , wherein the orally disintegrating tablet disintegrates within 30 seconds when tested using the USP <701>Disintegration Test.

20. An orally disintegrating tablet comprising:

(i) about 1 mg to about 3 mg of fluticasone propionate; and

(ii) rapidly dispersing granules comprising (a) at least one disintegrant and (b) at least one sugar alcohol, saccharide, or combination thereof;

wherein upon administration a therapeutically effective amount of the fluticasone propionate is deposited topically in the upper gastrointestinal tract, and

wherein the orally disintegrating tablet disintegrates within 60 seconds when tested using the USP <701>Disintegration Test.

21. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 20 , wherein the orally disintegrating tablet comprises drug particles comprising the fluticasone propionate and at least one excipient.

22. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 21 , wherein drug particles have an average particle size of about 100-400 μm, the rapidly dispersing granules have an average particle size of less than about 300 μm, the disintegrant and sugar alcohol and/or saccharide have an average particle size of about 1-30 μm, and the ratio of disintegrant to sugar alcohol and/or saccharide in the rapidly dispersing microgranules ranges from about 90/10 to about 99/01.

23. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 22 , wherein the disintegrant is crospovidone.

24. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 23 , wherein the sugar alcohol is mannitol.

25. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 24 , comprising about 1 mg to about 2 mg of fluticasone propionate.

26. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 24 , comprising about 3 mg of fluticasone propionate.

27. The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 26 , wherein the orally disintegrating tablet disintegrates within 30 seconds when tested using the USP <701>Disintegration Test.

28. A method for treating eosinophilic esophagitis comprising administering to a patient in need thereof the orally disintegrating tablet according to claim 1 .

29. The method of claim 28 , comprising about 1 mg to about 2 mg of fluticasone propionate.

30. The method of claim 28 , comprising about 3 mg of fluticasone propionate.