ORALLY ADMINISTERED CORTICOSTEROID COMPOSITIONS

1 . An orally disintegrating tablet comprising:

(i) about 0.5 mg to about 6 mg of budesonide; and

(ii) at least one disintegrant;

wherein upon administration a therapeutically effective amount of budesonide is deposited topically in the esophagus,

wherein the orally dispersing tablet disintegrates within 60 seconds when tested using the USP <701>Disintegration Test; and

wherein the orally disintegrating tablet has a hardness of 8-48 N or a friability of not more than 1%.

2 . The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 1 , comprising about 0.5 mg to about 2 mg of budesonide.

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

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 budesonide 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 , wherein 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 .- 12 . (canceled)

13 . The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 1 , wherein the disintegrant is crospovidone, sodium starch glycolate, crosslinked carboxymethyl cellulose, low-substituted hydroxypropylcellulose, 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 .- 27 . (canceled)

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

29 .- 30 . (canceled)

31 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the orally disintegrating tablet comprises about 3 mg of budesonide.

32 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the orally disintegrating tablet comprises about 0.5 mg to 2 mg of budesonide.

33 . The orally disintegrating tablet of claim 1 , wherein the orally disintegrating tablet has a thickness of 2-2.8 mm.

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