Diclofenac formulations and methods of use

1. A method of treating migraine associated with phonophobia and photophobia in a human patient within two hours of administration comprising:

a) providing a liquid formulation comprising about 50 mg. of diclofenac or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in combination with an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate, wherein said formulation:

i) is provided as a powder formulation and dissolved or suspended in water immediately before administration, or as a liquid formulation that is ingested with or without further mixing;

ii) optionally has been found to achieve a maximum plasma concentration (C max ) (arithmetic mean) of from about 1500 to about 2500 ng/ml; and

iii) has been found to achieve a time to maximum plasma concentration (t max ) (arithmetic mean) in from about 10 to about 25 minutes;

b) orally administering said formulation to a patient suffering from migraine associated with photophobia and phonophobia, and

c) thereby relieving said photophobia and said phonophobia in said patient within two hours of administration.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said patient is suffering from migraine that requires sustained migraine relief for at least 24 hours.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid formulation comprises about 50 mg. of diclofenac potassium.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said formulation has been found to achieve t max in from about 10 to about 20 minutes.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said formulation is provided as a powder formulation, further comprising dissolving or suspending said powder in water immediately before administration.

6. A method of treating recurrent migraine requiring 24 hour treatment in a human patient suffering from migraine comprising:

a) providing a liquid formulation comprising about 50 mg. of diclofenac or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in combination with an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate, wherein said formulation:

i) is provided as a powder formulation and dissolved or suspended in water immediately before administration, or as a liquid formulation that is ingested with or without further mixing;

ii) optionally has been found to achieve a maximum plasma concentration (C max ) (arithmetic mean)of from about 1500 to about 2500 ng/ml; and

iii) has been found to achieve time to maximum plasma concentration (t max ) (arithmetic mean) in from about 10 to about 25 minutes;

b) orally administering said formulation to said patient; and

c) thereby providing sustained migraine relief to said patient for at least 24 hours.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said patient suffers from headache pain and either photophobia or phonophobia or both.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said liquid formulation comprises about 50 mg. of diclofenac potassium.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said C max has been found to have an inter-subject variability of less than about 70%.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said t max has been found to have an inter-subject variability of less than about 70%.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein said formulation has been found to achieve t max in from about 10 to about 20 minutes.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein said formulation is provided as a powder formulation, further comprising dissolving or suspending said powder in water immediately before administration.

13. A method of treating migraine in a human patient, including headache pain, nausea, photophobia and phonophobia, within two hours after administration, comprising:

a) providing a liquid formulation comprising about 50 mg. of diclofenac or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in combination with an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate, wherein said formulation:

i) is provided as a powder formulation and dissolved or suspended in water immediately before administration, or as a liquid formulation that is ingested with or without further mixing;

ii) optionally has been found to achieve a maximum plasma concentration (C max ) (arithmetic mean) of from about 1500 to about 2500 ng/ml; and

iii) has been found to achieve time to maximum plasma concentration (t max ) (arithmetic mean) in from about 10 to about 20 minutes;

b) orally administering said formulation to a patient suffering from migraine, including headache pain, nausea, photophobia and phonophobia; and

c) thereby treating said migraine, headache pain, nausea, photophobia and phonophobia in said patient within two hours of administration, wherein said migraine is defined as a disease manifested in a population of patients by periodic attacks of headache pain, nausea, photophobia and phonophobia.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said patient suffers from headache pain and either photophobia or phonophobia or both.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said C max has been found to have an inter-subject variability of less than about 70%.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said t max has been found to have an inter-subject variability of less than about 70%.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said liquid formulation comprises about 50 mg. of diclofenac potassium.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said formulation has been found to achieve t max in from about 10 to about 20 minutes.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said formulation is provided as a powder formulation, further comprising dissolving or suspending said powder in water immediately before administration.

20. A method of treating headache pain, nausea, phonophobia and photophobia in a human patient within two hours of administration comprising:

a) providing a pharmaceutical formulation comprising about 50 mg. of diclofenac or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in combination with an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate, wherein said formulation:

i) has been found to achieve an average maximum plasma concentration (C max ) (arithmetic mean) of from about 1400 to about 2500 ng/ml; and

ii) has been found to achieve an average time to maximum plasma concentration t max (arithmetic mean) in from about 10 to about 35 minutes; and

b) orally administering said formulation to a patient suffering from photophobia and Phonophobia;

thereby treating said headache pain, nausea, photophobia and phonophobia within two hours of administration.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said formulation has been found to reach a C max of greater than 1500 ng/ml, and a t max of less than 30 minutes, and further wherein said C max has been found to reach an average C max when tested in a fasted state, and said t max has been found to reach an average t max when tested in a fasted state.

22. A method of treating recurrent migraine requiring 24 hour treatment in a human patient suffering from migraine, and providing relief from said migraine for at least 24 hours without rebound, comprising:

a) providing a pharmaceutical formulation comprising about 50 mg. of diclofenac or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in combination with an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate, wherein said formulation:

i) has been found to achieve an average maximum plasma concentration (C max ) (arithmetic mean) of from about 1400 to about 2500 ng/ml; and

ii) has been found to achieve an average time to maximum plasma concentration t max (arithmetic mean) in from about 10 to about 35 minutes; and

b) orally administering said formulation to said patient;

thereby treating said recurrent migraine and providing relief from said migraine for at least 24 hours without rebound.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said formulation has been found to reach a C max of greater than 1500 ng/ml, and a t max of less than 30 minutes, and further wherein said C max has been found to reach an average C max when tested in a fasted state, and said t max has been found to reach an average t max when tested in a fasted state.

24. A method of treating headache pain, nausea, phonophobia and photophobia in a human patient within two hours of administration comprising:

a) providing a pharmaceutical formulation comprising about 50 mg. of diclofenac or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in combination with an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate, wherein greater than 90% of said diclofenac dissolves completely in 50 ml. of water at 25° C. under continuous stirring for fifteen minutes at pH 6.8; and

b) orally administering said formulation to a patient suffering from photophobia and phonophobia, and thereby relieving said photophobia and phonophobia within two hours of administration.

25. A method of treating recurrent migraine requiring 24 hour treatment in a human patient suffering from migraine comprising:

a) providing a pharmaceutical formulation comprising about 50 mg. of diclofenac or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in combination with an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate, wherein greater than 90% of said diclofenac dissolves completely in 50 ml. of water at 25° C. under continuous stirring for fifteen minutes at pH 6.8;

b) orally administering said formulation to said patient;

thereby treating said recurrent migraine for at least twenty four hours after administration.