Fuisz Pharma patents drug film formulations

Miami-based Fuisz Pharma has patented a film formulation designed to enhance buccal drug delivery performance.

Joseph Fuisz, a manager of the private pharmaceutical technology company founded by the Fuisz family, said: ‘It is understood that bi-layer film compositions can offer improved buccal absorption characteristics by retarding the drug that is lost to salivary flow and thereby is swallowed and diverted to the GI tract. Such a drug is naturally not available for absorption at the intended buccal delivery site.

‘At the same time, manufacturing two films – one for the drug and a second for a backing layer – and laminating said films is more difficult and costly than making a single film.’

The invention involves the formation of hydrophobic domains in the top of a monolayer film that retard the dissolution of the top section of the film and thus preclude the loss of drug to salivary flow. ‘This offers the benefit of improved buccal performance with easier manufacturing and freedom to operate with respect to certain bi-layer patents,’ said Joseph Fuisz.

Richard Fuisz, managing director, added: ‘[The] bottom line here is that we have bi-layer functionality in a single layer cast film. In addition, by employing physical laws of miscibility and density, the way is open for more than one drug and for different release rates. It is [yet] to be decided whether this patent is licensed or utilised by Fuisz.’