Solid Dosage Form That Promotes Reliable Oral, Esophageal and GI Transit

Abstract

A solid dosage form designed to facilitate rapid and reliable oral, esophageal and GI transit has a surface area of the contact patch, i.e., the area of contact between the dosage form and the bodily surface reduced. The dosage form can be an asymmetric oral dosage unit containing a bioactive, the dosage unit being asymmetric with respect to a rotational axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the dosage form, the rotational axis being located substantially at a mid point along the longitudinal axis. The dosage unit may have an outer surface ridged or dimpled or have at least one annular ring so as to reduce the contact patch of the dosage unit with a flat surface compared to non-ridged dosage unit of the same size and shape. The oral dosage unit can also have a spherical shape with or without ridges and/or dimples. Dies for forming these oral dosage units have, in a closed state, a cavity having a shape corresponding to the oral dosage unit.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An oral dosage unit containing a bioactive, in which an outer surface of the dosage unit is ridged and valleyed so as to reduce the contact patch of the dosage unit with a flat surface compared to non-ridged dosage unit of the same size and shape. 
     
     
         2 . The oral dosage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the dosage unit is a gel cap, the outer surface of which is ridged and valleyed. 
     
     
         3 . The oral dosage unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the ridges and valleys between the ridges extend longitudinally on the periphery of the dosage unit. 
     
     
         4 . The oral dosage unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the ridges and valleys between the ridges extend concentrically or spirally around the periphery of the dosage unit. 
     
     
         5 . The oral dosage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the dosage unit is a tablet, the outer surface of which is ridged and valleyed. 
     
     
         6 . The oral dosage unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the ridges and valleys between the ridges extend longitudinally on the periphery of the dosage unit. 
     
     
         7 . The oral dosage unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the ridges and valleys between the ridges extend concentrically or spirally around the periphery of the dosage unit. 
     
     
         8 . The oral dosage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the dosage unit has a spherical shape, the outer surface of which is ridged and valleyed. 
     
     
         9 . An asymmetric oral dosage unit containing a bioactive, the dosage unit being asymmetric with respect to a rotational axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the dosage form, the rotational axis being located substantially at a mid point along the longitudinal axis, wherein an outer surface of the dosage unit is ridged so as to reduce the contact patch of the dosage unit with a flat surface compared to non-ridged dosage unit of the same size and shape.