Trying to achieve patient compliance is an issue for all healthcare providers, but among patient groups who can’t or won’t swallow conventional solid dose or liquid medicines, such as children and the elderly, it is a particular problem. So a form of drug delivery that ensures that the medication cannot be ejected from or concealed within the oral cavity and is also highly palatable will be welcomed by physicians, caregivers, payers and patients alike.
Orodispersible tablets (ODTs) are an increasingly popular solution, and one of the pharma companies pioneering this dosage form is Catalent Pharma Solutions with its proprietary technology Zydis. More than 20 products using this technology have now been launched in 50 countries.
There are other benefits of ODTs: not only the convenience of being able to take the medication without having water available, but also the improved therapeutic profile that can come from buccal delivery, and branding opportunities particularly for over-the-counter products.
An example of a product that makes use of the ease of administration and therapeutics advantages of Zydis technology is Zelapar (selegiline), prescribed for Parkinson’s, while the migraine treatment rizatriptan benzoate demonstrates the convenience of being able to administer instantly and without water a drug for a condition with unpredictable onset. In the latter case, the dosage form is also said to be more acceptable to patients for whom nausea is a symptom of migraine.
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