Warner-jenkinson Company, Inc.

Colorcon Incorporated

Warner-jenkins Co.

Charles A Signorino

Harry Meggos

An improved dye composition for use in coating tablets and the like is constituted by a stable, aqueous suspension containing a water-soluble, nontoxic dye, an opacifying agent which may be titanium dioxide or iron oxide an immobilizing agent for immobilizing the dye and preventing it from migrating when applied to a tablet or the like, the immobilizing agent being constituted by a nontoxic metal salt present in an amount of from approximately 0.1 to 10 equivalents of metal per mole of dye, and water. The suspension may also contain a film-forming, water-soluble or water-dispersible edible polymer and a plasticizer. These compositions are used in lieu of lake compositions to produce tablets and the like with uniform, non-mottled coatings.

Dye compositions and methods for film coating tablets and the like

An improved wet powder, edible, film-forming composition for use in coating tablets and capsules consists essentially of powdered pigment particles, a film-forming, water soluble or water-dispersible, edible polymer and up to approximately 30% by weight of water. Such compositions are formed by blending the pigment particles and the polymer and applying the water onto the pigment-polymer blend in atomized form. Similar wet powder, edible, clear, film-forming compositions for use in coating tablets and capsules with a clear coating consist essentially of a film-forming, water soluble or water-dispersible, clear, edible polymer and up to approximately 30% by weight of water and are formed by applying the water onto the polymer in atomized form. The application of water in this manner preconditions the polymer and permits the preparation of smooth stable coating suspensions upon dilution with additional water and without the formation of fish eyes.

Wet powder film-forming compositions

An improved dye composition for use in coating tablets and the like is constituted by a stable, aqueous suspension containing a water-soluble, nontoxic dye, an opacifying agent which may be titanium dioxide or iron oxide all immobilizing agent for immobilizing the dye and preventing it from migrating when applied to a tablet or the like, the immobilizing agent being constituted by a nontoxic metal salt present in an amount of from approximately 0.1 to 10 equivalents of metal per mole of dye, and water. The suspension may also contain a film-forming, water-soluble or water-dispersible edible polymer and a plasticizer. These compositions are used in lieu of lake compositions to produce tablets and the like with uniform, non-mottled coatings.

Improved stable, fluid, aqueous dispersion compositions comprise a pigment, an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or ammonium salt of a linear aliphatic substituted glycine such as a salt of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid or nitrilo triacetic acid as a stabilizing agent, and water. The dispersion composition may additionally contain a lower alkanol such as methanol and/or a water soluble plasticizer such as propylene glycol. Coating compositions for use as a film coating for tablets and the like contain the above-described stable, fluid, aqueous dispersion composition, a water soluble plasticizer, a film coating resin, and water. The described fluid, aqueous dispersion compositions have been found to remain stable for extended periods exceeding six months.

Stable, fluid, aqueous pigment dispersions for use in film coating

A pigment suspension for a film coating for tablets and the like comprising a solvent, pigment particles dispersed in the solvent, and a low molecular weight alcohol soluble polymer which acts as a protective colloid coating the pigment particles and providing for a higher concentration of pigment particles in the pigment suspension. The method of making the pigment suspension comprises the steps of pouring a solvent into a container, stirring the pigment particles into the solvent to disperse the pigment particles evenly, stirring a protective colloid into the liquid in the container and dispersing it therethrough to make the liquid less viscous and more adaptable for accepting additional pigment particles, and stirring additional pigment particles into the container liquid to obtain the desired pigment suspension. A coating suspension for tablets and the like comprising the pigment suspension dispersed in a polymer solution. The method of making the coating suspension includes dispersing a powdered polymer in a first liquid solvent, stirring a second solvent into the liquid until all of the polymer is in solution, and stirring the pigment suspension into the polymer solution. A coated tablet and the like having as the coating material in a thin film comprising a polymer having pigment particles dispersed therethrough, and a protective colloid coating the pigment particles.

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King of Prussia, PA, United States of America

Charles A Signorino