The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 09, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 08, 1997
Colin R Gardner, Blue Bell, PA (US);
Mandana Asgharnejad, Lansdale, PA (US);
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ (US);
Abstract
An oral drug dosage unit, for administration to a patient, having active drug, and an effective diameter and surface composition sufficient for the unit to be transported from the stomach into the duodenum following substantially complete emptying of chyme from the stomach into the intestine and prior to release of active drug from the unit, wherein the active drug has an absorption rate that is substantially affected by the coinciding presence of food in the stomach, the effective diameter of the unit prevents gastric emptying of the unit prior to gastric emptying of chyme, and the surface composition is an enteric coating which prevents release of the active drug in the stomach and allows release of the active drug in the intestine.