Claims for Patent: 4,758,598

Summary for Patent: 4,758,598

Title:	Solid shaped articles
Abstract:	Solid shaped articles, particularly pharmaceutical dosage forms, are prepared by freezing in a mould a composition comprising a predetermined amount of chemical (e.g. pharmaceutical) and a solution of carrier material and then subliming solvent from the frozen composition. The side wall or walls of the mould make an angle with the vertical of at least 5.degree. at the surface of the composition. This enables shaped articles of constant thickness to be produced with minimum sublimation times.
Inventor(s):	Gregory; George K. E. (Marlow, GB2)
Assignee:	John Wyeth & Brother Ltd. (Maidenhead, GB2)
Application Number:	06/850,430
Patent Claims:	1. A solid shaped article produced by freezing a composition comprising a predetermined amount of a pharmaceutical substance and a solution in a solvent of a carrier material inert towards the pharmaceutical substance and subliming solvent from the frozen composition so as to produce a network of carrier material carrying the pharmaceutical substance characterized in that the shaped article has a substantially uniform thickness of less than about 4.0 mm and has side wall or walls diverging outwards from a bottom surface, said side walls making an angle with the vertical of at least 5.degree. at the upper surface. 2. The shaped article of claim 1 wherein the volume of the composition to be frozen is about 3 ml or less. 3. The shaped article of claim 2 wherein the volume of the composition is about 0.25 to 1 ml. 4. The shaped article of claim 1 wherein the depth of the composition to be frozen is less than 3.5 mm. 5. The shaped article of claim 1 wherein the depth of the composition to be frozen is 1.5 to 2.5 mm. 6. The shaped article of claim 1 wherein the angle with the vertical is from 9.degree. to 20.degree.. 7. The shaped article of claim 1 wherein the angle with the vertical is from 10.degree. to 15.degree.. 8. A solid shape article produced by freezing a composition comprising a predetermined amount of chemical and a solution in a solvent of a carrier material inert towards the chemicals and subliming solvent from the frozen composition so as to produce a network of carrier material carrying the chemical characterized in that the shaped article has a substantially uniform thickness of less than about 4.0 mm and has side wall or walls diverging outwards from a bottom surface, said side walls making an angle with the vertical of at least 5.degree. at the upper surface. 9. The shaped article of claim 2, wherein the angle with the vertical is from 9.degree. to 20.degree.. 10. The shaped article of claim 4, wherein the angle with the vertical is from 9.degree. to 20.degree.. 11. The shaped article of claim 2, wherein the angle with the vertical is from 10.degree. to 15.degree.. 12. The shaped article of claim 4, wherein the angle with the vertical is from 10.degree. to 15.degree..