Details for Patent: 8,557,285

Title:	Pharmaceutical compositions for the coordinated delivery of NSAIDs
Abstract:	The present invention is directed to drug dosage forms that release an agent that raises the pH of a patient's gastrointestinal tract, followed by a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The dosage form is designed so that the NSAID is not released until the intragastric pH has been raised to a safe level. The invention also encompasses methods of treating patients by administering this coordinated release, gastroprotective, antiarthritic/analgesic combination unit dosage form to achieve pain and symptom relief with a reduced risk of developing gastrointestinal damage such as ulcers, erosions and hemorrhages.
Inventor(s):	Plachetka; John R. (Chapel Hill, NC)
Assignee:	Pozen Inc. (Chapel Hill, NC)
Filing Date:	Aug 23, 2011
Application Number:	13/215,855
Claims:	1. A pharmaceutical composition in unit dosage form comprising therapeutically effective amounts of: (a) esomeprazole, wherein at least a portion of said esomeprazole is not surrounded by an enteric coating; and (b) naproxen surrounded by a coating that inhibits its release from said unit dosage form unless said dosage form is in a medium with a pH of 3.5 or higher; wherein said unit dosage form provides for release of said esomeprazole such that upon introduction of said unit dosage form into a medium, at least a portion of said esomeprazole is released regardless of the pH of the medium. 2. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1, wherein naproxen is present in said unit dosage form in an amount of 200-600 mg. 3. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1, wherein esomeprazole is present in said unit dosage form in an amount of from 5 to 100 mg. 4. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1, wherein naproxen is present in said unit dosage form in an amount of between 200-600 mg and esomeprazole in an amount of from 5 to 100 mg per unit dosage form.