Production process for NSAID-containing lozenges, their compositions, their medicinal use

A process for producing a pharmaceutical lozenge formulation comprising:

• providing a liquid composition comprising a salt of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID salt), a base, and a solvent system, the solvent system comprising two or more solvents including at least a first solvent and a second solvent, wherein the first solvent comprises polyethylene glycol or a derivative of polyethylene glycol, wherein the second solvent of the solvent system is selected from the group consisting of water, an alcohol and a polyol, and wherein the first solvent is different than the second solvent;
• providing a molten lozenge-forming composition;
• mixing the liquid composition with the molten lozenge-forming composition;
• and,
• forming the resulting mixture into lozenges each containing a therapeutically effective amount of a NSAID salt the NSAID comprising flurbiprofen,
• wherein the NSAID salt is present in an amount of less than or equal to 5% by weight of each lozenge;
• wherein the polyethylene glycol or derivative of polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of 200, 300, 400, 600, or 900;
• and
• wherein providing the liquid composition comprises:
• mixing the NSAID with the first solvent to form a first solvent mixture at room temperature;
• mixing the base with the second solvent to form a second solvent mixture;
• and
• mixing the first solvent mixture with the second solvent mixture to form the liquid composition.