Apparatus and process for encapsulating capsules or other solid dosage forms within capsules

A process for making a softgel capsule having incorporated within said capsules one or more smaller capsules wherein said smaller capsules have active ingredients that are not compatible with each other or with another active in the softgel capsule, said method comprising:

• (a) feeding film sheets between a first die roll and a second die roll wherein each of the die rolls have softgel capsule pockets in a plurality of rows and said softgel capsule pockets have at least one orifice for application of suction;
• (b) applying suction while said film is in place in the softgel capsule pockets;
• (c) feeding via guide channels through a lateral dispensing device having a hopper and grasping claws;
• each grasping claw having volume capacity for grasping a fixed dose of the smaller capsules coming through one of said channel guides and configured for releasing the fixed dose into a half pocket of the softgel;
• preformed smaller capsules onto the film sheets overlying the die rolls at positions having the capsule pockets;
• (d) filling said softgel capsule pockets also via a wedge segment with a liquid medical formulation;
• and
• (e) cutting the film sheets about the softgel capsule pockets to form said softgel capsules having smaller capsules in combination with a suitable liquid pharmaceutical combination.