Acrylic enteric coating compositions

A non-toxic, edible, enteric film coating, dry powder composition for use in making an aqueous enteric suspension which may be used in coating pharmaceutical tablets comprising

• a) an acrylic resin, said resin comprising
• i) from 15 to 80 percent by weight of at least one vinyl or vinylidene moiety having a carboxylic acid group capable of salt formation, and
• ii) from 20 to 85 percent by weight of at least one other vinyl or vinylidene moiety copolymerizable with i),
• b) an alkalizing agent capable of reacting with the acrylic resin such that, after reaction, 0.1 to 10 mole percent of the acidic groups in 1a-i) are present in the salt form, and
• c) a detackifier.

The method of coating substrates such as pharmaceutical tablets and the like with a film coating comprising the steps of

• mixing an acrylic resin, an alkalizing agent, and a detacktifier together to form a non-toxic, edible, enteric film coating, dry powder composition,
• mixing the composition into water to form an aqueous coating suspension,
• applying an effective amount of said coating suspension onto said substrates to form a film coating on said substrates, and
• drying the film coating on said substrates.