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US 4,738,724 AGranted
Method for forming pharmaceutical capsules from starch compositions
AssigneeWarner-Lambert Company
InventorsFritz Wittwer, Ivan Tomka, Hans-Ulrich Bodenmann, Thomas Raible, Louis S. Gillow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Novel injection molded pharmaceutical capsules of starch having a cap member, a body member, means to form a plurality of compartments therein; and means for locking the cap and body members together to form a tamper-resistant connection.
Claims6
A method for making a starch /water pharmaceutical capsule which comprises:
- (a) providing a composition consisting essentially of starch/water mixture having a water content in the range of about 5 to 30% by weight based on the weight of starch and water;
- (b) heating said starch/water composition at elevated pressure above its glass transition temperature and melting point while maintaining said water content, to form a melt;
- (c) further heating and plasticizing said molten starch-water composition to dissolve the starch in the water to form an essentially molecularly dispersed solution of the melt;
- (d) injection molding the plasticized starch at an elevated pressure and temperature into a mold;
- (e) forming the capsule into a multichambered configuration;
- (f) ejecting the molded capsule from the mold.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.