Ingestible formulations for transient, noninvasive reduction of gastric volume

An oral dosage form useful for gastric volume reduction comprising:

• a polymer that (i) is formed of a dehydrated hydrophilic polymer that is initially in a tablet or capsule form that maintains the polymer in a packed mass and is configured to swell upon absorbing water from gastric fluid to increase to a diameter of about 6 cm sufficient to inhibit passage through a pyloric valve, thereby promoting its gastric retention, (ii) where the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, poly(ethyloxazoline), polyvinylacetate-polyvinylalcohol copolymers, poly(2-hydroxyethylacrylate), poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate), polyacrylic acid, and copolymers thereof, polysaccharides, water soluble proteins, and polynucleic acids such that the polymer maintains its physical integrity in a stomach for at least 2 hours, and (iii) wherein the polymer includes one or more lipase-sensitive, fatty acid-like polymerizable groups or cross-linking groups such that the polymer is further degradable by an intestinal enzyme or exposure to an intestinal pH,
• wherein the dosage form further has an acid-sensitive gelatin enteric coating which has a rate of degradation in a gastric environment which is higher than in an esophageal environment,
• wherein the dosage form further has a stabilization agent selected from xanthan gum or propylene glycol alginate which maintains a solid form within the gastric environment and a viscous form at a pH of 8 within an intestinal environment whereby a rate of degradation in the intestinal environment is relatively more rapid than degradation in the gastric environment to substantially prevent a small bowel obstruction by the polymer, and
• wherein the polymer is cross-linked with a cross-linker selected from the group consisting of oligoesters, diacids that form an alpha-omega ester linkage, diacid chloride, and polymers and copolymers of lactic acid, glycolic acid, trimethylene carbonate, and caprolactone.