Geoclock™

Combining formulation skills with controlled manufacturing processes, SkyePharma developed a new oral drug delivery technology, Geoclock™; that allows the preparation of chronotherapy-focused press-coated tablets.

Geoclock™ tablets have an active drug inside an outer tablet layer consisting of a mixture of hydrophobic wax and brittle material in order to obtain a pH-independent lag time prior to core drug delivery at a predetermined release rate.

This dry coating approach is designed to allow the timed release of both slow release and immediate release active cores by releasing the inner table first after which time the surrounding outer shell gradually disintegrates.

As well as controlled release, the Geoclock™ technology also has applications for the improved release of colonic drug delivery, as well as multiple pulse drug delivery to deliver doses of the drug at specific times throughout the day.

Using this novel technology, SkyePharma has been developing Lodotra™, a rheumathoid arthritis drug, on behalf of Horizon Inc. Lodotra™ will deliver the active pharmaceutical ingredient at the most suitable time of day to treat the disease.

X-ray of Geoclock™

SkyePharma PLC is a public limited company registered in England and Wales, registration number 0107582.
Registered office: 46-48 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0EB, United Kingdom