Sustained-Release Oral Delivery of Theophylline by Use of Polyvinyl Alcohol and Polyvinyl Alcohol-Methyl Acrylate Polymers

□ Crystalline polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer and low- crystallinity polyvinyl alcohol-methyl acrylate copolymer (PVA-MA) were examined as sustained-release tablet excipients with theophylline as a model drug. By blending of different proportions of the crystalline polymer and the low-crystallinity copolymer, it was possible to affect the release characteristics of the tablets. Tablets made with crystalline PVA provided instant release of theophylline in vitro. Tablets made with a larger proportion of PVA-MA relative to PVA provided a very prolonged release profile in vitro. A formulation containing PVA- MA:PVA:theophylline in a ratio of 1:9:10 provided sustained-release profiles in vitro and in vivo in dogs. The dissolution release profile of this PVA-biend tablet formulation in vitro agreed extremely well with the percentage of bioavailable dose absorbed over time in vivo. The formulation provided a plateau of levels in plasma over 16 h. The oral bioavailability of theophylline from this formulation in dogs was ˜ 80 % and was equivalent to that obtained after administration of Theo-Dur, a marketed extended-release theophylline tablet from Key Pharmaceuticals.