The pharmaceutical compositions described herein include a suspension which comprises an admixture in solid form of a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic agent and at least one salt of a medium chain fatty acid and a hydrophobic medium, e.g. castor oil or glyceryl tricaprylate or a mixture thereof. The pharmaceutical compositions described herein contain medium chain fatty acid salts and are substantially free of alcohols. The pharmaceutical compositions may be encapsulated in a capsule. Methods of treating or preventing diseases by administering such compositions to affected subjects are also disclosed.

Disclosed herein are novel compositions and methods for controlling the release of bile acid sequestrant to the stomach in order to treat or prevent upper GI tract disorders or disorders of the throat. The methods generally include administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one bile acid sequestrant dispersed in a polymeric matrix. The bile acid sequestrant composition may be administered alone or in combination with at least one proton pump inhibitor, and optionally one or more agents chosen from antacids, histamine H.sub.2-receptor antagonists, y-aminobutyric acid-I3 (GABA-B) agonists, prodrugs of GABA-B agonists, acid pump antagonists, protease inhibitors and GC-C agonists.

Described are GCF-8 inhibitors of the formula (I),

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and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein n, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, X and Z are defined herein. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same. Such compounds and compositions are useful in methods for inhibiting GDF-8 in a cell and methods for treating a patient suffering from a disease or disorder, wherein the patient would therapeutically benefit from an increase in mass or strength of muscle tissue.

The invention covers a novel treatment strategy that considerably improves conventional probiotic treatments of inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal disorders. Both probiotic microorganisms and the carrier of the probiotic microorganisms in form of a fermented cereal gruel are used as treatment effectors. Phospholipids may also be an effecter. The novel treatment strategy is capable of removing the symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases regardless of a mild, moderate or severe stage of the disease.

The invention relates to acetylcholine-producing microorganisms for use in the prevention and/or treatment of intestinal diseases, and/or reduction of risks of intestinal diseases, and/or improvement of intestinal health as well as promoting healthy gut flora. The acetylcholine-producing microorganisms may be provided as a pharmaceutical dosage form or as additive to functional food or food supplemental products. Also encompassed is a method for the production of acetylcholine by use of Lactobacilli. Further the invention refers to microbially produced acetylcholine for use in the treatment and/or prevention of intestinal diseases.

The present invention refers to nutritional composition comprising sn-1(3) monoacylglycerols for use in the treatment or prevention of maldigestion and/or malabsorption in an infant or young child. It also refers to a nutritional composition comprising sn-1(3) monoacylglycerols for use to increase lipid (e.g. fatty acids) absorption/delivery and/or to increase the energy or the mineral bioavailability in an infant or young child. The infant or young child may have a gut immaturity and/or a reduced enteral feeding tolerance. They may also be pretermand/or low birth weight.

The present invention is generally related to methods of digesting α-amylase/trypsin inhibitors (ATI), and to the treatment and/or prophylaxis of an α-amylase/trypsin inhibitor (ATI) mediated conditions.

According to the present invention there are provided methods of regulating the immune system of a companion animal and methods of improving the digestion of a companion animal, wherein each of said methods comprises administering to a companion animal a probiotic bacteria strain of the genus Bifidobacteria.

Chemical entities that modulate PI3 kinase activity, and chemical entities, pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of treatments of diseases and conditions associated with P13 kinase activity are described herein.

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) compositions and EPA-rich polar lipids for prophylactic or therapeutic applications are described. Production from certain cultured micro-organisms (like Nitzschia laevis) promotes synthesis of EPA, including polar lipids including EPA. The EPA-rich polar lipids themselves may be used as polar compounds. EPA can be selectively hydrolyzed from particular positions in isolated polar lipids by lipase activity, then optionally further purified. The process bypasses reliance on diminishing fish stocks and on physico-chemical processes that may not adequately separate desirable n-3 HUFAs from unwanted products like DHA also found in fish oil and cultured organisms.