Reply

It is correct to state that Zyprexa Velotab (olanzapine orodispersible tablets) contains gelatin as an excipient of the formulation. This information is listed in the Summary of Product characteristics section 6.1. The gelatin is of bovine origin and this information is available from the Lilly Medical Information Department on request. If a patient is prescribed Zyprexa Velotab and is concerned about the bovine gelatin in the preparation because they are vegetarian or for religious reasons, Lilly advise them to discuss their treatment with their doctor who should consider an alternative formulation such as Zyprexa tablets.

If readers are interested in the wider issue of the presence of bovine gelatin in prescription medicines it should be pointed out that the alternative licensed orodispersible atypical antipsychotic Risperdal Quicklet also contains this excipient. Furthermore, bovine gelatin is used as a major structural excipient in the majority of encapsulated medications. This is because it has properties of flexibility combined with rapid solubility, allowing predictable dispersal of the drug. The pharmaceutical industry is investigating alternatives to bovine gelatin, but it should be noted that any change to the formulation of a medicine requires resubmission to the regulatory authorities with the demonstration that the new formulation is bioequivalent to the existing formulation.