To increase the dissolution rate of practically insoluble biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate (DDB), various solid dispersions were prepared with water soluble carriers, such as povidone (PVP K-30), poloxamer 407, sodium deoxycholate (SDC) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000, at drug to carrier ratios of 1:3, 1:5 and 1:10 (w/w) by solvent or fusion method. Dissolution test was performed by the paddle method. The dissolution rate of DDB tablets (25 ㎎) on market was found to be very low (11.44, 9.02 and 6.42% at pH 1.2, 4.0 and 6.5 after 120 min, respectively). However, dissolution rates of DDB from various solid dispersions were very fast and reached supersaturation within 10 min. DDB-PEG 6000 solid dispersion appeared to be better in enhancing the in vitro dissolution rate than others. Furthermore, the incorporation of DDB and phosphatidylcholine (PC) into β-cyclodextrin at ratios of 1:2:20, 1:5:20 and 1:10:20 resulted in a 4.9-, 11.2- and 19.6-fold increase in DDB dissolution after 120 min as compared with the pure drug, respectively. This might be attributed to the formation of lipid vesicles which entrapped a certain concentration of DDB during dissolution. On the other hand, the permeation of DDB through rabbit duodenal mucosa was examined using some enhancers such as SDC, sod. glycocholate (SGC) and glycyrrhizic acid ammonium salt (GAA). Only trace amounts of DDB were found to permeate through deuodenal mucosa in the absence of enhancer. SDC was found to markedly decrease the permeation flux of DDB, however, SGC and GAA (5 mM) enhanced the flux of DDB 1.6 and 2.4 times higher as compared with no additive, respectively.