13. September 2018
This work demonstrates the feasibility of the extemporaneous preparation of maltodextrins orodispersible films (ODF) by hot-melt ram-extrusion 3D printing. This method consists of three simple technological operations which can be also implemented in a pharmacy setting. First, maltodextrins, drug, and other excipients are mixed in a mortar and wetted with the plasticizer (i.e. glycerine). Then, the mixture is fed in the chamber of the ram-extruder and heated. ODF are individually printed on the...
20. August 2018
Based on characterization of a wide range of fillers and APIs, thirty divergent blends were composed and subsequently compressed on a rotary tablet press, varying paddle speed and turret speed. The tablet weight variability was determined of 20 grab samples consisting of each 20 tablets. Additionally, the bulk residence time, ejection force, pre-compression displacement, main compression force, die fill fraction and feed frame fill fraction were determined during each run. Multivariate data...
05. March 2018
This study presents a framework for process and product development on a continuous direct compression manufacturing platform. A challenging sustained release formulation with high content of a poorly flowing low density drug was selected. Two HPMC grades were evaluated as matrix former: standard Methocel CR and directly compressible Methocel DC2. The feeding behavior of each formulation component was investigated by deriving feed factor profiles.
04. September 2017
Abstract Excipients are an integral part of practically all medicines. Historically, excipients have been regarded as pharmacologically and chemically indifferent within the formulation. However, nowadays excipients along with active pharmaceutical ingredients are the subject of strict monitoring and quality control in pharmaceutical manufacture. According to the current rules of European Union’s Good Manufacturing Practice of Medicinal Products excipients should be subjected to a thorough...
20. April 2017
Abstract The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that the flow function (FFc) of pharmaceutical powders, as measured by rotational shear cell, is predominantly governed by cohesion, but not friction coefficients. Driven by an earlier report showing an inverse correlation between FFc and the cohesion divided by the corresponding pre-consolidation stress [Wang et al. 2016. Powder Tech. 294:105-112], we performed analysis on a large dataset containing 1130 measurements from a ring shear...
15. March 2017
Abstract The formulation of lipophilic and hydrophobic compounds is a challenge for the pharmaceutical industry and it requires the development of complex formulations. Our first aim was to investigate hot-melt extrudate microstructures by means of multifractal analysis using scanning electron microscopy imaging. Since the microstructure can affect solid dosage form performance such as mechanical properties, a second objective was to study the influence of the type of adsorbent and of the...
14. March 2017
Abstract Using pharmaceutical salts in solid dosage forms can raise stability concerns, especially salt dissociation which can adversely affect the product performance. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the salt instability encountered in solid state formulations is imperative to ensure the product quality. The present article uses the fundamental theory of acid base, ionic equilibrium, relationship of pH and solubility as a starting point to illustrate and interpret the salt formation and...
12. March 2017
Abstract Novel excipients are entering the market to enhance the bioavailability of drug particles by having a high porosity and thus providing a rapid liquid uptake and disintegration to accelerate subsequent drug dissolution. One example of such a novel excipient is functionalised calcium carbonate (FCC), which enables the manufacture of compacts with a bimodal pore size distribution consisting of larger inter-particle and fine intra-particle pores. Five sets of FCC tablets with a target...
22. February 2017
Abstract Caffeine increases the analgesic properties of acetaminophen and therefore it is reasonable to use both substances together in one drug form in stronger pain. Currently, there are no commercially available pharmaceutical combination products containing acetaminophen and caffeine, which is present as granules. The aim of the study was to obtain twelve different granules with these therapeutic substances and determine the effect of various excipients on the quality of the drug form. All...
29. January 2017
Poorly soluble and/or permeable molecules jeopardize the discovery and development of innovative medicines. Pharmaceutical co-crystals, formed by an active pharmaceutical substance (API) and a co-crystal former, can show enhanced dissolution and permeation values compared with those of the parent crystalline pure phases. It is currently assumed that co-crystallization with pharmaceutical excipients does not affect the pharmacological activity of an API or, indeed, might even improve physical...