Amorphous drug-PVP dispersions: application of theoretical, thermal and spectroscopic analytical techniques to the study of a molecule with intermolecular bonds in both the crystalline and pure amorphous state.

We report the case of BMS-488043-PVP solid dispersions which when analysed using modulated DSC showed compliance with the Gordon-Taylor model, confirming ideal mixing behaviour of the two components. The nature or presence of stabilising interactions between drug and PVP could not be confirmed using this technique. Use of FT-IR, Raman and solid-state NMR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of stabilising hydrogen bond interactions between the drug and PVP.

Enhancement of oral bioavailability of an HIV-attachment inhibitor by nanosizing and amorphous formulation approaches.

BMS-488043 is an HIV-attachment inhibitor that exhibited suboptimal oral bioavailability upon using conventional dosage forms prepared utilizing micronized crystalline drug substance. BMS-488043 is classified as a Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) Class-II compound with a poor aqueous solubility of 0.04mg/mL and an acceptable permeability of 178nm/s in the Caco2 cell-line model.

Moisture sorption behavior of selected bulking agents used in lyophilized products.

To develop a rational approach for the formulation of lyophilized products, six bulking agents commonly used in freeze-dried formulations were lyophilized under identical conditions, and their moisture sorption behavior, before and after lyophilization, were determined as a function of relative humidity at 25 degrees C. The bulking agents evaluated were mannitol, anhydrous lactose, sucrose, D(+)-trehalose, dextran 40 and povidone (PVP K24). The materials were also characterized for their crystal and thermal properties by powder X-ray diffraction, DSC and TG after exposure to various relative humidity conditions.

Selection of solid dosage form composition through drug-excipient compatibility testing.

A drug-excipient compatibility screening model was developed by which potential stability problems due to interactions of drug substances with excipients in solid dosage forms can be predicted. The model involved storing drug-excipient blends with 20% added water in closed glass vials at 50 degrees C and analyzing them after 1 and 3 weeks for chemical and physical stability. The total weight of drug-excipient blend in a vial was usually kept at about 200 mg.