Evolution of the microstructure and the drug release upon annealing the drug loaded lipid-surfactant microspheres.

The present study investigates the drug release-governing microstructural properties of melt spray congealed microspheres encapsulating the drug crystals in the matrix of glyceryl behenate and poloxamer (pore former). The solid-state, morphology, and micromeritics of the microspheres were characterized, before and after annealing, using calorimetry, X-ray scattering, porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and, NMR diffusometry. The in vitro drug release from and water uptake by the microspheres were obtained.

Computational Fluid Dynamics-Discrete Element Method Modeling of an Industrial-Scale Wurster Coater.

Large-scale fluid bed coating operations using Wurster coaters are common in the pharmaceutical industry. Experimental measurements of the coating thickness are usually analyzed for just few particles. To better predict the coating uniformity of the entire batch, computational techniques can be applied for process understanding of the key process parameters that influence the quality attributes.

Detailed modeling and process design of an advanced continuous powder mixer.

A vertical in-line continuous powder mixing device (CMT - Continuous Mixing Technology) has been modelled with the discrete element method (DEM) utilizing a calibrated cohesive contact model. The vertical design of the mixing device allows independent control of mean residence time (MRT) and shear rate. The hold-up mass and outlet flow are controlled by an exit valve, located at the bottom of the in-line mixer.

Process modeling in the pharmaceutical industry using the discrete element method.

The discrete element method (DEM) is widely used to model a range of processes across many industries. This paper reviews current DEM models for several common pharmaceutical processes including material transport and storage, blending, granulation, milling, compression, and film coating. The studies described in this review yielded interesting results that provided insight into the effects of various material properties and operating conditions on pharmaceutical processes.

Improving the content uniformity of a low-dose tablet formulation through roller compaction optimization.

In this investigation, the potency distribution of a low-dose drug in a granulation was optimized through a two-part study using statistically designed experiments. The purpose of this investigation was to minimize the segregation potential by improving content uniformity across the granule particle size distribution, thereby improving content uniformity in the tablet. Initial operating parameters on the Gerteis 3-W-Polygran 250/100/3 Roller Compactor resulted in a U-shaped potency function (potency vs.

Mechanistic investigation of drug release from asymmetric membrane tablets: effect of media gradients (osmotic pressure and concentration), and potential coating failures on in vitro release.

Purpose: An asymmetric membrane (AM) tablet was developed for a soluble model compound to study the in vitro drug release mechanisms in challenge conditions, including osmotic gradients, concentration gradients, and under potential coating failure modes. Porous, semipermable membrane integrity may be compromised by a high fat meal or by the presence of a defect in the coating that could cause a safety concern about dose-dumping.

Methods: The osmotic and diffusional release mechanisms of the AM tablet were independently shut down such that their individual contribution to the overall drug release was measured.

A thermodynamic model for organic and aqueous tablet film coating.

A tablet film-coating model for aqueous- and/or organic-based systems is shown to predict exhaust stream conditions thereby facilitating process optimization and scale-up. This coating model uses the First Law of Thermodynamics and conservation of mass principles to complete a material-energy balance on the coating unit operation for a closed, non-isolated system. Heat loss from the coating pan is incorporated into the model through a parameter called a heat loss factor (HLF) that is directly related to the heat transfer coefficient and pan surface area.