Amrit Paudel

Manufacturing of solid dispersions of poorly water soluble drugs by spray drying: formulation and process considerations.

Spray drying is an efficient technology for solid dispersion manufacturing since it allows extreme rapid solvent evaporation leading to fast transformation of an API-carrier solution to solid API-carrier particles. Solvent evaporation kinetics certainly contribute to formation of amorphous solid dispersions, but also other factors like the interplay between the API, carrier and solvent, the solution state of the API, formulation parameters (e.g. feed concentration or solvent type) and process parameters (e.g. drying gas flow rate or solution spray rate) will influence the final physical structure of the obtained solid dispersion particles. This review presents an overview of the interplay between manufacturing process, formulation parameters, physical structure, and performance of the solid dispersions with respect to stability and drug release characteristics.

Theoretical and experimental investigation on the solid solubility and miscibility of naproxen in poly(vinylpyrrolidone).

The objective of the present study was to determine the solid state solubility and miscibility of naproxen in poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and the mutual interaction using the standard thermodynamic models and thermal analysis. Solid dispersions were prepared by spray drying several compositions of naproxen and PVP with different molecular weights, viz., PVP K 12, PVP K 25 and PVP K 90, and analyzed using modulated differential scanning calorimetry (mDSC). The kinetic miscibility limit in terms of a single mixed phase glass transition temperature was found to be relatively similar for the dispersions containing PVP with different chain lengths (>or=50% w/w drug in PVP). But the systems with different PVP followed diverse patterns of composition dependent mixed phase glass transition temperature as well as the degree of plasticization by water. The crystalline solid solubility values of naproxen in PVP estimated by using its solubility data in n-methylpyrrolidone, a low molecular weight analogue of PVP, were 6.42, 5.85 and 5.81% w/w of drug in PVP K 12, PVP K 25 and PVP K 90 respectively. The values estimated for corresponding amorphous solubility showed no marked difference. The remarkable difference between thermodynamic solubility/miscibility and kinetic miscibility implied that naproxen was highly supersaturated in the PVP solid dispersions and only stabilized kinetically. The negative value of the drug-polymer interaction parameter (-0.36) signified the systems to be favorably mixing. The melting point depression data of naproxen in PVP pointed to the composition dependence and chain length effect on the interaction. The moisture sorption by the physical mixtures not only provided the composition dependent interaction parameter but also conferred an estimate of composition dependent miscibility of naproxen in PVP in the presence of water.

Influence of Preparation Methods on Solid State Supersaturation of Amorphous Solid Dispersions: A Case Study with Itraconazole and Eudragit E100

PurposeThe present study aims to determine the drug / polymer miscibility level as a function of the preparation method for an amorphous solid dispersion model system containing itraconazole and eudragit E100. This value was compared to the theoretical crystalline drug solubility in the amorphous polymer and the miscibility of the amorphous drug in the amorphous polymer.MethodsThe amorphous solid dispersions were prepared via spray drying and film casting in order to evaluate the influence of the solvent drying rate. The experimental miscibility level was estimated using XRPD, MDSC, FT-IR, HPLC and TGA. The solubility and miscibility were estimated using the Flory-Huggins mixing theory and experimental drug in monomer solubility data.ResultsThe experimental miscibility level was found to be 27.5% w/w for spray-dried and 15% for film-casted solid dispersions. FT-IR measurements confirmed the absence of saturable interactions like hydrogen bonds, and analysis of the mixed glass transition temperatures suggested low adhesion forces in the amorphous mixture. The solubility analysis rendered a positive FH interaction parameter, a crystalline solubility of approximately 0.012% w/w and an amorphous drug-polymer miscibility of approximately 7.07% w/w.ConclusionThe solid dispersions are significantly supersaturated with respect to both crystalline solubility and amorphous miscibility demonstrating the influence of manufacturing methodology.

Influence of Solvent Composition on the Miscibility and Physical Stability of Naproxen/PVP K 25 Solid Dispersions Prepared by Cosolvent Spray-Drying

ABSTRACTPurposeTo investigate the influence of solvent properties on the phase behavior and physical stability of spray-dried solid dispersions containing naproxen and PVP K 25 prepared from binary cosolvent systems containing methanol, acetone and dichloromethane.MethodsThe viscosity, polymer globular size and evaporation rate of the spray-drying feed solutions were characterized. The solid dispersions were prepared by spray-drying drug-polymer solutions in binary solvent blends containing different proportions of each solvent. The phase behavior was investigated with mDSC, pXRD, FT-IR and TGA. Further, physical stability of solid dispersions was assessed by analyzing after storage at 75% RH.ResultsThe solid dispersions prepared from solvent/anti-solvent mixture showed better miscibility and physical stability over those prepared from the mixtures of good solvents. Thus, solid dispersions prepared from dichloromethane-acetone exhibited the best physicochemical attributes followed by those prepared from methanol-acetone. FT-IR analysis revealed differential drug-polymer interaction in solid dispersions prepared from various solvent blends, upon the exposure to elevated humidity.ConclusionSpray-drying from a cocktail of good solvent and anti-solvent with narrower volatility difference produces solid dispersions with better miscibility and physical stability resulting from the simultaneous effect on the polymer conformation and better dispersivity of drug.

Structural and Dynamic Properties of Amorphous Solid Dispersions: The Role of Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Relaxometry

Amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) are one of the frontier strategies to improve solubility and dissolution rate of poorly soluble drugs and hence tackling the growing challenges in oral bioavailability. Pharmaceutical performance, physicochemical stability, and downstream processability of ASD largely rely on the physical structure of the product. This necessitates in-depth characterization of ASD microstructure. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SS-NMR) techniques bear the ultimate analytical capabilities to provide the molecular level information on the dynamics and phase compositions of amorphous dispersions. SS-NMR spectroscopy/relaxometry, as a single and nondestructive technique, can reveal diverse and critical structural information of complex ASD formulations that are barely amenable from any other existing technique. The purpose of the current article is to review the recent most important studies on various sophisticated and information-rich one-dimensional and two-dimensional SS-NMR spectroscopy/relaxometry for the analysis of molecular mobility, miscibility, drug-carrier interactions, crystallinity, and crystallization in ASD. Some specific examples on microstructural elucidations of challenging ASD using multidimensional and multinuclear SS-NMR are presented. Additionally, some relevant examples on the utility of solution-NMR and NMR-imaging techniques for the investigation of the dissolution behavior of ASD are gathered.

Can compression induce demixing in amorphous solid dispersions? A case study of naproxen-PVP K25.

The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of compression on miscibility of naproxen (NAP)-PVP K25 solid dispersions. Solid dispersions with diverse drug/polymer compositions were compressed at various forces for uniform dwell time. Miscibility assessments were performed using mDSC, and the effect of compression on the specific interactions of NAP and PVP K25 was investigated by FTIR. The 20% (w/w) naproxen containing solid dispersion showed a single T(g) before and after compression. FTIR analysis showed the unchanged profile of this system upon compression. On the other hand, the miscibility in the compositions with 30% and 40% (w/w) naproxen is markedly affected by compression. Compression pressures from beyond 565.05 MPa induced apparent amorphous-amorphous phase separation as indicated by two characteristic T(g)s in DSC and altered IR spectral profile. The highly ductile nature of PVP promotes plastic deformation upon compression induced by the rotation of the PVP backbone with the transition of dihedral angles from low to high energy state. Segmental rotation can also be an outcome of plastic deformation that often leads to increase in structural temperature. This can have influence on miscibility resulting from weakening and/or disruption of intermolecular hydrogen bonding between drug and polymer upon compression.

Relating Hydrogen-Bonding Interactions with the Phase Behavior of Naproxen/PVP K 25 Solid Dispersions: Evaluation of Solution-Cast and Quench-Cooled Films

In this work, we investigated the relationship between various intermolecular hydrogen-bonding (H-bonding) interactions and the miscibility of the model hydrophobic drug naproxen with the hydrophilic polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) across an entire composition range of solid dispersions prepared by quasi-equilibrium film casting and nonequilibrium melt quench cooling. The binary phase behavior in solid dispersions exhibited substantial processing method dependence. The solid state solubility of crystalline naproxen in PVP to form amorphous solid dispersions was 35% and 70% w/w naproxen in solution-cast films and quench-cooled films, respectively. However, the presence of a single mixed phase glass transition indicated the amorphous miscibility to be 20% w/w naproxen for the films, beyond which amorphous-amorphous and/or crystalline phase separations were apparent. This was further supported by the solution state interactions data such as PVP globular size distribution and solution infrared spectral profiles. The borderline melt composition showed cooling rate dependence of amorphization. The glass transition and melting point depression profiles of the system were treated with the analytical expressions based on Flory-Huggins mixing theory to interpolate the equilibrium solid solubility. FTIR analysis and subsequent spectral deconvolution revealed composition and miscibility dependent variations in the strength of drug-polymer intermolecular H-bonding. Two types of H-bonded populations were evidenced from 25% w/w and 35% w/w naproxen in solution-cast films and quench-cooled films, respectively, with the higher fraction of strongly H-bonded population in the drug rich domains of phase separated amorphous film compositions and highly drug loaded amorphous quench-cooled dispersions.

An Investigation into the Effect of Spray Drying Temperature and Atomizing Conditions on Miscibility, Physical Stability, and Performance of Naproxen–PVP K 25 Solid Dispersions

The present study investigates the effect of changing spray drying temperature (40°C-120°C) and/or atomizing airflow rate (AR; 5-15 L/min) on the phase structure, physical stability, and performance of spray-dried naproxen-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) K 25 amorphous solid dispersions. The modulated differential scanning calorimetry, attenuated total internal reflectance-Fourier transform infrared, and powder X-ray diffractometry (pXRD) studies revealed that higher inlet temperature (IT) or atomization airflow leads to the formation of amorphous-phase-separated dispersions with higher strongly H-bonded and free PVP fractions, whereas that prepared with the lowest IT was more homogeneous. The dispersion prepared with the lowest atomization AR showed trace crystallinity. Upon exposure to 75% relative humidity (RH) for 3 weeks, the phase-separated dispersions generated by spray drying at higher temperature or higher atomization airflow retained relatively higher amorphous drug fraction compared with those prepared at slow evaporation conditions. The humidity-controlled pXRD analysis at 98% RH showed that the dispersion prepared with highest atomization AR displayed the slowest kinetics of recrystallization. The molecular-level changes occurring during recrystallization at 98% RH was elucidated by spectroscopic monitoring at the same humidity. The rate and extent of the drug dissolution was the highest for dispersions prepared at the highest atomizing AR and the lowest for that prepared with the slowest atomizing condition.

Effect of Compression on Non-isothermal Crystallization Behaviour of Amorphous Indomethacin

ABSTRACTPurposeTo evaluate the effect of tablet compression on the physical stability of amorphous indomethacin.MethodsThe amorphous indomethacin generated by melt cooling, rapid (5°C/min) or slow (0.2°C/min) cooling, was evaluated by PXRD, mDSC and FTIR analysis. Non-isothermal crystallisation behaviour was assessed using mDSC and any structural changes with compression were monitored by FTIR. Amorphous indomethacin was compressed in a DSC pan using a custom made die cavity-punch setup and further analysed in the primary container to minimize stress due to sample transfer and preparation.ResultsCompression of amorphous indomethacin induced and increased the extent of crystallisation upon heating. DSC results revealed that amorphous indomethacin generated by rapid cooling is more prone to compression induced crystallisation than the slowly cooled one. Onset temperature for crystallisation (Tc) of uncompressed slowly and rapidly cooled samples are 121.4 and 124°C and after compression Tc decreased to ca 109 and ca 113°C, respectively. Compression of non-aged samples led to higher extent of crystallisation predominantly into γ-form. Aging followed by compression led to crystallisation of mainly the α-form.ConclusionsCompression affects the physical stability of amorphous indomethacin. Structural changes originated from tablet compression should be duly investigated for the stable amorphous formulation development.

Carrier-based dry powder inhalation: Impact of carrier modification on capsule filling processability and in vitro aerodynamic performance.

This study aims to investigate the effect of carrier characteristics and dosator capsule filling operation on the in vitro deposition of mixtures containing salbutamol sulphate (SS) and lactose and mannitol as model carrier materials. The carrier surfaces of lactose and mannitol were modified via wet decantation. The impact of the decantation process on the properties of carriers was investigated by laser diffraction, density and powder flow measurements, N2 physisorption, small and wide angle X-ray scattering (SWAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Differences in carrier type and untreated and decanted materials were identified and the SAXS measurements proved to be a promising technology confirming the successful removal of fines. Adhesive carrier API mixtures with carrier-to-API ratio of 99:1 wt% were prepared, mixture homogeneity was tested and subsequently the mixtures were filled into capsules at different process settings. Finally, the influence of the decantation process on the in vitro performance of the adhesive mixtures was tested with a next generation impactor. For lactose, the decantation decreased the fine particle fraction (FPF) of SS, whereas the FPF of mannitol as a carrier was only affected by the capsule filling process. In summary, the DPI formulation based on untreated lactose, especially by capsule filling using a dosing chamber to powder layer (compression) ratio of 1:2, proved to be superior in terms of the dosing accuracy (RSD<0.8%) and the in vitro aerodynamic performance (FPF of 12%).