Does Media Choice Matter When Evaluating the Performance of Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Acetate Succinate-Based Amorphous Solid Dispersions?

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) is a weakly acidic polymer that is widely used in the formulation of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs). While the pH-dependent solubility of HPMCAS is widely recognized, the role of other solution properties, including buffer capacity, is less well understood in the context of ASD dissolution. The goal of this study was to elucidate the rate-limiting steps for drug and HPMCAS release from ASDs formulated with two poorly water soluble model drugs, indomethacin and indomethacin methyl ester. The surface area normalized release rate of the drug and/or polymer in a variety of media was determined. The HPMCAS gel layer apparent pH was determined by incorporating pH sensitive dyes into the polymer matrix. Water uptake extent and rate into the ASDs were measured gravimetrically. For neat HPMCAS, the rate-limiting step for polymer dissolution was observed to be the polymer solubility at the polymer-solution interface. This, in turn, was impacted by the gel layer pH which was found to be substantially lower than the bulk solution pH, varying with medium buffer capacity. For the ASDs, the HPMCAS release rate was found to control the drug release rate. However, both drugs reduced the polymer release rate with indomethacin methyl ester having a larger impact. In low buffer capacity media, the presence of the drug had less impact on release rates when compared to observations in higher strength buffers, suggesting changes in the rate-limiting steps for HPMCAS dissolution. The observations made in this study can contribute to the fundamental understanding of acidic polymer dissolution in the presence and absence of a molecularly dispersed lipophilic drug and will help aid in the design of more in vivo relevant release testing experiments.

Harmonizing Biopredictive Methodologies Through the Product Quality Research Institute (PQRI) Part I: Biopredictive Dissolution of Ibuprofen and Dipyridamole Tablets.

Assessing in vivo performance to inform formulation selection and development decisions is an important aspect of drug development. Biopredictive dissolution methodologies for oral dosage forms have been developed to understand in vivo performance, assist in formulation development/optimization, and forecast the outcome of bioequivalence studies by combining them with simulation tools to predict plasma profiles in humans. However, unlike compendial dissolution methodologies, the various biopredictive methodologies have not yet been harmonized or standardized. This manuscript presents the initial phases of an effort to develop best practices and move toward standardization of the biopredictive methodologies through the Product Quality Research Institute (PQRI, https://pqri.org ) entitled "The standardization of in vitro predictive dissolution methodologies and in silico bioequivalence study Working Group." This Working Group (WG) is comprised of participants from 10 pharmaceutical companies and academic institutes. The project will be accomplished in a total of five phases including assessing the performance of dissolution protocols designed by the individual WG members, and then building "best practice" protocols based on the initial dissolution profiles. After refining the "best practice" protocols to produce equivalent dissolution profiles, those will be combined with physiologically based biopharmaceutics models (PBBM) to predict plasma profiles. In this manuscript, the first two of the five phases are reported, namely generating biopredictive dissolution profiles for ibuprofen and dipyridamole and using those dissolution profiles with PBBM to match the clinical plasma profiles. Key experimental parameters are identified, and this knowledge will be applied to build the "best practice" protocol in the next phase.

Current State and Opportunities with Long-acting Injectables: Industry Perspectives from the Innovation and Quality Consortium "Long-Acting Injectables" Working Group.

Long-acting injectable (LAI) formulations can provide several advantages over the more traditional oral formulation as drug product opportunities. LAI formulations can achieve sustained drug release for extended periods of time, which results in less frequent dosing requirements leading to higher patient adherence and more optimal therapeutic outcomes. This review article will provide an industry perspective on the development and associated challenges of long-acting injectable formulations. The LAIs described herein include polymer-based formulations, oil-based formulations, and crystalline drug suspensions. The review discusses manufacturing processes, including quality controls, considerations of the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API), biopharmaceutical properties and clinical requirements pertaining to LAI technology selection, and characterization of LAIs through in vitro, in vivo and in silico approaches. Lastly, the article includes a discussion around the current lack of suitable compendial and biorelevant in vitro models for the evaluation of LAIs and its subsequent impact on LAI product development and approval.

Food effect risk assessment in preformulation stage using material sparing µFLUX methodology.

The intake of food and meal type can strongly impact the bioavailability of orally administered drugs and can consequently impact drug efficacy and safety. During the early stages of drug development, only a small amount of drug substance is available, and the solubility difference between fasted state simulated intestinal fluid and fed state simulated intestinal fluid may provide an early indication about the probable food effect. But higher drug solubility in fed state simulated intestinal fluid may not always results in an increased oral absorption. In the present research, we demonstrated using 11 model compounds that in addition to the drug dissolution in biorelevant media, the evaluation of the diffusion flux of a drug in solution, across artificial lipid coated membrane, where only the unbound drug crosses the membrane, is a reliable way to predict the food effect. Although, the combination of dissolution and diffusion flux may not reliably predict the food effect in case of drugs undergoing intestinal metabolism or when transporters are involved in the drug absorption, the technique generally provides good information about the food effect at very early stages of drug development that may help in designing a clinical plan by adjusting the drug dose in the fed state.

Using Tiny-TIM Dissolution and In Silico Simulation to Accelerate Oral Product Development of a BCS Class II Compound.

Though oral drug delivery is the most preferred route of administration, there is high drug pharmacokinetic variability associated with the oral route. Change in drug substance particle size distribution, formulation composition, or manufacturing process may impact the dissolution and, hence, the systemic drug absorption in biopharmaceutics classification system class II compounds. In the present research, using a Boehringer Ingelheim investigational drug substance as the model compound, the tiny-TIM in vitro data and in silico pharmacokinetic model were used to establish in vitro-in vivo correlation and to predict the oral bioavailability. The level C in vitro-in vivo correlation between in vivo AUC and in vitro amount dissolved in both fasted and fed states could be established. Furthermore, level A in vitro-in vivo correlation was established between in vivo fraction absorbed and bioaccessibility from tiny-TIM dissolution in both fasted and fed states. Prediction of positive food effect from tiny-TIM dissolution was consistent with conclusion from clinical studies. Such predictive models developed using the minimum clinical data and the in vitro tiny-TIM data have the potential to reduce the animal and human experiments and to expedite the overall drug development process.

Prediction of in vivo supersaturation and precipitation of poorly water-soluble drugs: Achievements and aspirations.

This review focuses on options available to a pharmaceutical scientist to predict in vivo supersaturation and precipitation of poorly water-soluble drugs. As no single device or system can simulate the complex gastrointestinal environment, a combination of appropriate in vitro tools may be utilized to get optimal predictive information. To address the empirical issues encountered during small-scale and full-scale in vitro predictive testing, theoretical background and relevant case studies are discussed. The practical considerations for selection of appropriate tools at various stages of drug development are recommended. Upcoming technologies that have potential to further reduce in vivo studies and expedite the drug development process are also discussed.

Effect of processing conditions and excipients on dehydration kinetics of sodium naproxen hydrate in formulation.

The manufacture of oral dosage form may induce changes in the physical form of an active pharmaceutical ingredient. One such example includes formation of hydrate during granulation followed by the reverse transition to the anhydrous form during drying. We used naproxen sodium dihydrate (DH) as the model compound and studied its dehydration at elevated temperature under different processing conditions, (i) in ambient air, (ii) in flow of inert gas (iii) under low pressure environment, and (iv) under 'high' pressure in closed environments. In situ variable temperature X-ray diffraction was used to monitor kinetics of phase transformation under these processing conditions. The DH dehydration was fastest under the flow of inert gas and slowest in closed environment. Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), commonly used hygroscopic solids, were used as the model excipients to monitor influence of excipients in modulating DH dehydration behavior under different processing conditions. Both the excipients altered the kinetics as well as the extent of DH dehydration, with PVP delaying and MCC facilitating the transformation under all processing conditions studied. The results indicate that the physical form of API, such as hydrate or anhydrous in the present case, in the formulation may be modulated by rational excipient selection.

Compression-Induced Polymorphic Transformation in Tablets: Role of Shear Stress and Development of Mitigation Strategies.

Our goals were to evaluate the effects of (i) hydrostatic pressure alone and (ii) its combined effect with shear stress during compaction, on the polymorphic transformation (form C → A) of a model drug, chlorpropamide. The powder was either subjected to hydrostatic pressure in a pressure vessel or compressed in a tablet press, at pressures ranging from 25 to 150 MPa. The overall extent of phase transformation was determined by powder X-ray diffractometry, whereas 2D-X-ray diffractometry enabled quantification of the spatial distribution of phase composition in tablets. Irrespective of the pressure, the extent of transformation following compaction was higher than that because of hydrostatic pressure alone, the difference attributed to the contribution of shear stress experienced during compaction. At a compression pressure of 25 MPa, there was a pronounced gradient in the extent of phase transformation when monitored from radial tablet surface to core. This gradient decreased with increase in compression pressure. Four approaches were attempted to minimize the effect of compression-induced phase transformation: (a) site-specific lubrication, (b) use of a viscoelastic excipient, (c) ceramic-lined die, and (d) use of cavity tablet. The ceramic-lined die coupled with site-specific lubrication was most effective in minimizing the extent of compression-induced phase transformation.

Applications of Powder X-Ray Diffraction in Small Molecule Pharmaceuticals: Achievements and Aspirations.

Since the discovery of X-ray diffraction and its potential to elucidate crystal symmetry, powder X-ray diffraction has found diverse applications in the field of pharmaceutical sciences. This review summarizes significant achievements of the technique during various stages of dosage form development. Improved understanding of the principle involved and development of automated hardware and reliable software have led to increased instrumental sensitivity and improved data analysis. These advances continue to expand the applications of powder X-ray diffraction to emerging research fields such as amorphous systems, mechanistic understanding of phase transformations, and "Quality by Design" in formulation development.

Estimation of Drug Particle Size in Intact Tablets by 2-Dimensional X-Ray Diffractometry.

The average grain size of a crystalline material can be determined from the γ-profile of Debye rings in 2-dimensional X-ray diffraction frames. Our objectives were to: (1) validate the method for organic powders and use it to determine the grain size in intact tablets, and (2) demonstrate the pharmaceutical application of this technique by determining the grain size of the active pharmaceutical ingredient in marketed formulations. Six sieve fractions of sucrose were prepared and the particle size distribution was confirmed by laser diffraction. Their average grain size was determined from the 2-dimensional X-ray diffraction frames by the γ-profile method. For particles <90 µm (based on sieving), the average particle size determined by the 3 methods were in good agreement. When these particles were compressed, there was no discernible change in the sucrose grain size in tablets. When the particles were >250 µm, compression resulted in a mixture of large grains and fine powder. The grain size of acetaminophen in 11 marketed tablet formulations was determined to be either ∼35 µm or ∼80 µm. This nondestructive technique can therefore be potentially useful to estimate the grain size of crystalline formulation components in intact tablets.

Salt disproportionation: A material science perspective.

While screening the counter-ions for salt selection for an active pharmaceutical substance, there is often an uncertainty about disproportionation of the salt and hence physical stability of the final product formulation to provide adequate shelf life. Several examples of disproportionation reactions are reviewed to explain the concepts of pHmax, microenvironmental pH, and buffering capacity of excipients and APIs to gain mechanistic understanding of disproportionation reaction. Miscellaneous factors responsible for disproportionation are examined. In addition to the dissolution failure due to the formation of less soluble unionized form, various implications of the disproportionation are evaluated with specific examples. During lead optimization and early stages of development, when only a limited amount of material is available, use of predictive tools like mathematical models and model free kinetics to rank order the various counter-ions are discussed in detail. Finally, analytical methods and mitigation strategies are discussed to prevent the disproportionation by detecting it during early stages of drug development.

Salt Disproportionation in the Solid State: Role of Solubility and Counterion Volatility.

Disproportionation propensity of salts (HCl, HBr, heminapadisylate) and adipic acid cocrystal of corticotropin releasing hormone receptor-1 antagonist was studied using model free kinetics. Using thermogravimetic weight loss profile or heat flow curves from differential scanning calorimetry, an activation energy plot for salts and cocrystal was generated based on model free kinetics. This activation energy of disproportionation provided qualitative information about the solid state salt stability. To ensure the stability throughout the shelf life, "prototype" formulations of salts and cocrystal in tablet form were stored at 40 °C and several water vapor pressures. Disproportionation kinetics were studied in these prototype tablet formulations using two-dimensional X-ray diffractometry. Formulations containing the adipic acid cocrystal or heminapadisylate salt did not show disproportionation of API when stored at 40 °C/75% RH for 300 days. On the other hand, formulations containing HCl or HBr salt disproportionated. Though isostructural, the disproportionation propensity of HBr and HCl salts was quite different. The HCl salt highlighted the important role that volatility of the counterion plays in the physical stability of the formulations. Solution state stability (i.e., in dissolution medium) of salts and cocrystal was also assessed and compared with solid state stability, by determining their solubility at different pH's, and intrinsic dissolution rate.

Recent advances in the characterization of amorphous pharmaceuticals by X-ray diffractometry.

For poorly water soluble drugs, the amorphous state provides an avenue to enhance oral bioavailability. The preparation method, in addition to sample history, can dictate the nature and the stability of the amorphous phase. Conventionally, X-ray powder diffractometry is of limited utility for characterization, but structural insights into amorphous and nanocrystalline materials have been enabled by coupling X-ray total scattering with the pair distribution function. This has shown great promise for fingerprinting, quantification, and even modeling of amorphous pharmaceutical systems. A consequence of the physical instability of amorphous phases is their crystallization propensity, and recent instrumental advances have substantially enhanced our ability to detect and quantify crystallization in a variety of complex matrices. The International Centre for Diffraction Data has a collection of the X-ray diffraction patterns of amorphous drugs and excipients and, based on the available supporting information, provides a quality mark of the data.

Spatial Distribution of Trehalose Dihydrate Crystallization in Tablets by X-ray Diffractometry.

Crystallization of trehalose dihydrate (C12H22O11·2H2O) was induced by storing tablets of amorphous anhydrous trehalose (C12H22O11) at 65% RH (RT). Our goal was to evaluate the advantages and limitations of two approaches of profiling spatial distribution of drug crystallization in tablets. The extent of crystallization, as a function of depth, was determined in tablets stored for different time-periods. The first approach was glancing angle X-ray diffractometry, where the penetration depth of X-rays was modulated by the incident angle. Based on the mass attenuation coefficient of the matrix, the depth of X-ray penetration was calculated as a function of incident angle, which in turn enabled us to "calculate" the extent of crystallization to different depths. In the second approach, the tablets were split into halves and the split surfaces were analyzed directly. Starting from the tablet surface and moving toward the midplane, XRD patterns were collected in 36 "regions", in increments of 0.05 mm. The results obtained by the two approaches were, in general, in good agreement. Additionally, the results obtained were validated by determining the "average" crystallization in the entire tablet by using synchrotron radiation in the transmission mode. The glancing angle method could detect crystallization up to ∼650 µm and had a "surface bias". Being a nondestructive technique, this method will permit repeated analyses of the same tablet at different time points, for example, during a stability study. However, split tablet analyses, while a "destructive" technique, provided comprehensive and unbiased depth profiling information.

Compression-induced crystallization of amorphous indomethacin in tablets: characterization of spatial heterogeneity by two-dimensional X-ray diffractometry.

Tablets of amorphous indomethacin were compressed at 10, 25, 50, or 100 MPa using either an unlubricated or a lubricated die and stored individually at 35 °C in sealed Mylar pouches. At selected time points, tablets were analyzed by two-dimensional X-ray diffractometry (2D-XRD), which enabled us to profile the extent of drug crystallization in tablets, in both the radial and axial directions. To evaluate the role of lubricant, magnesium stearate was used as "internal" and/or "external" lubricant. Indomethacin crystallization propensity increased as a function of compression pressure, with 100 MPa pressure causing crystallization immediately after compression (detected using synchrotron radiation). However, the drug crystallization was not uniform throughout the tablets. In unlubricated systems, pronounced crystallization at the radial surface could be attributed to die wall friction. The tablet core remained substantially amorphous, irrespective of the compression pressure. Lubrication of the die wall with magnesium stearate, as external lubricant, dramatically decreased drug crystallization at the radial surface. The spatial heterogeneity in drug crystallization, as a function of formulation composition and compression pressure, was systematically investigated. When formulating amorphous systems as tablets, the potential for compression induced crystallization warrants careful consideration. Very low levels of crystallization on the tablet surface, while profoundly affecting product performance (decrease in dissolution rate), may not be readily detected by conventional analytical techniques. Early detection of crystallization could be pivotal in the successful design of a dosage form where, in order to obtain the desired bioavailability, the drug may be in a high energy state. Specialized X-ray diffractometric techniques (2D; use of high intensity synchrotron radiation) enabled detection of very low levels of drug crystallization and revealed the heterogeneity in crystallization within the tablet.

Quantification, mechanism, and mitigation of active ingredient phase transformation in tablets.

Model tablet formulations containing thiamine hydrochloride [as a nonstoichiometric hydrate (NSH)] and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) were prepared. In intact tablets, the water released by dehydration of DCPD mediated the transition of NSH to thiamine hydrochloride hemihydrate (HH). The use of an X-ray microdiffractometer with an area detector enabled us to rapidly and simultaneously monitor both the phase transformations. The spatial information, gained by monitoring the tablet from the surface to the core (depth profiling), revealed that both DCPD dehydration and HH formation progressed from the surface to the tablet core as a function of storage time. Film coating of the tablets with ethyl cellulose caused a decrease in both the reaction rates. There was a pronounced lag time, but once initiated, the transformations occurred simultaneously throughout the tablet. Thus the difference in the phase transformation behavior between the uncoated and the coated tablets could not have been discerned without the depth profiling. Incorporation of hydrophilic colloidal silica as a formulation component further slowed down the transformations. By acting as a water scavenger it maintained a very "dry" environment in the tablet matrix. Finally, by coating the NSH particles with hydrophobic colloidal silica, the formation of HH was further substantially decelerated. The microdiffractometric technique not only enabled direct analyses of tablets but also provided the critical spatial information. This helped in the selection of excipients with appropriate functionality to prevent the in situ phase transformations.

Prediction of drug-polymer miscibility through the use of solubility parameter based Flory-Huggins interaction parameter and the experimental validation: PEG as model polymer.

Important consideration for developing physically stable solid dispersion is miscibility of drug in carrier matrix. It is possible to predict thermodynamics of binary system through free energy calculations based on Flory-Huggins interaction parameter (χ(dp)). In present study, PEG 6000 as model polymer and dataset comprising commonly used drugs/excipients was selected. The three-dimensional solubility parameter based on group contribution method was utilized for systemic calculation of χ(dp) of the polymer with each compound in data set. On the basis of the values of χ(dp), it was possible to categorize all the compounds into three distinct categories, Types I and II: compounds predicted to be miscible and immiscible respectively with the polymer in all proportions and Type III: compounds expected to exhibit composition dependent miscibility behavior. The Bagley plot showed that majority of points for Type I fall in a region, which can approximately be delimited by a circle. Experimental verification through thermal analysis revealed that though it was possible to predict correctly miscibility behavior of Type II class compounds, distinction between Types I and III was less evident. Hence, solubility parameter based χ(dp) may be used as an initial tool for fast screening of immiscible combination of polymer and drug.

Eudragit: a technology evaluation.

INTRODUCTION: Eudragit is the brand name for a diverse range of polymethacrylate-based copolymers. It includes anionic, cationic, and neutral copolymers based on methacrylic acid and methacrylic/acrylic esters or their derivatives. AREAS COVERED: In this review, the physicochemical characteristics and applications of different grades of Eudragit in colon-specific/enteric-coated/sustained release drug delivery and taste masking have been addressed. EXPERT OPINION: Eudragits are amorphous polymers having glass transition temperatures between 9 to > 150(o)C. Eudragits are non-biodegradable, nonabsorbable, and nontoxic. Anionic Eudragit L dissolves at pH > 6 and is used for enteric coating, while Eudragit S, soluble at pH > 7 is used for colon targeting. Studies in human volunteers have confirmed that pH drops from 7.0 at terminal ileum to 6.0 at ascending colon, and Eudragit S based systems sometimes fail to release the drug. To overcome the shortcoming, combination of Eudragit S and Eudragit L which ensures drug release at pH < 7 has been advocated. Eudragit RL and RS, having quaternary ammonium groups, are water insoluble, but swellable/permeable polymers which are suitable for the sustained release film coating applications. Cationic Eudragit E, insoluble at pH ≥ 5, can prevent drug release in saliva and finds application in taste masking.

Soluplus--solubilized citrated camptothecin--a potential drug delivery strategy in colon cancer.

Camptothecin (CPT), a potent antitumor drug, exhibits poor aqueous solubility and rapid conversion from the pharmacologically active lactone form to inactive carboxylate form at physiological pH. Solid dispersion of CPT in Soluplus®, an amphiphilic polymeric solubilizer, was prepared to increase the aqueous solubility of CPT and the resultant solid dispersion along with citric acid was formulated as hard gelatin capsules that were subsequently coated with Eudragit S100 polymer for colonic delivery. FTIR spectrum of the solid dispersion confirmed the presence of CPT. PXRD and DSC revealed the semicrystalline nature of solid dispersion. The solubility of the drug was found to increase ~40 times in the presence of Soluplus and ~75 times in solid dispersion. The capsules showed no drug release in 0.01 N HCl but released 86.4% drug in lactone form in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and the result appears to be due to citric acid-induced lowering of pH of buffer from 7.4 to 6.0. Thus the presence of citric acid in the formulation led to stabilization of the drug in its pharmacologically active lactone form. Cytotoxicity studies conducted with the formulation of solid dispersion with citric acid, utilizing cell cytotoxicity test (MTT test) on Caco-2 cells, confirmed cytotoxic nature of the formulation.