Profiling the process development of Wurster coating for modified release capsule products in approved drug product applications.

In this paper, we have studied Wurster Coating operation for the manufacture of modified release (MR) capsule products submitted to FDA as New Drug Applications (NDAs) and Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) by using a data-driven approach. We have collected and classified information into Wurster coating associated process variables, quality attributes, and scale up strategies under Quality by Design (QbD) paradigm. We have quantified the importance and risk of the process variables and quality attributes by analyzing reported frequencies and risk factors, respectively. We have also included analysis of quality attributes listed with high risk factors, such as weight gain, particle size, assay, dissolution of coated beads, and water content/ Loss on drying (LOD) and the process variables with higher risk factors, such as product temperature, spray rate, atomization air pressure, Inlet air volume and Inlet air temperature, etc. We believe that the knowledge obtained through profiling Wurster coating operation will help the industry to further improve the quality of drug product applications regarding the development of this unit operation. We hope systematic profiling of pharmaceutical unit operations under QbD paradigm can provide support for FDA's IT  initiatives aiming at improving the efficiency and consistency of FDA's quality assessment.