Hydrolysis of Cellulose Acetate Phthalate and Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Phthalate in Amorphous Solid Dispersions.

The preparation of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) represents a promising strategy for addressing the solubility limitations of poorly soluble drugs, facilitating enhanced oral absorption. Acidic polymers such as cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate (HPMCP) have emerged as effective carriers for ASDs. Although the hydrolytic degradation of these polymers has been documented, its impact on the stability of ASDs has not been systematically investigated. This research aimed to explore the potential hydrolysis of CAP and HPMCP and how it influences the stability of ASDs containing ketoconazole (KTZ), at drug loadings of 10 % and 50 %. Our study utilized thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and evaluations of physical and chemical stability. The results revealed that although KTZ remained physically stable in all ASDs over 60 days under various stability conditions, the emergence of crystalline phthalic acid (PA), a byproduct of polymer hydrolysis, was observed at elevated temperatures and relative humidity levels. The acidic microenvironment fostered by the release of PA further catalyzed drug chemical degradation. This study underscores the susceptibility of CAP and HPMCP to hydrolytic degradation, highlighting the inherent risk of PA-induced drug degradation, particularly for acid-labile compounds. These insights into the understanding of polymer hydrolysis in ASDs pave the way for the development of targeted approaches to safeguard drug stability and optimize pharmaceutical formulations for enhanced bioavailability, efficacy, and safety.

Designing synergistic crystallization inhibitors: Bile salt derivatives of cellulose with enhanced hydrophilicity.

Crystallization inhibitors in amorphous solid dispersions (ASD) enable metastable supersaturated drug solutions that persist for a physiologically relevant time. Olefin cross-metathesis (CM) has successfully provided multifunctional cellulose-based derivatives as candidate ASD matrix polymers. In proof of concept studies, we prepared hydrophobic bile salt/cellulose adducts by CM with naturally occurring bile salts. We hypothesized that increased hydrophilicity would enhance the ability of these conjugates to maximize bioactive supersaturation. Their selective preparation presents a significant synthetic challenge, given polysaccharide reactivity and polysaccharide and bile salt complexity. We prepared such derivatives using a more hydrophilic hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) backbone, employing a pent-4-enyl tether (Pen) for appending bile acids. We probed structure-property relationships by varying the nature and degree of substitution of the bile acid substituent (lithocholic or deoxycholic acid). These conjugates are indeed synergistic inhibitors, as demonstrated with the fast-crystallizing prostate cancer drug, enzalutamide. The lithocholic acid methyl ester derivative, AcrMLC-PenHHPCPen (0.64), increased induction time 68 fold vs. drug alone.

A Mechanistic Study of Drug Mass Transport from Supersaturated Solutions Across PAMPA Membranes.

There is an increasing shift from dissolution testing to dissolution-permeation testing of formulations during formulation development and this has led increasing application of permeability measurements using parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) membranes. However, there is a lack of thorough analysis of the impact of variabilities in the PAMPA setup on the mass flow rate outcomes, particularly for complex solubility-enabling formulations. In this study, we investigated the impact of amorphous drug-rich nanodroplets, formed in supersaturated solutions by liquid-liquid phase separation, on membrane transport by measuring mass flow rate across PAMPA membranes. In addition, we explored the impact of PAMPA variants such as lipid composition, hydrophobicity and pore size of the filter support, as well as receiver sink properties on membrane mass flow rates of solutions containing amorphous nanodroplets. Filter properties and lipid composition did not show a notable influence on the mass flow rates for lipophilic molecules, while a marked impact was observed for hydrophilic molecules. High sink conditions in the receiver compartment, arising from addition of micellar surfactant, altered the membrane integrity for lipid-impregnated hydrophilic membranes. In contrast, no such effect was observed for a hydrophobic filter support. Membrane integrity tests also suggested that monitoring water transport may be an improved approach over using Lucifer yellow. Furthermore, high sink conditions in the receiver compartment resulted in an increase in the overall mass flow rate. This was due to the effect of asymmetric conditions, generated across the membrane, on mass transport kinetics. Linearity between mass flow rate and donor concentration was observed until the donor concentration reached the amorphous solubility. Above the amorphous solubility, a gradual increase in mass flow rate was observed i.e., with an increasing number of nanodroplets in the solution. This was attributed to decrease in the permeability barrier across unstirred water layer due to reduction of the concentration gradient as nanodroplets dissolved to replenish absorbed drug. Observations made in this study provide insights into the mechanisms associated with mass transport of supersaturated solutions across PAMPA membranes, which are critical for improved evaluation of enabling formulations.

Solvent-Casted Films to Assist Polymer Selection for Amorphous Solid Dispersions During Preclinical Studies: In-vitro and In-vivo Exploration.

PURPOSE: The use of two solvent-casted film methods to select optimal polymer compositions for amorphous solid dispersions prepared to support preclinical pharmacokinetic and toxicology studies is described. METHODS: Evaporation of solvent from cover slips by using nitrogen flow, and solvent removal from vials by using rotary evaporation were employed. The films prepared on cover slips were evaluated under the microscope to determine crystallinity. The methods were validated by scaling up corresponding SDDs, evaluating SDD's dissolution, and comparing those results to the dissolution of drug-polymer films. Subsequently, SDD suspensions were prepared and dosed orally to rats to determine pharmacokinetic parameters. This was done by using three compounds from our pipeline and evaluating multiple polymers. RESULTS: The dissolution of generated films showed good agreement with the dissolution of spray dried dispersions when the films were fully amorphous (Compound A and B). In contrast, there was disagreement between film and SDD dissolution when the films had crystallized (Compound C). The in vivo exposure results indicated that the polymer choice based on the film screening methods would have been accurate for drug-polymer films that were amorphous (Compound A and B). Two additional case studies (Compound D and E) are presented, showing good agreement between in vivo and in vitro results. CONCLUSION: This study established the ability of two film casting screening methods to predict the in vitro and in vivo performance of corresponding SDDs, provided that the films are fully amorphous.

Interaction of Polymers with Enzalutamide Nanodroplets-Impact on Droplet Properties and Induction Times.

Amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs), which consist of a drug dispersed in a polymeric matrix, are increasingly being applied to improve the in vivo performance of poorly water-soluble drugs delivered orally. The polymer is a critical component, playing several roles including facilitating drug release from the ASD, as well as delaying crystallization from the supersaturated solution generated upon dissolution. Certain ASD formulations dissolve to produce amorphous drug-rich nanodroplets. The interaction of the polymer with these nanodroplets is poorly understood but is thought to be important for inhibiting crystallization in these systems. In this study, the impact of ionic polymers on the crystallization kinetics of enzalutamide from supersaturated solutions containing different amounts of amorphous nanodroplets was evaluated by determination of nucleation induction times. The amount of the polymer associated with the drug nanodroplets was also determined. When comparing two polymers, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) and Eudragit E PO, it was found that the crystallization tendency and physical properties of the drug nanodroplets varied in the presence of these two polymers. Both polymers distributed between the aqueous phase and the drug-rich nanodroplets. A greater amount of Eudragit E PO was associated with the drug-rich nanodroplets. Despite this, Eudragit E PO was a less-effective crystallization inhibitor than HPMCAS in systems containing nanodroplets. In conclusion, in supersaturated solutions containing amorphous nanodroplets, the extent of association of a polymer with the drug nanodroplet does not solely predict crystallization inhibition.

Conjugation of bile esters to cellulose by olefin cross-metathesis: A strategy for accessing complex polysaccharide structures.

Bile salts tend to form micelles in aqueous media and can thereby contribute to drug solubilization; they also exhibit crystallization inhibition properties that can stabilize supersaturated drug solutions. Herein, we explore conjugation of bile salts with polysaccharides to create new, amphiphilic polysaccharide derivatives with intriguing properties, portending broad utility in various applications. We introduce efficient conjugation of cholesterol (as a model steroid), lithocholic acid, and deoxycholic acid by mild, modular olefin cross-metathesis reactions. These small molecules were first modified with an acrylate group from the A-ring hydroxyl, then reacted with cellulose derivatives bearing olefin-terminated metathesis "handles". Successful conjugation of bile acids has demonstrated chemoselective cross-metathesis with complex, polyfunctional structures, and large multi-ring systems. It also enabled an efficient, general pathway for polysaccharide-bile salt conjugates, which promise synergy for applications such as amorphous solid dispersion (ASD).

Crystallization Inhibition Properties of Cellulose Esters and Ethers for a Group of Chemically Diverse Drugs: Experimental and Computational Insight.

Amorphous solid dispersions are widely used to enhance the oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. Polymeric additives are commonly used to delay crystallization of the drug from the supersaturated solutions formed upon ASD dissolution by influencing the nucleation and growth of crystals. However, there is limited evidence regarding the mechanisms by which polymers stabilize supersaturated drug solutions. The current study used experiments and computational modeling to explore polymer-drug interactions in aqueous solutions. Nucleation induction times for supersaturated solutions of nine drugs in the presence of five newly synthesized cellulose-based polymers were evaluated. The polymers had carboxylic acids substituents with additional variations in the side-chain structure: (1) one with a single side chain and a carboxylic acid termination, (2) three with a branched side chain terminated with a carboxylic and an alcohol group (varying the cellulose linkage and the length of the hydrocarbon side chain), and (3) one with a branched side chain with two carboxylic acid end groups. The polymers with a short side chain and one carboxylic acid were effective, whereas the polymers with the two carboxylic acids or a long hydrocarbon chain were less effective. Atomic force microscopy experiments, evaluating polymer adsorption onto amorphous drug films, indicated that the effective polymers were uniformly spread across the surface. These results were supported by molecular dynamics simulations of a polymer chain in the presence of a drug aggregate in an aqueous environment, whereby the effective materials had a higher probability of establishing close contacts and more negative estimated free energies of interaction. The insights provided by this study provide approaches to design highly effective polymers to improve oral drug delivery.

Phase Behavior of Drug-Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Amorphous Solid Dispersions Produced from Various Solvent Systems: Mechanistic Understanding of the Role of Polymer using Experimental and Theoretical Methods.

The vast majority of studies evaluating amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) utilize solvent evaporation techniques as the preparation method. However, the impact of the solvent/cosolvent system properties on the polymer conformation and the phase behavior of the resultant drug/polymer blends is poorly understood. Herein, we investigate the influence of solvent properties on the phase behavior of ASDs containing itraconazole (ITZ) and hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) prepared using spin coating from binary/ternary cosolvent systems containing alkyl alcohols, dichloromethane (DCM), and water. The compatibility of the polymer with the cosolvent system was probed using high-resolution imaging techniques supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Solvent evaporation and evaporation rate profiles were tracked gravimetrically to understand the impact of the solvent composition on the evaporation process. Short-chain alcohols, including methanol (MeOH) and ethanol (EtOH), were found to induce drug-polymer demixing in the presence of water, with EtOH being less sensitive to moisture than MeOH owing to its ability to form an azeotrope with water. In contrast, water-induced mixing was observed when higher alcohols, including n-propanol (PrOH) and n-butanol (BuOH), were used as a cosolvent, due to the improved solubility of HPMC in the higher alcohols in the presence of water. Isopropanol (IPA) produced phase separated ASDs under wet and dry conditions with an increase in miscibility with faster evaporation rates in the presence of water. This solvent-triggered phase behavior highlights the importance of conducting a thorough screening of various solvents prior to the preparation of ASDs via solvent evaporation approaches such as spray drying.

Pharmaceutical Applications of Cellulose Ethers and Cellulose Ether Esters.

Cellulose ethers have proven to be highly useful natural-based polymers, finding application in areas including food, personal care products, oil field chemicals, construction, paper, adhesives, and textiles. They have particular value in pharmaceutical applications due to characteristics including high glass transition temperatures, high chemical and photochemical stability, solubility, limited crystallinity, hydrogen bonding capability, and low toxicity. With regard to toxicity, cellulose ethers have essentially no ability to permeate through gastrointestinal enterocytes and many are already in formulations approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. We review pharmaceutical applications of these valuable polymers from a structure-property-function perspective, discussing each important commercial cellulose ether class; carboxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, and ethyl cellulose, and cellulose ether esters including hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose acetate succinate and carboxymethyl cellulose acetate butyrate. We also summarize their syntheses, basic material properties, and key pharmaceutical applications.

Selective synthesis of curdlan ω-carboxyamides by Staudinger ylide nucleophilic ring-opening.

Chemoselective modification of polysaccharides is a significant challenge, and regioselective modification is even more difficult, due to the low and similar reactivity of the various polysaccharide hydroxyl groups. Bromination of glycans that possess free 6-OH groups is exceptional in that regard, giving regiospecific, high-yield access to 6-bromo-6-deoxyglycans. Herein we report a simple and efficient pathway for synthesizing 6-ω-carboxyalkanamido-6-deoxy-containing polysaccharide derivatives in a sequence starting from 6-bromo-6-deoxycurdlan, via azide displacement, then conversion of the azide to the iminophosphorane ylide by triphenylphosphine (Ph3P). We take advantage of the nucleophilicity of the iminophosphorane nitrogen by subsequent regioselective ring-opening reactions of cyclic anhydrides. These reactions of the useful polysaccharide curdlan were essentially completely regio- and chemo-selective, proceeding under mild conditions in the presence of ester groups, yet preserving those groups. These interesting polysaccharide-based materials have pendant carboxyls attached through a hydrocarbon tether and hydrolytically stable amide linkage; as such they are promising for diverse application areas, including aqueous dispersions for coatings, adhesives, and other consumer products, and for amorphous solid dispersions in oral drug delivery.

Influence of Polymer and Drug Loading on the Release Profile and Membrane Transport of Telaprevir.

During the dissolution of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs), various phase transformations can occur, which will ultimately impact the degree of supersaturation. This study employed dissolution and diffusion measurements to compare the performance of various ASD formulations based on the maximum amount of free drug in the solution that was able to permeate through a cellulose-based membrane. Telaprevir (TPV) was used as the model drug compound, and ASDs were prepared with different drug loadings and with four different polymers. Four possible scenarios that can influence TPV mass flow rates upon ASD dissolution were described and supported with experimental data: (1) a system dissolves readily and completely undergoes phase separation via glass-liquid phase separation (GLPS), forming drug-rich aggregates, and reaches the maximum anticipated mass flow rate; (2) where the maximum mass flow rate decreases due to substantial mixing of the polymer into the drug-rich phase, and/or due to the formation of soluble polymer-drug complexes; (3) a system does not undergo GLPS due to slow drug release and/or matrix crystallization; and (4) a system does not undergo GLPS due to rapid crystallization from the supersaturated solution generated during dissolution. The results described herein support the importance of the combined use of the dissolution-diffusion measurements to determine the maximum level of supersaturation achievable for diverse drug formulations.

Cellulose-based amorphous solid dispersions enhance rifapentine delivery characteristics in vitro.

The efficacy of rifapentine, an oral antibiotic used to treat tuberculosis, may be reduced due to degradation at gastric pH and low solubility at intestinal pH. We hypothesized that delivery properties would be improved in vitro by incorporating rifapentine into pH-responsive amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) with cellulose derivatives including: hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS), cellulose acetate suberate (CASub), and 5-carboxypentyl hydroxypropyl cellulose (CHC). ASDs generally reduced rifapentine release at gastric pH, with CASub affording >31-fold decrease in area under the curve (AUC) compared to rifapentine alone. Critically, reduced gastric dissolution was accompanied by reduced degradation to 3-formylrifamycin. Certain ASDs also enhanced apparent solubility and stabilization of supersaturated solutions at intestinal pH, with HPMCAS providing nearly 4-fold increase in total AUC vs. rifapentine alone. These results suggest that rifapentine delivery via ASD with these cellulosic polymers may improve bioavailability in vivo.

Rifampin Stability and Solution Concentration Enhancement Through Amorphous Solid Dispersion in Cellulose ω-Carboxyalkanoate Matrices.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a deadly infectious disease; approximately 2 billion people are currently latently infected with the causative agent Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Approximately 8 million new active cases and 2 million deaths due to TB are recorded annually.1 Rifampin (Rif) is a vital first-line TB treatment drug. Its effectiveness is hampered by the high dose required (600 mg 1×/day) and by its moderate, variable bioavailability. These issues can be explained by Rif instability at gastric pH, limited solubility at neutral pH, polymorphism, and stimulation of its own metabolism. To overcome these obstacles, we developed new cellulose-based oral drug delivery systems aiming to increase and make more consistent Rif solubility and bioavailability. Amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) of Rif with cellulose ω-carboxyalkanoates (cellulose acetate suberate, cellulose acetate propionate adipate, and cellulose acetate butyrate sebacate) were prepared and compared with crystalline Rif (negative) and carboxymethyl cellulose acetate butyrate ASD (positive) controls. Cellulose ω-carboxyalkanoate ASDs prevented acid-catalyzed degradation in conditions mimicking the acidic stomach and provided complete release of intact Rif at intestinal pH. Rif incorporation into ASD in these novel cellulose derivative matrices creates the potential for convenient, robust, consistent, and high Rif oral bioavailability for treatment of TB.

Multidrug, Anti-HIV Amorphous Solid Dispersions: Nature and Mechanisms of Impacts of Drugs on Each Other's Solution Concentrations.

Drug therapy has been instrumental in prolonging the lives of patients infected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In order to combat development of resistance, therapies involving three or more drugs in combination are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to suppress HIV and prevent development of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is desirable for multidrug combinations to be coformulated into single dosage forms where possible, to promote patient convenience and adherence to dosage regimens, for which amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) is particularly well-suited. We investigated multidrug ASDs of three model anti-HIV drugs, ritonavir (Rit), etravirine (Etra), and efavirenz (Efa), in cellulosic polymer matrices. We hypothesized that the presence of multiple drugs would reduce crystallization tendency, thereby providing stable, supersaturating formulations for bioavailability enhancement. We explored new ASD polymers including cellulose acetate suberate (DSSub 0.9, CASub) and cellulose acetate adipate propionate (DSAd 0.9, CAAdP), and control commercial cellulosic polymers including 6-carboxycellulose acetate butyrate (CCAB) and carboxymethyl cellulose acetate butyrate (CMCAB). We succeeded in preparing three-drug ASDs containing very high drug loadings (45% drug total; 15% of each drug); each polymer tested was effective at stabilizing the amorphous drugs in the solid phase, as demonstrated by XRD, SEM, and DSC studies. In pH 6.8 dissolution studies ASDs released each anti-HIV drug over 8 h, affording supersaturated solutions of each drug, but unexpectedly failing in some cases to reach maximum possible supersaturation. In a second set of dissolution studies (pH 6.8), the cause of the observed solution concentration limitations was investigated by studying release from single- and two-drug ASDs. Concentrations of Rit, Etra, and Efa achieved from three-drug ASDs were higher than those achieved from crystalline drugs. Surprisingly, however, there was a decrease in the achieved drug concentrations of both Rit and Efa when they dissolved together, while Etra solution concentration was enhanced by the presence of Rit and Efa in the ASD. We demonstrate that these effects have to do primarily with solution phase interactions between the anti-HIV drugs, rather than from the drugs influencing each other's release rate, and we suggest that such observations may indicate an important, previously inadequately recognized, and general phenomenon for ASDs containing multiple hydrophobic drugs.

Novel cellulose-based amorphous solid dispersions enhance quercetin solution concentrations in vitro.

Quercetin (Q) is a bioactive flavonol with potential to benefit human health. However, Q bioavailability is relatively low, due to its poor aqueous solubility and extensive phase-II metabolism. Strategies to increase solution concentrations in the small intestinal lumen have the potential to substantially increase Q bioavailability, and by extension, efficacy. We aimed to achieve this by incorporating Q into amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) with cellulose derivatives. Q was dispersed in matrices of cellulose esters including 6-carboxycellulose acetate butyrate (CCAB), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) and cellulose acetate suberate (CASub) to afford ASDs that provided stability against crystallization, and pH-triggered release. Blends of CASub and CCAB with the hydrophilic polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) further enhanced dissolution. The ASD 10% Q:20% PVP:70% CASub most significantly enhanced Q solution concentration under intestinal pH conditions, increasing area under the concentration/time curve (AUC) 18-fold compared to Q alone. This novel ASD method promises to enhance Q bioavailability in vivo.

Mechanistic Design of Chemically Diverse Polymers with Applications in Oral Drug Delivery.

Polymers play a key role in stabilizing amorphous drug formulations, a recent strategy employed to improve solubility and bioavailability of drugs delivered orally. However, the molecular mechanism of stabilization is unclear, therefore, the rational design of new crystallization-inhibiting excipients remains a substantial challenge. This article presents a combined experimental and computational approach to elucidate the molecular features that improve the effectiveness of cellulose polymers as solution crystallization inhibitors, a crucial first step toward their rational design. Polymers with chemically diverse substituents including carboxylic acids, esters, ethers, alcohols, amides, amines, and sulfides were synthesized. Measurements of nucleation induction times of the model drug, telaprevir, show that the only effective polymers contained carboxylate groups in combination with an optimal hydrocarbon chain length. Computational results indicate that polymer conformation as well as solvation free energy are important determinants of effectiveness at inhibiting crystallization and show that simulations are a promising predictive tool in the screening of polymers. This study suggests that polymers need to have an adequate hydrophilicity to promote solvation in an aqueous environment, and sufficient hydrophobic regions to drive interactions with the drug. Particularly, the right balance between key substituent groups and lengths of hydrocarbon side chains is needed to create effective materials.

Amphiphilic Cellulose Ethers Designed for Amorphous Solid Dispersion via Olefin Cross-Metathesis.

The design of cellulose ether-based amphiphiles has been difficult and limited because of the harsh conditions typically required for appending ether moieties to cellulose. Olefin cross-metathesis recently has been shown to be a valuable approach for appending a variety of functional groups to cellulose ethers and esters, provided that an olefin handle for metathesis can be attached. This synthetic pathway gives access to these functional derivatives under very mild conditions and at high efficiency. Modification of ethyl cellulose by metathesis to prepare useful derivatives, for example, for solubility and bioavailability enhancement of drugs by amorphous solid dispersion (ASD), has been limited by the low DS(OH) of commercial ethyl cellulose derivatives. This is problematic because ethyl cellulose is otherwise a very attractive substrate for synthesis of amphiphilic derivatives by olefin metathesis. Herein we explore two methods for opening up this design space for ether-based amphiphiles, for example, permitting synthesis of more hydrophilic derivatives. One approach is to start with the more hydrophilic commercial methyl cellulose, which contains much higher DS(OH) and therefore is better suited for introduction of high DS of olefin metathesis "handles". In another approach, we explored a homogeneous one-pot synthesis methodology from cellulose, where controlled DS of ethyl groups was introduced at the same time as the ω-unsaturated alkyl groups, thereby permitting complete control of DS(OH), DS(Et), and ultimately DS of the functional group added by metathesis. We describe the functionalized derivatives available by these successful approaches. In addition, we explore new methods for reduction of the unsaturation in initial metathesis products to provide robust methods for enhancing product stability against further radical-catalyzed reactions. We demonstrate initial evidence that the products show strong promise as amphiphilic matrix polymers for amorphous solid dispersion and other applications.

Phase Behavior of Resveratrol Solid Dispersions Upon Addition to Aqueous media.

PURPOSE: To investigate the phase behavior of resveratrol amorphous solid dispersions upon addition to aqueous media. METHODS: Polymers with different crystallization inhibitor properties were used to form amorphous solid dispersions of resveratrol. Resveratrol crystallization in aqueous environments was monitored over time using Raman spectroscopy, and solution concentrations were determined by ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy. RESULTS: The crystallization behavior varied depending on the type and amount of polymer present in the dispersion. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and Eudragit E100 (E100) dispersions did not crystallize for 24 h when slurried in pH 6.8 buffer at 37°C. Even though no crystallization occurred, a supersaturated solution was not achieved, most likely because of resveratrol-polymer complexation. Dispersions formed with cellulose derivatives crystallized rapidly, and the extent of crystallization varied depending on the amount of polymer in the dispersion. The solution concentration achieved in the slurries varied considerably between the various solid dispersions and depended on several factors including the extent of resveratrol crystallization, the nature of the resveratrol-polymer interactions, and the concentration of solid dispersion added to the slurry. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that the extent of supersaturation was limited not only by crystallization, but also by soluble and insoluble complex formation between resveratrol and the polymer.

Glass-liquid phase separation in highly supersaturated aqueous solutions of telaprevir.

Amorphous solid dispersions are of great current interest because they can improve the delivery of poorly water-soluble compounds. It has been recently noted that the highly supersaturated solutions generated by dissolution of some ASDs can undergo a phase transition to a colloidal, disordered, drug-rich phase when the concentration exceeds the "amorphous solubility" of the drug. The purpose of this study was to investigate the phase behavior of supersaturated solutions of telaprevir, which is formulated as an amorphous solid dispersion in the commercial product. Different analytical techniques including proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV), fluorescence spectroscopy and flux measurements were used to evaluate the properties of aqueous supersaturated solutions of telaprevir. It was found that highly supersaturated solutions of telaprevir underwent glass-liquid phase separation (GLPS) when the concentration exceeded 90 µg/mL, forming a water-saturated colloidal, amorphous drug-rich phase with a glass transition temperature of 52 °C. From flux measurements, it was observed that the "free" drug concentration reached a maximum at the concentration where GLPS occurred, and did not increase further as the concentration was increased. This phase behavior, which results in a precipitate and a metastable equilibrium between a supersaturated solution and a drug-rich phase, is obviously important in the context of evaluating amorphous solid dispersion formulations and their crystallization routes.

Impact of surfactants on the crystal growth of amorphous celecoxib.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of surfactants on the rate of crystal growth of amorphous celecoxib, both in the presence and absence of a polymer. Celecoxib is a poorly water-soluble non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Such compounds may be formulated as amorphous solid dispersions to improve bioavailability, and solid dispersions can contain both a surfactant and a polymer. While the impact of polymers on crystal growth rates has been studied, the effect of surfactants is largely unexplored. Herein, the effect of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sucrose palmitate and d-α tocopherol polyethylenglycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) at a 10% (w/w) concentration on the crystal growth rate of celecoxib was investigated. Linear crystal growth rates as a function of temperature (70-120 °C) were measured using optical microscopy. The mixtures were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The results indicate that the surfactants increase the crystal growth rate of amorphous celecoxib. However, addition of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) helped to mitigate the increase in growth rates, although the ternary systems were highly complex. Thus it is clear that the impact of a surfactant on the physical stability of an amorphous solid dispersion should be considered during formulation.