Investigation of process temperature and screw speed on properties of a pharmaceutical solid dispersion using corotating and counter‐rotating twin‐screw extruders. (31st July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Keen, Justin M.; Martin, Charlie; Machado, Augie; Sandhu, Harpreet; McGinity, James W.; DiNunzio, James C.
• Is Part Of: Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology. Volume 66:Number 2(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 204
• Page End: 217
• Publication Date: 2013-07-31
• Subjects: Pharmacy -- Periodicals; Pharmacology -- Periodicals; 615.1
• DOI: 10.1111/jphp.12106
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3573

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="jphp12106-sec-1001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>The use of corotating twin screw hot‐melt extruders to prepare amorphous drug/polymer systems has become commonplace. As small molecule drug candidates exiting discovery pipelines trend towards higher MW and become more structurally complicated, the acceptable operating space shifts below the drug melting point. The objective of this research is to investigate the extrusion process space, which should be selected to ensure that the drug is solubilized in the polymer with minimal thermal exposure, is critical in ensuring the performance, stability and purity of the solid dispersion.</p> </sec> <sec id="jphp12106-sec-1002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>The properties of a model solid dispersion were investigated using both corotating and counter‐rotating hot‐melt twin‐screw extruders operated at various temperatures and screw speeds. The solid state and dissolution performance of the resulting solid dispersions was investigated and evaluated in context of thermodynamic predictions from Flory–Huggins Theory. In addition, the residence time distributions were measured using a tracer, modelled and characterized.</p> </sec> <sec id="jphp12106-sec-1003" sec-type="section"> <title>Key findings</title> <p>The amorphous content in the resulting solid dispersions was dependent on the combination of screw speed, temperature and operating mode.</p> </sec> <sec id="jphp12106-sec-1004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>The counter‐rotating extruder was observed to form amorphous solid dispersions at a slightly lower temperature and with a narrower residence time distribution, which also exhibited a more desirable shape.</p> </sec> </abstract>