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The fundamental idea underlying the use of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) is to make the most of the solubility advantage of the amorphous form of a drug. However, the drug stability becomes compromised due to the higher free energy and disorder of molecular packing in the amorphous phase, leading to crystallization. Polymers are used as a matrix to form a stable homogeneous amorphous system to overcome the stability concern. The present work aims to design ASD-based formulations under the umbrella of quality by design principles for improving oral drug bioavailability, using celecoxib (CXB) as a model drug. ASDs were prepared from selected polymers and tested both individually and in combinations, using various manufacturing techniques: high-shear homogenization, high-pressure homogenization, microfluidics-on-a-chip, and spray drying. The resulting dispersions were further optimized, resorting to a 32 full-factorial design, considering the drug:polymers ratio and the total solid content as variables. The formulated products were evaluated regarding analytical centrifugation and the influence of the different polymers on the intrinsic dissolution rate of the CXB-ASDs. Microfluidics-on-a-chip led to the amorphous status of the formulation. The in vitro evaluation demonstrated a remarkable 26-fold enhancement in the intrinsic dissolution rate, and the translation of this formulation into tablets as the final dosage form is consistent with the observed performance enhancement. These findings are supported by ex vivo assays, which exhibited a two-fold increase in permeability compared to pure CXB. This study tackles the bioavailability hurdles encountered with diverse active compounds, offering insights into the development of more effective drug delivery platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug amorphization is one of the major approaches in pharmaceutical sciences to improve the solubility and dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs. Amorphous solid dispersions are widely discussed approach to convert the drug into an amorphous state but due to its high energy state, the system tends to recrystallize upon storage. Co-amorphous system is a single-phase low energy system that falls under the glass solution, a type of solid dispersion. Being low-energy state and single-phase, co-amorphous dispersions are more stable than amorphous solid dispersions. In co-amorphous dispersions, the homogeneous single phase is formed only with low molecular weight co-formers, so the amount of co-former required is relatively low and this reduces the bulk of the system. This aspect of co-amorphous dispersions makes it popular over the amorphous solid dispersions in the area of solid dispersion researchers. This review provides an overview of co-amorphous dispersions and their recent advances. Particularly, this review will discuss various factors (physical and chemical) that affect and provide the stability of the co-amorphous dispersions formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor aqueous solubility is a common characteristic of new drug candidates, which leads to low or inconsistent oral bioavailability. This has sparked an interest in material efficient testing of solubility and dissolution rate. The aim was to develop a microgram scale video-microscopic method to screen the dissolution rates of poorly water-soluble drugs. This method was applied to six drugs (carvedilol, diazepam, dipyridamole, felodipine, fenofibrate, and indomethacin) in fasted state simulated intestinal fluid (FaSSIF), of indomethacin in buffer with varying pH, and of diazepam and dipyridamole in customized media. An additional aim was to track phase transformations for carbamazepine in FaSSIF. The dissolution rates and particle behavior of the drugs were investigated by tracking particle surface area over time using optical video-microscopy. Applying miniaturized UV spectroscopic dissolution resulted in a similar grouping of dissolution rates and pH effects, as for the video-microscopic setup. Using customized media showed that lysophospholipid enhanced the dissolution rate of diazepam and dipyridamole. The video-microscopic setup allowed for the nucleation of transparent particles on dissolving carbamazepine particles to be tracked over time. The developed setup offers a material efficient screening approach to group drugs according to dissolution rate, where the use of optical microscopy helps to achieve a high sample throughput. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolution is a pivotal tool for oral formulations. Dissolution could be used to either reduce the risk of product failure through quality control or predict and understand in vivo performance of drug formulations. The latter is always challenging because multiple factors such as selection of media, gastrointestinal components, physiological factors, consideration of fasted and fed state are involved. Previously published dissolution methods such as one-step dissolution in individual simulated gastric fluid, simulated intestinal fluid, or phosphate buffer saline did not signify the realistic gastrointestinal transit effect. Docetaxel (DTX), a poorly water-soluble drug, is commercially available only as injectable dosage forms, and thus many publications studied the development of oral DTX formulations. In our previous report, we developed oral lipid-based DTX granules that showed higher oral absorption in rats compared to DTX powder. However, one-step dissolution in simulated gastric fluid showed no difference between DTX granules and DTX powder. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop new two-step biorelevant dissolution methods for DTX oral formulations. In the study, new two-step biorelevant dissolution methods in fasted or fed states with pancreatin were developed and compared with other previously reported dissolution methods. The new two-step biorelevant dissolution methods successfully discriminated the difference of dissolution between DTX granules and DTX powder, which reflected the in vivo difference of absorption of these two formulations. Moreover, food effects were confirmed for DTX. The new dissolution methods have the potential to be used to predict and understand in vivo performance of oral solid dosage forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of cross-linked polystyrene (CPS)–yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) bead mixtures as a novel optimization approach for fast, effective production of drug nanosuspensions during wet stirred media milling (WSMM). Methods: Aqueous suspensions of 10% fenofibrate (FNB, drug), 7.5% HPC-L, and 0.05% SDS were wet-milled at 3000–4000 rpm and 35%–50% volumetric loading of CPS:YSZ bead mixtures (CPS:YSZ 0:1–1:0 v:v). Laser diffraction, SEM, viscometry, DSC, and XRPD were used for characterization. An nth-order model described the breakage kinetics, while a microhydrodynamic model allowed us to gain insights into the impact of bead materials. Results: CPS beads achieved the lowest specific power consumption, whereas YSZ beads led to the fastest breakage. Breakage followed second-order kinetics. Optimum conditions were identified as 3000 rpm and 50% loading of 0.5:0.5 v/v CPS:YSZ mixture from energy–cycle time–heat dissipation perspectives. The microhydrodynamic model suggests that YSZ beads experienced more energetic/forceful collisions with smaller contact area as compared with CPS beads owing to the higher density–elastic modulus of the former. Conclusions: We demonstrated the feasibility of CPS–YSZ bead mixtures and rationalized its optimal use in WSMM through their modulation of breakage kinetics, energy utilization, and heat dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) and mesoporous silica materials favors the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs (PWSD). However, the influence of the surface property of the mesopores towards the drug release and in vivo pharmacokinetics is still unknown. In this study, SBA-15 with hydroxyl groups (SBA-15-H), methyl groups (SBA-15-M), amino groups (SBA-15-A), or carboxyl groups (SBA-15-C) was combined with SMEDDS containing sirolimus (SRL). The diffusion and self-emulsifying of SMEDDS greatly improved the drug release over the raw SRL and SRL-SBA-15-R (R referred to as the functional groups). Results of drug absorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed strong hydrogen binding between SRL and the amino groups of SBA-15-A, which hindered the drug release and oral bioavailability of SRL-SMEDDS-SBA-15-A. The favorable release of SRL-SMEDDS-SBA-15-C (91.31 ± 0.57%) and SRL-SMEDDS-SBA-15-M (91.76 ± 3.72%) contributed to enhancing the maximum blood concentration (Cmax) and the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC0→48). In conclusion, the release of SRL-SMEDDS-SBA-15-R was determined by the surface affinity of the SBA-15-R and the interaction between the SRL molecules and the surface of SBA-15-R. This study suggested that the SMEDDS-SBA-15 was a favorable carrier for PWSD, and the surface property of the mesopores should be considered for the optimization of the SMEDDS-SBA-15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Lipid-based formulations (LBF) have shown oral bioavailability enhancement of lipophilic drugs, but not necessarily in the case of hydrophobic drugs. This study explored the potential of lipid vehicles to improve the bioavailability of the hydrophobic drug nilotinib comparing a chase dosing approach and lipid suspensions. Methods: Nilotinib in vivo bioavailability in rats was determined after administering an aqueous suspension chase dosed with blank olive oil, Captex 1000, Peceol or Capmul MCM, respectively. Absolute bioavailability was determined (relative to an intravenous formulation). Pharmacokinetic parameters were compared to lipid suspensions. Results: Compared to the lipid suspensions, the chase dosed lipids showed a 2- to 7-fold higher bioavailability. Both long chain chase dosed excipients also significantly increased the bioavailability up to 2-fold compared to the aqueous suspension. Deconvolution of the pharmacokinetic data indicated that chase dosing of nilotinib resulted in prolonged absorption compared to the aqueous suspension. Conclusion: Chase dosed LBF enhanced the in vivo bioavailability of nilotinib. Long chain lipids showed superior performance compared to medium chain lipids. Chase dosing appeared to prolong the absorption phase of the drug. Therefore, chase dosing of LBF is favourable compared to lipid suspensions for 'brick dust' molecules such as nilotinib. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This proof-of-concept study explores the feasibility of using a drug-loaded hydrophilic polymeric layer sandwiched between two hydrophobic layers for improving film drug load while achieving sustained release of poorly water-soluble drug. Such films having total thickness in range ~ 146-250 μm were prepared by slurry-based casting using hydrophilic hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as matrix layer containing fenofibrate (FNB) as the model drug, encased between two very thin rate-limiting layers of 10 μm each of hydrophobic poly-ɛ-caprolactone (PCL). Film precursor slurry consisted of HPMC with plasticizer and water along with micronized FNB powders, which were dry-coated with hydrophilic silica. Characterization techniques demonstrated the presence of homogeneously dispersed crystalline FNB in films. The films are very thin and hence two-dimensional; hence, average drug load per unit area in range ~ 5 to ~ 9 mg/cm2 could be achieved by altering the thickness of the drug matrix layer. Drug amount and drug content uniformity were measured through assay of ten circular samples ~ 0.712 cm2 in area punched out using a circular-shaped punch tool. Drug release rate was investigated using USP IV flow-through cell and surface dissolution imaging system. Thinner films followed Fickian diffusion, and thicker films followed non-Fickian anomalous diffusion. Overall, the application of middle layer thickness could be used as a tool to manipulate drug load without the need for altering its formulation or precursor preparation by changing its thickness, hence achieving relatively high drug loading yet having sustained release of drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beside their solubility limitations, some poorly water-soluble drugs undergo extensive degradation in aqueous and/or lipid-based formulations. Multi-layer self-nanoemulsifying pellets (ML-SNEP) introduce an innovative delivery system based on isolating the drug from the self-nanoemulsifying layer to enhance drug aqueous solubility and minimize degradation. In the current study, various batches of cinnarizine (CN) ML-SNEP were prepared using fluid bed coating and involved a drug-free self-nanoemulsifying layer, protective layer, drug layer, moisture-sealing layer, and/or an anti-adherent layer. Each layer was optimized based on coating outcomes such as coating recovery and mono-pellets%. The optimized ML-SNEP were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), in vitro dissolution, and stability studies. The optimized ML-SNEP were free-flowing, well separated with high coating recovery. SEM showed multiple well-defined coating layers. The acidic polyvinylpyrrolidone:CN (4:1) solution presented excellent drug-layering outcomes. DSC and XRD confirmed CN transformation into amorphous state within the drug layer. The isolation between CN and self-nanoemulsifying layer did not adversely affect drug dissolution. CN was able to spontaneously migrate into the micelles arising from the drug-free self-nanoemulsifying layer. ML-SNEP showed superior dissolution compared to Stugeron® tablets at pH 1.2 and 6.8. Particularly, on shifting to pH 6.8, ML-SNEP maintained > 84% CN in solution while Stugeron® tablets showed significant CN precipitation leaving only 7% CN in solution. Furthermore, ML-SNEP (comprising Kollicoat® Smartseal 30D) showed robust stability and maintained > 97% intact CN within the accelerated storage conditions. Accordingly, ML-SNEP offer a novel delivery system that combines both enhanced solubilization and stabilization of unstable poorly soluble drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of amorphous solid dispersions to improve the bioavailability of active ingredients from the BCS II and IV classifications continues to gain interest in the pharmaceutical industry. Over the last decade, methods for generating amorphous solid dispersions have been well established in commercially available products and in the literature. However, the amorphous solid dispersions manufactured by different technologies differ in many aspects, primarily chemical stability, physical stability, and performance, both in vitro and in vivo. This review analyzes the impact of manufacturing methods on those properties of amorphous solid dispersions. For example, the chemical stability of drugs and polymers can be influenced by differences in the level of thermal exposure during fusion-based and solvent-based processes. The physical stability of amorphous content varies according to the thermal history, particle morphology, and nucleation process of amorphous solid dispersions produced by different methods. The in vitro and in vivo performance of amorphous formulations are also affected by differences in particle morphology and in the molecular interactions caused by the manufacturing method. Additionally, we describe the mechanism of manufacturing methods and the thermodynamic theories that relate to amorphous formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing number of newly discovered drugs are poorly water-soluble and the use of natural and synthetic lipids to improve the oral bioavailability of these drugs by utilizing the digestion pathway in-vivo has proved an effective formulation strategy. The mechanisms responsible for lipid digestion and drug solubilisation during gastrointestinal transit have been explored in detail, but the implications of drug precipitation beyond the potential adverse effect on bioavailability have received attention only in recent years. Specifically, these implications are that different solid forms of drug on precipitation may affect the total amount of drug absorbed in-vivo through their different physico-chemical properties, and the possibility that the dynamic environment of the small intestine may afford re-dissolution of precipitated drug if present in a high-energy form. This review describes the events that lead to drug precipitation during the dispersion and digestion of lipid based formulations, common methods used to inhibit precipitation, as well as conventional and newly emerging characterization techniques for studying the solid state form of the precipitated drug. Moreover, selected case studies are discussed where drug precipitation has ensued from the digestion of lipid based formulations, as well as the apparent link between drug ionisability and altered solid forms on precipitation, culminating in a discussion about the importance of the solid form on precipitation with relevance to the total drug absorbed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid-based drug delivery systems (LBDDS) have gained significant attention in recent times, owing to their ability to overcome the challenges limiting the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs. Despite the successful commercialization of several LBDDS products over the years, a large discrepancy exists between the number of poorly water-soluble drugs displaying suboptimal in vivo performances and the application of LBDDS to mitigate their various delivery challenges. Conventional LBDDS, including lipid solutions and suspensions, emulsions, and self-emulsifying formulations, suffer from various drawbacks limiting their widespread use and commercialization. Accordingly, solid-state LBDDS, fabricated by adsorbing LBDDS onto a chemically inert solid carrier material, have attracted substantial interest as a viable means of stabilizing LBDDS whilst eliminating some of the various limitations. This review describes the impact of solid carrier choice on LBDDS performance and highlights the importance of appropriate solid carrier material selection when designing hybrid solid-state LBDDS. Specifically, emphasis is placed on discussing the ability of the specific solid carrier to modulate drug release, control lipase action and lipid digestion, and enhance biopharmaceutical performance above the original liquid-state LBDDS. To encourage the interested reader to consider their solid carrier choice on a higher level, various novel materials with the potential for future use as solid carriers for LBDDS are described. This review is highly significant in guiding future research directions in the solid-state LBDDS field and fostering the translation of these delivery systems to the pharmaceutical marketplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nanosuspensions have been used for enhancing the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. This study explores the temperature evolution during their preparation in a wet stirred media mill using a coupled experimental–enthalpy balance approach.Milling was performed at three levels of stirrer speed, bead loading, and bead sizes. Temperatures were recorded over time, then simulated using an enthalpy balance model by fitting the fraction of power converted to heat ξ. Moreover, initial and final power, ξ, and temperature profiles at 5 different test runs were predicted by power-law (PL) and machine learning (ML) approaches.Heat generation was higher at the higher stirrer speed and bead loading/size, which was explained by the higher power consumption. Despite its simplicity with a single fitting parameter ξ, the enthalpy balance model fitted the temperature evolution well with root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.40–2.34°C. PL and ML approaches provided decent predictions of the temperature profiles in the test runs, with RMSE of 0.93–4.17 and 1.00–2.17°C, respectively.We established the impact of milling parameters on heat generation–power and demonstrated the simulation–prediction capability of an enthalpy balance model when coupled to the PL–ML approaches.Methods: Nanosuspensions have been used for enhancing the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. This study explores the temperature evolution during their preparation in a wet stirred media mill using a coupled experimental–enthalpy balance approach.Milling was performed at three levels of stirrer speed, bead loading, and bead sizes. Temperatures were recorded over time, then simulated using an enthalpy balance model by fitting the fraction of power converted to heat ξ. Moreover, initial and final power, ξ, and temperature profiles at 5 different test runs were predicted by power-law (PL) and machine learning (ML) approaches.Heat generation was higher at the higher stirrer speed and bead loading/size, which was explained by the higher power consumption. Despite its simplicity with a single fitting parameter ξ, the enthalpy balance model fitted the temperature evolution well with root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.40–2.34°C. PL and ML approaches provided decent predictions of the temperature profiles in the test runs, with RMSE of 0.93–4.17 and 1.00–2.17°C, respectively.We established the impact of milling parameters on heat generation–power and demonstrated the simulation–prediction capability of an enthalpy balance model when coupled to the PL–ML approaches.Results: Nanosuspensions have been used for enhancing the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. This study explores the temperature evolution during their preparation in a wet stirred media mill using a coupled experimental–enthalpy balance approach.Milling was performed at three levels of stirrer speed, bead loading, and bead sizes. Temperatures were recorded over time, then simulated using an enthalpy balance model by fitting the fraction of power converted to heat ξ. Moreover, initial and final power, ξ, and temperature profiles at 5 different test runs were predicted by power-law (PL) and machine learning (ML) approaches.Heat generation was higher at the higher stirrer speed and bead loading/size, which was explained by the higher power consumption. Despite its simplicity with a single fitting parameter ξ, the enthalpy balance model fitted the temperature evolution well with root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.40–2.34°C. PL and ML approaches provided decent predictions of the temperature profiles in the test runs, with RMSE of 0.93–4.17 and 1.00–2.17°C, respectively.We established the impact of milling parameters on heat generation–power and demonstrated the simulation–prediction capability of an enthalpy balance model when coupled to the PL–ML approaches.Conclusions: Nanosuspensions have been used for enhancing the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. This study explores the temperature evolution during their preparation in a wet stirred media mill using a coupled experimental–enthalpy balance approach.Milling was performed at three levels of stirrer speed, bead loading, and bead sizes. Temperatures were recorded over time, then simulated using an enthalpy balance model by fitting the fraction of power converted to heat ξ. Moreover, initial and final power, ξ, and temperature profiles at 5 different test runs were predicted by power-law (PL) and machine learning (ML) approaches.Heat generation was higher at the higher stirrer speed and bead loading/size, which was explained by the higher power consumption. Despite its simplicity with a single fitting parameter ξ, the enthalpy balance model fitted the temperature evolution well with root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.40–2.34°C. PL and ML approaches provided decent predictions of the temperature profiles in the test runs, with RMSE of 0.93–4.17 and 1.00–2.17°C, respectively.We established the impact of milling parameters on heat generation–power and demonstrated the simulation–prediction capability of an enthalpy balance model when coupled to the PL–ML approaches.Graphical abstract: Nanosuspensions have been used for enhancing the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. This study explores the temperature evolution during their preparation in a wet stirred media mill using a coupled experimental–enthalpy balance approach.Milling was performed at three levels of stirrer speed, bead loading, and bead sizes. Temperatures were recorded over time, then simulated using an enthalpy balance model by fitting the fraction of power converted to heat ξ. Moreover, initial and final power, ξ, and temperature profiles at 5 different test runs were predicted by power-law (PL) and machine learning (ML) approaches.Heat generation was higher at the higher stirrer speed and bead loading/size, which was explained by the higher power consumption. Despite its simplicity with a single fitting parameter ξ, the enthalpy balance model fitted the temperature evolution well with root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.40–2.34°C. PL and ML approaches provided decent predictions of the temperature profiles in the test runs, with RMSE of 0.93–4.17 and 1.00–2.17°C, respectively.We established the impact of milling parameters on heat generation–power and demonstrated the simulation–prediction capability of an enthalpy balance model when coupled to the PL–ML approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many existing chemotherapeutic drugs, repurposed drugs and newly developed small-molecule anticancer compounds have high lipophilicity and low water-solubility. Currently, these poorly water-soluble anticancer drugs (PWSAD) are generally solubilized using high concentrations of surfactants and co-solvents, which frequently lead to adverse side effects. In recent years, researchers have been actively exploring the use of nanotechnology as an alternative to the solvent-based drug solubilization approach. Several classes of nanocarrier systems (lipid-based, polymer-based and albumin-based) are widely studied for encapsulation and delivery of the existing and new PWSAD. These nanocarriers were also shown to offer several additional advantages such as enhanced tumour accumulation, reduced systemic toxicity and improved therapeutic effectiveness. In this article, the recent nanotechnological advances in PWSAD delivery will be reviewed. The barriers commonly encountered in the development of PWSAD nanoformulations ( e.g. formulation issues and nanotoxicity issues) and the strategies to overcome these barriers will also be discussed. It is our goal to provide the pharmaceutical scientists and clinicians with more in-depth information about the nanodelivery approach, thus, more efficacious and safe PWSAD nanoformulations can be developed with improved translational success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phospholipid-bile salts-mixed micelles (PL-BS-MMs) are potent carriers used for oral absorption of drugs that are poorly soluble in water; however, there are many limitations associated with liquid formulations. In the current study, the feasibility of preparing the fast dissolving oral films (FDOFs) containing PL-BS-MMs was examined. FDOFs incorporated with Cucurbitacin B (Cu B)-loaded PL-sodium deoxycholate (SDC)-MMs have been developed and characterized. To prepare the MMs and to serve as the micellar carrier, a weight ratio of 1:0.8 and total concentration of 54 mg/mL was selected for the PL/SDC based on the size, size distribution, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and morphology. The concentration of Cu B was determined to be 5 mg/mL. Results showed that a narrow size distributed nanomicelles with a mean particle size of 86.21 ± 6.11 nm and a zeta potential of −31.21 ± 1.17 mV was obtained in our optimized Cu B-PL/SDC-MMs formulation. FDOFs were produced by solvent casting method and the formulation with 50 mg/mL of pullulan and 40 mg/mL of PEG 400 were deemed based on the physico-mechanical properties. The FDOFs containing Cu B-PL/SDC-MMs were easily reconstituted in a transparent and clear solution giving back a colloidal system with spherical micelles in the submicron range. In the in vitro dissolution test, the FDOFs containing Cu B-PL/SDC-MMs showed an increased dissolution velocity markedly. The pharmacokinetics study showed that the FDOFs containing PL-SDC-MMs not only kept the absorption properties as same as the PL-SDC-MMs, but also significantly increased the oral bioavailability of Cu B compared to the Cu B suspension ( p < 0.05). This study showed that the FDOFs containing Cu B-PL/SDC-MMs could represent a novel platform for the delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs via oral administration. Furthermore, the integration with the FDOFs could also provide a simple and cost-effective manner for the solidification of PL-SDC-MMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical trials addressing the viability of lipid and nanoparticle-based solid dosage forms for the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs are limited to date. This Phase I study aimed to assess the comparative tolerability and oral pharmacokinetics of a novel silica nanoparticle-lipid hybrid formulation encapsulating ibuprofen (i.e., Lipoceramic-IBU) with reference to a commercial tablet (i.e., Nurofen®). The test (Lipoceramic-IBU) and reference (Nurofen®) ibuprofen formulations were characterised for physicochemical properties and in vitro solubilisation performance prior to the clinical study. A randomised, double-blinded, one-period single oral dose (20 mg ibuprofen) study was performed in 16 healthy male subjects under fasting conditions. Encapsulation of ibuprofen in a molecularly dispersed form in the Lipoceramic nanostructured silica-lipid matrices was shown to produce superior drug solubilisation in comparison to Nurofen® and the pure drug during a two-step dissolution (or solubilisation) study in aqueous buffers of pH 1.2 followed by pH 6.5. Pharmacokinetic profiles revealed an approximately 1.95-fold increased bioavailability ( p=0.02) and a 1.5-fold higher maximum plasma concentration ( p=0.14) for Lipoceramic-IBU with reference to Nurofen®. Review of the safety assessments, including physical examinations, clinical laboratory tests and reports of adverse events, confirmed negligible acute side effects related to the administration of blank and ibuprofen-loaded Lipoceramic formulations. This first in man study of a dry lipid and nanoparticle-based formulation successfully demonstrated the safe use and effectiveness of the nanostructured Lipoceramic microparticles in mimicking the food effects for optimising the oral absorption of poorly water-soluble compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity of lipid excipients available commercially has enabled versatile formulation design of lipid-based drug delivery systems for enhancing the oral absorption of poorly water-soluble drugs, such as emulsions, microemulsions, micelles, liposomes, niosomes and various self-emulsifying systems. The transformation of liquid lipid-based systems into solid dosage forms has been investigated for several decades, and has recently become a core subject of pharmaceutical research as solidification is regarded as viable means for stabilising lipid colloidal systems while eliminating stringent processing requirements associated with liquid systems. This review describes the types of pharmaceutical grade excipients (silica nanoparticle/microparticle, polysaccharide, polymer and protein-based materials) used as solid carriers and the current state of knowledge on the liquid-to-solid conversion approaches. Details are primarily focused on the solid-state physicochemical properties and redispersion capacity of various dry lipid-based formulations, and how these relate to the in vitro drug release and solubilisation, lipid carrier digestion and cell permeation performances. Numerous in vivo proof-of-concept studies are presented to highlight the viability of these dry lipid-based formulations. This review is significant in directing future research work in fostering translation of dry lipid-based formulations into clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the role of polymer-surfactant interactions in drug solubilisation/stabilisation during the dissolution of spray-dried solid dispersions and their potential impact on in vivo drug solubilisation and absorption. Methods: Dissolution/precipitation tests were performed on spray-dried HPMC-Etravirine solid dispersions to demonstrate the impact of different surfactants on the in vitro performance of the solid dispersions. Interactions between HPMC and bio-relevant and model anionic surfactants (bile salts and SDS respectively) were further characterised using surface tension measurements, fluorescence spectroscopy, DLS and SANS. Results: Fast and complete dissolution was observed in media containing anionic surfactants with no drug recrystallisation within 4 h. The CMCs of bile salts and SDS were dramatically reduced to lower CACs in the presence of HPMC and Etravirine. The maximum increases of the apparent solubility of Etravirine were with the presence of HPMC and SDS/bile salts. The SANS and DLS results indicated the formation of HPMC-SDS/bile salts complexes which encapsulated/solubilised the drug. Conclusions: This study has demonstrated the impact HPMC-anionic surfactant interactions have during the dissolution of non-ionic hydrophilic polymer based solid dispersions and has highlighted the potential relevance of this to a fuller understanding of drug solubilisation/stabilisation in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing number of poorly water-soluble compounds in contemporary drug discovery pipelines, the concept of supersaturation as an effective formulation approach for enhancing bioavailability is gaining momentum. This is intended to design the formulation to yield significantly high intraluminal concentrations of the drug than the thermodynamic equilibrium solubility through achieving supersaturation and thus to enhance the intestinal absorption. The major challenges faced by scientists developing supersaturatable formulations include controlling the rate and degree of supersaturation with the application of polymeric precipitation inhibitor and maintenance of post-administration supersaturation. This review is intended to cover publications on this topic since April 2009. Scientific publications associated with characterization of supersaturatable systems and related preclinical and clinical pharmacokinetics (PK) studies are reviewed. Specifically, this review will address issues related to assessing the performance of supersaturatable systems including: (1) Diversified approaches for developing supersaturatable formulations, (2)meaningful in vitro testmethods to evaluate supersaturatable formulations, and (3) in vivo PK study cases which have demonstrated direct relevance between the supersaturation state and the exposure observed in animal models and human subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to a number of highly soluble drugs, most new chemical entities under development are poorly water-soluble drugs generally characterized by an insufficient dissolution rate and a small absorption window, leading to the low bioavailability. Controlled-release (CR) formulations have several potential advantages over conventional dosage forms, such as providing a uniform and prolonged therapeutic effect to improve patient compliance, reducing the frequency of dosing, minimizing the number of side effects, and reducing the strength of the required dose while increasing the effectiveness of the drug. Solid dispersions (SD) can be used to enhance the dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs and to sustain the drug release by choosing an appropriate carrier. Thus, a CR-SD comprises both functions of SD and CR for poorly water-soluble drugs. Such CR dosage forms containing SD provide an immediately available dose for an immediate action followed by a gradual and continuous release of subsequent doses to maintain the plasma concentration of poorly water-soluble drugs over an extended period of time. This review aims to summarize all currently known aspects of controlled release systems containing solid dispersions, focusing on the preparation methods, mechanisms of action and characterization of physicochemical properties of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Several poorly water-soluble drugs have previously been shown to bind to intestinal (I-FABP) and liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) in vitro. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential role of drug binding to FABPs on intestinal permeability and gut wall metabolism in vivo. Methods: The intestinal permeability of ibuprofen, progesterone and midazolam (which bind FABPs) and propranolol (which does not) was examined using an autoperfused recirculating permeability model in control rats and rats where FABP levels were upregulated via pre-feeding a fat-rich diet. Results: The intestinal permeability of drugs which bind FABPs in vitro was increased in animals where FABP levels were upregulated by prefeeding a high fat diet. The gut wall metabolism of midazolam was also reduced in animals with elevated FABP levels. Conclusions: Consistent with their role in the cellular transport of endogenous lipophilic substrates, FABPs appear to facilitate the intracellular disposition of drug molecules that bind FABPs in vitro. Drug binding to FABPs in the enterocyte may also attenuate gut wall metabolism in a manner analogous to the reduction in hepatic extraction mediated by drug binding to plasma proteins in the systemic circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To assess the effect of polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400), a pharmaceutical excipient frequently employed to enhance the solubility and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs, on the gastrointestinal transit of liquid and pellet preparations in human subjects using gamma scintigraphy. Methods. Ten, healthy male volunteers each received, on separate occasions, a liquid preparation consisting of 150 ml orange juice (control) or 150 ml orange juice containing 10 g PEG 400 (test). Non-disintegrating pellets of size 1.4-1.7 mm, encapsulated within a hard gelatin capsule, were simultaneously administered on both occasions to act as a marker for solid dosage form transit. The liquid and pellet preparations were radiolabelled with 111In and 99mTc respectively thus enabling their positions within the gastrointestinal tract to be followed using a gamma camera. Results. Rapid liquid emptying from the stomach was observed, with no significant difference noted in the gastric residence times of the two preparations. Caecum arrival times for the liquid preparations were significantly different by virtue of their differential rates of transit through the small intestine. The mean small intestinal liquid transit time for the control preparation was 236 min whereas the corresponding value for the PEG 400-containing test preparation was 153 min. This 35% reduction in transit time was attributed to the presence of PEG 400. Pellet transit was largely unaffected by the presence of PEG 400. Conclusions. These findings clearly demonstrate that PEG 400 has a marked accelerating effect on small intestinal liquid transit, which in turn has implications for the formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs with PEG 400. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combined dissolution and permeation systems are designed to simultaneously assess the dissolution of a pharmaceutical dosage form and the permeation of dissolved drugs therefrom. However, there were still some limitations on predicting the possible absorption rate–limiting steps and improving the in vitro–in vivo correlation (IVIVC) of a complete dosage form. In this study, the modified biorelevant media with some solubilizers and pH modifiers were integrated into the drug dissolution/absorption simulating system (DDASS). Indapamide, a poorly soluble compound (pKa = 8.8), was selected to validate the applicability of the modified biorelevant media. The elution and permeation dynamics of indapamide were investigated by using appropriate solubilizing agents in the DDASS. The absorption behaviors were analyzed after oral administration of indapamide in beagle dogs. The absorption rate–limiting steps and IVIVCs were predicted from the dissolution–permeation–absorption dynamic parameters. As a result, the absorption fraction of indapamide in the FaSSIFmod of DDASS was estimated to be approximately 100%, in accordance with its high permeability. The ratios of permeation rate to elution rate were 2.55 and 3.34 for the immediate- and sustained-release tablets of indapamide, respectively, suggesting a dissolution rate–limiting absorption for indapamine. In addition, point-to-point correlations were established between in vitro elution and in vivo absorption by the nonlinear and linear regression analysis ways (r > 0.85). The findings indicate that DDASS is a promising technique to develop improved IVIVCs of a complete dosage form, and the FaSSIFmod is suitable to predict the possible absorption rate–limiting steps of poorly soluble drugs in DDASS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]