H&TQualicaps Presspart QUALI-V EXTRA DRY: A NOVEL CAPSULE FOR DELIVERING HYGROSCOPIC PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS In this article, Jose Luis Encinas, Engineering & Continuous Improvement Manager, and Susana Ecenarro, Director of Scientific Business Development, both of Qualicaps Europe, explore how the use of Quali-V® Extra Dry capsules can help improve product stability and, crucially, lead to efficiencies and savings in drug product manufacture. A fundamental requirement in drug common excipients that also fit into this formulation is that the API remains stable category include PEG (low molecular under specific ICH environmental conditions weight), glycerine fatty acid esters or medium and in the finished dosage form until the end chain fatty acid triglycerides, sorbitol, of its shelf life to ensure efficacy and patient maltodextrin, citric acid, microcrystalline safety. The physical and chemical properties cellulose (MCC), polyvinylpyrrolidone of pharmaceutical solids are critically (PVP), croscarmellose sodium, sodium dependent on the presence of water/ chloride, sodium sulphate, ammonium moisture, e.g. during compaction, stability, sulphate, amines and calcium chloride. storage, and processing into formulation Inhalable powders are also extremely and final product packaging. Many APIs, sensitive to moisture, as aerosolisation as well as excipients, are moisture sensitive properties and drug delivery performance and/or hygroscopic in nature and need can be greatly impacted by the amount of to be protected as moisture can have a moisture present in the formulation. Particle Jose Luis Encinas possible negative effect on their potency aggregation due to moisture affects the Engineering & Continuous or strength, result in chemical degradation emitted dose – that is, the powder released Improvement Manager and/or polymorph forms, and could also from the capsule and device – as well as T: +34 91 663 0874 E:
[email protected] potentially affect capsule characteristics.