Biowaiver Monographs for Immediate Release Solid Oral Dosage Forms: Ibuprofen**This paper reflects the scientific opinion of the authors and not the policies of regulating agencies

Unveiling the impact of preparation methods, matrix/carrier type selection and drug loading on the supersaturation performance of amorphous solid dispersions

Amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) are widely recognized for their potential to enhance the solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs, with factors such as molecular mobility, intermolecular interactions, and storage conditions playing critical roles in their performance. However, the influence of preparation methods on their performance remains underexplored, especially regarding their supersaturation . To address this gap, the present study systematically investigates ASDs of ibuprofen (IBU, used as a model drug) prepared using two widely utilized techniques (solvent evaporation, SE, and melt-quench cooling, M-QC). Three different matrices/carriers (Soluplus®, SOL, povidone, PVP, and copovidone, PVPVA) were employed to evaluate the combined influence of preparation method, matrix/carrier type, and drug loading on ASD performance. Supersaturation behavior during dissolution, particularly its dependence on the Sink Index (SI), was a key focus. All ASDs showed successful amorphization, but molecular near-order structures differed based on the preparation method. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy revealed stronger molecular interactions in M-QC ASDs (compared to SE). Dissolution studies under supersaturation conditions (SI = 0.1 and SI = 0.2) highlighted significant performance differences. M-QC ASDs consistently exhibited higher in vitro AUC(0→t) values under non-sink conditions compared to crystalline IBU. Conversely, SE ASDs showed improved supersaturation primarily under low SI conditions, especially with SOL at low drug loadings. The findings underscore the need for a systematic approach in developing ASDs, considering preparation method, matrix/carrier type, drug loading and dissolution study conditions collectively. These factors significantly influence dissolution behavior and supersaturation, emphasizing that they should not be independently studied but evaluated comprehensively to optimize ASD performance.

The use of population pharmacokinetics to extrapolate food effects from human adults and beagle dogs to the pediatric population illustrated with ibuprofen as a case

Oral drug administration is the most convenient route of administration in the pediatric population. However, children are often not fasted when drugs are orally administered, hence potential food-drug interactions might occur. Most of these interactions are extrapolated from studies performed in human adults where a recommended high-fat, high-calorie meal is administered prior to drug dosing. As the recommended protocols are based on studies in support of adult drug development, these studies do not mimic the meal composition administered to the pediatric population, especially the very young ones, which renders food-drug interactions in this population understudied. Therefore, it was evaluated to what extent population pharmacokinetics could reliably extrapolate food effects from human adults and beagle dogs to mimic the real-life situation in the pediatric population. Eight human adults and six beagle dogs received ibuprofen under different dosing conditions (fasted, reference meal fed condition, infant formula fed condition). Population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed to derive the pharmacokinetic parameters to be scaled to pediatric ages. For both species, a one-compartment model best described the data, where in human adults a dual-input function to capture the double absorption peak significantly improved the model fit. Simulations for a virtual pediatric population demonstrated that the predictive ability of human adults and beagle dogs to inform absorption effects under different dosing conditions using population pharmacokinetic modeling appeared to be reasonable. However, to be able to fully validate the predictability of both species for ibuprofen, additional studies in the pediatric population are required to generate more informative data.

Comprehensive evaluation of ibuprofenate amino acid isopropyl esters: insights into antioxidant activity, cytocompatibility, and cyclooxygenase inhibitory potential

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used for pain relief and inflammation management, but there are challenges related to poor solubility and bioavailability. We explored modifications of ibuprofen (IBU) by forming ionic pairs using amino acid alkyl esters to enhance solubility without compromising the ability to inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2). We comprehensively evaluated the pharmacological properties of the IBU derivatives, focusing on antioxidant activity (based on the ability to scavenge DPPH and ABTS), biocompatibility (using human dermal fibroblasts), and COX inhibitory potential. The antioxidant activity assays significantly enhanced DPPH scavenging activity for several IBU derivatives, particularly [L-SerOiPr][IBU], suggesting potential therapeutic benefits. There was enhanced cell viability with select derivatives, indicating possible stimulatory effects on cellular proliferation. Finally, predominant COX-1 inhibition across derivatives was consistent with IBU's profile. This study provides insights into the pharmacological properties of IBU amino acid derivatives, highlighting their potential as therapeutic agents. Further exploration into structure-activity relationships and in vivo efficacy warranted to advance these derivatives toward clinical applications, offering prospects for novel NSAIDs with enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects.

Evaluating Utilization of Tiny-TIM to Assess the Effect of Food on the Absorptions of Oral Drugs and Its Application on Biopharmaceutical Modeling

Safety and efficacy are the most critical factors for the development of modern medications. For oral drugs, evaluating drug exposure under various conditions is one of the most important outcomes for clinical trials. These data will help to better understand the safety and efficacy of new drugs. Studies involving potential drug-drug interactions, proton pump inhibitors, and intake of food are often conducted to assess the above. Among the above, the influence of food on exposure to the drug is one of the key data sets for regulatory submission. Since food may have either a positive or negative effect on drug exposure, it is important to obtain an early assessment of the food effect. To better forecast and plan for clinical studies, substantial efforts have been made in the industry to develop modeling and in-vitro and in-vivo assays. Despite the efforts, predicting the effect of food on exposure without integrating the dynamic of the gastrointestinal tract in the assessment remains challenging. In this study, we evaluated the utilization of the dynamic Gastro-Intestinal Model (Tiny-TIM) for the food effect of over 20 drugs/formulations in development or on the market that covers all BCS classes. In general, the Tiny-TIM predicted food effects were in good agreement with the reported data in humans. This suggests that Tiny-TIM can successfully capture the impact of physicochemical properties on absorption under the influence of food.

Bioequivalence risk assessment of oral formulations containing racemic ibuprofen through a chiral physiologically based pharmacokinetic model of ibuprofen enantiomers

The characterization of the time course of ibuprofen enantiomers can be useful in the selection of the most sensitive analyte in bioequivalence studies. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling and simulation represents the most efficient methodology to virtually assess bioequivalence outcomes. In this work, we aim to develop and verify a PBPK model for ibuprofen enantiomers administered as a racemic mixture with different immediate release dosage forms to anticipate bioequivalence outcomes based on different particle size distributions. A PBPK model incorporating stereoselectivity and non-linearity in plasma protein binding and metabolism as well as R-to-S unidirectional inversion has been developed in Simcyp®. A dataset composed of 11 Phase I clinical trials with 54 scenarios (27 per enantiomer) and 14,452 observations (7129 for R-ibuprofen and 7323 for S-ibuprofen) was used. Prediction errors for AUC0-t and Cmax for both enantiomers fell within the 0.8-1.25 range in 50/54 (93 %) and 42/54 (78 %) of scenarios, respectively. Outstanding model performance, with 10/10 (100 %) of Cmax and 9/10 (90 %) of AUC0-t within the 0.9-1.1 range, was demonstrated for oral suspensions, which strongly supported its use for bioequivalence risk assessment. The deterministic bioequivalence risk assessment has revealed R-ibuprofen as the most sensitive analyte to detect differences in particle size distribution for oral suspensions containing 400 mg of racemic ibuprofen, suggesting that achiral bioanalytical methods would increase type II error and declare non-bioequivalence for formulations that are bioequivalent for the eutomer.

Mechanistic Modeling of In Vitro Biopharmaceutic Data for a Weak Acid Drug: A Pathway Towards Deriving Fundamental Parameters for Physiologically Based Biopharmaceutic Modeling

Mechanistic modeling of in vitro experiments using metabolic enzyme systems enables the extrapolation of metabolic clearance for in vitro-in vivo predictions. This is particularly important for successful clearance predictions using physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling. The concept of mechanistic modeling can also be extended to biopharmaceutics, where in vitro data is used to predict the in vivo pharmacokinetic profile of the drug. This approach further allows for the identification of parameters that are critical for oral drug absorption in vivo. However, the routine use of this analysis approach has been hindered by the lack of an integrated analysis workflow. The objective of this tutorial is to (1) review processes and parameters contributing to oral drug absorption in increasing levels of complexity, (2) outline a general physiologically based biopharmaceutic modeling workflow for weak acids, and (3) illustrate the outlined concepts via an ibuprofen (i.e., a weak, poorly soluble acid) case example in order to provide practical guidance on how to integrate biopharmaceutic and physiological data to better understand oral drug absorption. In the future, we plan to explore the usefulness of this tutorial/roadmap to inform the development of PBPK models for BCS 2 weak bases, by expanding the stepwise modeling approach to accommodate more intricate scenarios, including the presence of diprotic basic compounds and acidifying agents within the formulation.

Coupling Drug Dissolution with BCS

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to develop a Temporal Biopharmaceutic Classification System (T-BCS), linking Finite Dissolution Time (F.D.T.) and Mean Dissolution Time (M.D.T.) for Class I/III drugs and Mean Dissolution Time for saturation (M.D.T.s.) for Class II/IV drugs.

METHODS

These parameters are estimated graphically or by fitting dissolution models to experimental data and coupled with the dose-to-solubility ratio (q) for each drug normalized in terms of the actual volume of dissolution medium (900 mL).

RESULTS

Class I/III drugs consistently exhibited q values less than 1, aligning with expectations based on their solubility, while some Class II/IV drugs presented a deviation from anticipated q values, with observations of q < 1. This irregularity was rendered to the dissolution volume of 250 mL used for biopharmaceutical classification purposes instead of 900 mL applied as well as the dual classification of some sparingly soluble drugs. Biowaivers were also analyzed in terms of M.D.T., F.D.T. estimates and the regulatory dissolution time limits for rapidly and very-rapidly dissolved drugs.

CONCLUSIONS

The T-BCS is useful for establishing correlations and assessing the magnitude of M.D.T., F.D.T., or M.D.T.s. for inter- and intra-class comparisons of different drugs and provide relationships between these parameters across all the models that were utilized.

In vivo and in vitro transdermal availability of Ibuprofen using novel solubility enhancing fluid nanosized carrier systems

The objective of this study was to explore the benefits of transdermal drug delivery systems as an alternative option for patients who are unable to tolerate oral administration of drugs, such as ibuprofen (IB). To achieve this, nonionic surfactants and three cosolvents were employed to develop new microemulsions (MEs) that contained IB as nanocarriers. The aim was to enhance the solubility and bioavailability of the drug after transdermal administration. The MEs were characterised by droplet size, polydispersity index (PDI), and rheological properties. Furthermore, the flux of IB was evaluated by Franz diffusion cells using excised rat skin and in vivo bioavailability using rats. The results showed that the MEs had ideal viscosity and droplet size below 100 nm. Moreover, using the developed MEs, an improvement in the solubility (170 mg/mL) and flux through the rat skin (94.6 ± 8.0 µg/cm2.h) was achieved. In addition, IB demonstrated a maximum plasma level of 0.064 mg/mL after 8 h of transdermal administration in rats using the ME with an increase in the bioavailability of about 1.5 times in comparison to the commercial IB gel. In conclusion, the developed nonionic MEs containing IB can be ideal nanocarriers and promising formulations for the transdermal administration of IB.

Spectroscopic Analysis of the Effect of Ibuprofen Degradation Products on the Interaction between Ibuprofen and Human Serum Albumin

BACKGROUND

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most commonly used groups of medicinal compounds in the world. The wide access to NSAIDs and the various ways of storing them due to their easy accessibility often entail the problem with the stability and durability resulting from the exposure of drugs to external factors. The aim of the research was to evaluate in vitro the mechanism of competition between ibuprofen (IBU) and its degradation products, i.e., 4'-isobutylacetophenone (IBAP) and (2RS)-2-(4- formylphenyl)propionic acid (FPPA) during transport in a complex with fatted (HSA) and defatted (dHSA) human serum albumin.

METHODS

The research was carried out using spectroscopic techniques, such as spectrophotometry, infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

RESULTS

The comprehensive application of spectroscopic techniques allowed, among others, for the determination of the binding constant, the number of classes of binding sites and the cooperativeness constant of the analyzed systems IBU-(d)HSA, IBU-(d)HSA-FPPA, IBU-(d)HSA-IBAP; the determination of the effect of ibuprofen and its degradation products on the secondary structure of albumin; identification and assessment of interactions between ligand and albumin; assessment of the impact of the presence of fatty acids in the structure of albumin and the measurement temperature on the binding of IBU, IBAP and FPPA to (d)HSA.

CONCLUSION

The conducted research allowed us to conclude that the presence of ibuprofen degradation products and the increase in their concentration significantly affect the formation of the IBU-albumin complex and thus, the value of the association constant of the drug, changing the concentration of its free fraction in the blood plasma. It was also found that the presence of an ibuprofen degradation product in a complex with albumin affects its secondary structure.

Study of the stereospecificity in the biotransformation of the four isomers of loxoprofen sodium in rats by chiral HPLC

Loxoprofen sodium is a chiral drug with two chiral centers. In our previous work, we found that the elimination of its four isomers showed stereospecificity in rats, while how the stereospecific behavior occurred in vivo was unclear. To clarify this issue, each single isomer of loxoprofen sodium was prepared by a chiral semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and then administered to rats. By analysis of each isomer in rat plasma utilizing an analytical chiral HPLC, it was discovered that the chiral inversion occurred only to its (2R)-isomers, one from (1'S,2R)- to (1'S,2S)-isomer and the other from (1'R,2R)- to (1'R,2S)-isomer. The reduction of α-substituted cyclopentanone occurred only to its (1'R)-isomers, with (1'R,2R)-isomer reduced to (2'S,1'R,2R)-trans-alcohol and (1'R,2S)- to (2'S,1'R,2S)-trans-alcohol. Interestingly, both the inversion and the reduction reaction occurred to its (1'R,2R)-isomer due to the special stereo-structure with both (2R)- and (1'R)-configuration, and conversely, neither of them occurred to its (1'S,2S)-isomer, which caused the significantly different elimination rate in vivo. These new findings were meaningful for evaluation of the safety and efficacy of chiral drugs.

Fast and reliable analysis of pH-responsive nanocarriers for drug delivery using microfluidic tools

During the last decades, there has been growing interest in the application of functionalized mesoporous nanomaterials as stimuli-responsive carriers for drug delivery. However, at present there is not a standardized methodology to evaluate their performance. The limitations of the different techniques reported in literature give rise to the necessity for new, simple, and cost-effective alternatives. This work constitutes a step forward in the development of advanced in vitro procedures for testing the behavior of nanocarriers, proposing a novel microfluidic platform. To test the capacity of the reported tool, the performance of amino-functionalized MCM-41 nanoparticles has been assessed. These materials show a pH-responsive mechanism, which prevents the drug release at acidic conditions, maximizing its distribution at neutral pH, thus, the selected release medium mimicked gastrointestinal conditions. As a first approximation, the delivery of Ru(bipy)32+ was evaluated, proving the advantages of the proposed microfluidic system: i) continuous flow of particles and media, ii) rigorous control of the residence time, temperature and pH, iii) enhanced mixing, iv) possibility to simulate different human body conditions and, v) possible integration with the continuous synthesis of nanocarriers. Finally, the microfluidic tool was used to analyze the delivery of the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen.

Usefulness of the Beagle Model in the Evaluation of Paracetamol and Ibuprofen Exposure after Oral Administration to Pediatric Populations: An Exploratory Study

The present study aimed to explore the usefulness of beagle dogs in combination with physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling in the evaluation of drug exposure after oral administration to pediatric populations at an early stage of pharmaceutical product development. An exploratory, single-dose, crossover bioavailability study in six beagles was performed. A paracetamol suspension and an ibuprofen suspension were coadministered in the fasted-state conditions, under reference-meal fed-state conditions, and under infant-formula fed-state conditions. PBPK models developed with GastroPlus v9.7 were used to inform the extrapolation of beagle data to human infants and children. Beagle-based simulation outcomes were compared with published human-adult-based simulations. For paracetamol, fasted-state conditions and reference-meal fed-state conditions in beagles appeared to provide adequate information for the applied scaling approach. Fasted-state and/or reference-meal fed-state conditions in beagles appeared suitable to simulate the performance of ibuprofen suspension in pediatric populations. Contrary to human-adult-based translations, extrapolations based on beagle data collected under infant-formula fed-state conditions appeared less useful for informing simulations of plasma levels in pediatric populations. Beagle data collected under fasted and/or reference-meal fed-state conditions appeared to be useful in the investigation of pediatric product performance of the two investigated highly permeable and highly soluble drugs in the upper small intestine. The suitability of the beagle as a preclinical model to understand pediatric drug product performance under different dosing conditions deserves further evaluation with a broader spectrum of drugs and drug products and comparisons with pediatric in vivo data.

New amino acid propyl ester ibuprofenates from synthesis to use in drug delivery systems

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of introducing structural modification of ibuprofen in the form of an ion pair on the permeability of ibuprofen through the skin and the properties of the adhesive layer of the medical patch produced. The active substances tested were the salts of ibuprofen obtained by pairing the anion of ibuprofen with organic cations such as propyl esters of amino acids such as tyrosine, tryptophan, histidine, or phenylalanine. For comparison, the penetration of unmodified ibuprofen and commercially available patches was also tested. Acrylate copolymers based on isobornyl methacrylate as a biocomponent and a monomer increasing the T g ("hard") were used to produce the adhesive layer of transdermal patches. The obtained patches were characterized in terms of adhesive properties and tested for the permeability of the active ingredient and the permeability of the active ingredient through the skin. This study demonstrates the possibility of developing acrylic-based photoreactive transdermal patches that contain biocomponents that can deliver a therapeutically appropriate dose of ibuprofen.

Modeling of In Vitro Dissolution Profiles of Carvedilol Immediate-Release Tablets in Different Dissolution Media

Quantitative evaluation of drug dissolution characteristics based on mathematical models is essential to understand and predict a particular drug release profile. In this study, model-dependent evaluation of the dissolution kinetics of reference and five test products (25-mg, immediate-release (IR) tablets) of an antihypertensive drug, carvedilol, was carried out using the DDSolver^® program. The effects of pH (pH 1.2, 4.5, and 6.8) and various media with/without 0.5% (w/v) anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants (sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and polysorbate 80) on the dissolution kinetics of the bioequivalent IR products of carvedilol were investigated. The Weibull-1 model was fitted successfully to the dissolution data of all products at pH 1.2 and pH 4.5, as well as in the pH 6.8 medium with CTAB according to the model goodness of fit (r² = 0.981-0.999, AIC = 14.5-42.6, MSC = 1.99-5.25). Model fitting produced good fits to Gompertz-1 for all products at pH 6.8 without a surfactant (r² = 0.975-0.998, AIC = 28.3-55, MSC = 2.53-5.82). For pH 6.8 media containing SLS or polysorbate 80, Logistic-2 was fitted successfully to the dissolution data of all products (r² = 0.974-0.999, AIC = 20.9-52.1, MSC = 1.90-5.69). Overall, the model-dependent analysis of in vitro dissolution data indicated in vitro equivalence of the reference and test products of carvedilol in each medium in terms of kinetic models, suggesting that it would have an important role in developing generic drug products of the BCS class II drug carvedilol.

In Vitro Evaluation of Smart and pH-Sensitive Chondroitin Sulfate/Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Hydrogels for Controlled Drug Delivery

Ibuprofen is an antipyretic and analgesic drug used for the management of different inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Due to a short half-life and rapid elimination, multiple doses of ibuprofen are required in a day to maintain pharmacological action for a long duration of time. Due to multiple intakes of ibuprofen, certain severe adverse effects, such as gastric irritation, bleeding, ulcers, and abdominal pain are produced. Therefore, a system is needed which not only prolongs the release of ibuprofen but also overcomes the drug’s adverse effects. Hence, the authors have synthesized chondroitin sulfate/sodium polystyrene sulfonate–co-poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels by the free radical polymerization technique for the controlled release of ibuprofen. Sol-gel, porosity, swelling, and drug release studies were performed on the fabricated hydrogel. The pH-responsive behavior of the fabricated hydrogel was determined by both swelling and drug release studies in three different pH values, i.e., pH 1.2, 4.6, and 7.4. Maximum swelling and drug release were observed at pH 7.4, as compared to pH 4.6 and 1.2. Similarly, the structural arrangement and crosslinking of the hydrogel contents were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) evaluated the hard and irregular surface with a few macrospores of the developed hydrogel, which may be correlated with the strong crosslinking of polymers with monomer content. Similarly, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) demonstrated the high thermal stability of the formulated hydrogel, as compared to pure polymers. A decrease in the crystallinity of chondroitin sulfate and sodium polystyrene sulfonate after crosslinking was revealed by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Thus, considering the results, we can demonstrate that a developed polymeric network of hydrogel could be used as a safe, stable, and efficient carrier for the controlled release of ibuprofen.

Stereomicroscope with Imaging Analysis: A Versatile Tool for Wetting, Gel Formation and Erosion Rate Determinations of Eutectic Effervescent Tablet

Wettability, gel formation and erosion behaviors could influence the drug release pattern of solid dosage forms. Typically, these parameters are evaluated using a variety of techniques. Nonetheless, there has been no previous research on versatile tool development for evaluating several tablet characteristics with a single tool. The aim of this study was to develop the versatile tool for measuring various physical properties of eutectic effervescent tablets and also investigate the relationship between these parameters with parameters from drug dissolution. Ibuprofen (IBU)-poloxamer 407 (P407) eutectic effervescent tablets were fabricated with a direct compression method. Their wetting properties, gel formation and erosion behaviors were investigated using a stereomicroscope with imaging analysis in terms of the liquid penetration distance, gel thickness and erosion boundary diameter, respectively. In addition, the dissolution rate (k) and disintegration time of eutectic effervescent tablets in 0.1 N HCl buffer pH 1.2 were also determined. Incorporation of P407 into the IBU tablet improved the tablet wetting properties with increasing liquid penetration distance under stereoscope. CO2 liberation from effervescent agents promoted tablet surface roughness from matrix erosion. The relationship between observed physical properties and disintegration and dissolution parameters suggested that the combination of erosion by effervescent agents and gel formation by P407 had a potential influence on dissolution enhancement of the formulation. Therefore, a developed stereomicroscope with an imaging analysis technique was exhibited as an alternative versatile tool for determining the wetting properties, gel formation and erosion behaviors of pharmaceutical solid dosage forms.

Prediction of In Vitro Drug Dissolution into Fed-state Biorelevant Media: Contributions of Solubility Enhancement and Relatively Low Colloid Diffusivity

A model was previously derived to predict in vitro dissolution of drug into surfactant solution and showed good predictability for pharmaceutical surfactants, where surfactant-mediated enhanced drug dissolution was several fold less than enhanced solubility (about 3-fold or less) due to drug-loaded micelles exhibiting slower diffusivity than free drug. The present objective was to quantitatively assess the contributions of biorelevant media-mediated solubility and diffusivity on enhanced drug dissolution in FeSSGF and FeSSIF-V2. Three poorly water soluble drugs were subjected to dissolution into FeSSGF and FeSSIF-V2, as well as their corresponding "surfactant-free" media. Solubility and laser diffraction analysis of drug in FeSSGF and dynamic light-scattering studies (DLS) of drug in FeSSIF-V2 were conducted. Results showed drug-saturated FeSSGF globules and FeSSIF-V2 mixed micelles were large and slow diffusing (diffusivities of about 1×10^-9 and 7×10^-8 cm²/s, respectively), compared to free drug (about 7×10^-6 cm²/s) and drug-bound micelles from pharmaceutical surfactants (about 0.5-1×10^-6 cm²/s). Of the three drugs, griseofulvin exhibited the greatest biorelevant media-enhanced solubility and dissolution (652-fold and 6.23-fold respectively in FeSSGF, and 190-fold and 12.7-fold respectively in FeSSIF-V2), but slow colloid diffusivity markedly attenuated large solubility benefits, particularly in FeSSGF.

A molecularly enhanced proof of concept for targeting cocrystals at molecular scale in continuous pharmaceuticals cocrystallization

It is impossible to optimize a process for a target drug product with the desired profile without a proper understanding of the interplay among the material attributes, the process parameters, and the attributes of the drug product. There is a particular need to bridge the micro- and mesoscale events that occur during this process. Here, we propose а molecular engineering methodology for the continuous cocrystallization process, based on Raman spectra measured experimentally with a probe and from quantum mechanical calculations. Using molecular dynamics simulations, the theoretical Raman spectra were calculated from first principles for local mixture structures under an external shear force at various temperatures. A proof of concept is developed to build the process design space from the computed data. We show that the determined process design space provides valuable insight for optimizing the cocrystallization process at the nanoscale, where experimental measurements are difficult and/or inapplicable. The results suggest that our method may be used to target cocrystallization processes at the molecular scale for improved pharmaceutical synthesis.

Effect of pH on the Surface Layer of Molecular Crystals at the Solid-Liquid Interface

Dissolution of solid matter into aqueous solution is one of the most challenging physicochemical aspects related to drug development. While influenced by several parameters, the effect of pH remains the most important one to be fully understood. The dissolution process is essentially controlled by activity at the surface of the molecular crystals, which is difficult to characterize experimentally. To address this, a combination of in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) with molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is reported. AFM allows for direct visualization of the crystal surface of basic and acidic model compounds (carvedilol and ibuprofen) in contact with an aqueous medium with varying pH. A dramatic increase in surface mobility in the solid-liquid interface could be observed experimentally as a function of pH. The in situ AFM approach opens up for a more detailed understanding of the behavior of particulate matter in solution with importance at different levels, ranging from engineering aspects related to crystallization, and biological considerations related to bioavailability of the final drug product.

Influence of the Type of Amino Acid on the Permeability and Properties of Ibuprofenates of Isopropyl Amino Acid Esters

Modifications of (RS)-2-[4-(2-methylpropyl)phenyl] propanoic acid with amino acid isopropyl esters were synthesised using different methods via a common intermediate. The main reaction was the esterification of the carboxyl group of amino acids with isopropanol and chlorination of the amino group of the amino acid, followed by an exchange or neutralisation reaction and protonation. All of the proposed methods were very efficient, and the compounds obtained have great potential to be more effective drugs with increased skin permeability compared with ibuprofen. In addition, it was shown how the introduction of a modification in the form of an ion pair affects the properties of the obtained compound.

Exploring bulk volume, particle size and particle motion definitions to increase the predictive ability of in vitro dissolution simulations

The definition of the local dissolution environment is central to accurate particle dissolution simulation, and is determined by the apparatus and conditions used. In the flow-through apparatus dissolution occurs in the cell, often in a low velocity environment, with the reservoir considered the relevant volume for dissolution kinetics. Dissolution simulations were conducted using a reduced-order model based on the Ranz-Marshall correlation for mass transfer from spherical particles. Using ibuprofen as a model drug, the effect of defining a local volume to simulate dynamic bulk concentration conditions in the flow-through and paddle apparatus was assessed by comparing use of a near particle volume (NPV), extending a distance of one radius from the particle surface, with a flow-through apparatus cell volume or paddle apparatus vessel volume as the relevant instantaneous volume for dissolution. The instantaneous inlet concentration to NPV or cell volume is the reservoir/vessel concentration at that simulation time point, reflecting the continuous input to the cell of more dilute solution from the reservoir (closed system). Additionally, inputting particle size distribution (PSD) instead of a median particle size (MPS) and enabling or disabling particle motion were investigated, in two media (resulting in low and high solubility) and with two fluid velocity conditions in each apparatus. The NPV predicted effects of fluid velocity differences on dissolution in the high solubility medium in the flow-through apparatus, but had no effect on predictive ability in the paddle apparatus. In both apparatuses, simulations were reasonable for the high solubility environment but underpredicted dissolution in the low solubility environment. The PSD option and disabling particle motion increased the predictive ability of the simulations in low solubility media in the flow-through apparatus. The results highlight the necessity to incorporate the local dynamic dissolution conditions in the flow-through apparatus for accurate dissolution simulation, and the challenges of defining an effective particle size for dissolution simulation and of reflecting hydrodynamic complexity in simulating dissolution in the paddle apparatus.

Ibuprofen in Therapeutic Concentrations Affects the Secretion of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells, but Not Their Proliferative and Migratory Capacity

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are able to modulate the immune system activity and the regeneration processes mainly through the secretion of multiple soluble factors, including prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂). PGE₂ is produced as a result of cyclooxygenases (COX) activity. In the present study, we investigated how ibuprofen, a nonselective COX inhibitor, affects the proliferation, migration and secretion of human bone marrow MSCs (hBM-MSCs). For this purpose, six hBM-MSCs populations were treated with ibuprofen at doses which do not differ from maximum serum concentrations during standard pharmacotherapy. Ibuprofen treatment (25 or 50 µg/mL) substantially reduced the secretion of PGE₂ in all tested populations. Following ibuprofen administration, MSCs were subjected to proliferation (BrdU), transwell migration, and scratch assays, while its effect on MSCs secretome was evaluated by Proteome Profiler and Luminex immunoassays. Ibuprofen did not cause statistically significant changes in the proliferation rate and migration ability of MSCs (p > 0.05). However, ibuprofen (25 µg/mL for 3 days) significantly decreased mean secretion of: CCL2 (by 44%), HGF (by 31%), IL-6 (by 22%), VEGF (by 20%) and IL-4 (by 8%) compared to secretion of control MSCs (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that ibuprofen at therapeutic concentrations may impair the pro-regenerative properties of hBM-MSCs.

Influence of spray-drying process on properties of chitosan/xanthan gum polyelectrolyte complexes as carriers for oral delivery of ibuprofen

Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) are attractive carriers with recognized potential to enhance oral delivery of poorly soluble high-dosed low-molecular-weight drugs. The formulation of solid oral dosage forms requires the drying of PECs, which may affect their physicochemical and biopharmaceutical properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of spraydrying on the properties of ibuprofen-loaded chitosan/xanthan gum PECs and to assess the drug release kinetics from such PECs filled into hard capsules in comparison with corresponding PECs which are dried under ambient conditions. The yield, ibuprofen content, entrapment efficiency, and residual moisture content of spray-dried PECs were lower than those of ambient-dried PECs. Better flowability of spray-dried PECs was attributed to the almost spherical particle shape, shown by scanning electron microscopy. DSC and PXRD analysis confirmed the amorphization of ibuprofen during spray-drying. All the investigated PECs, obtained by drying under ambient conditions as well as by spray-drying, had high rehydration capacity both in 0.1 M hydrochloric acid (pH 1.2) and phosphate buffer pH 7.4. In vitro ibuprofen release from dried PECs was controlled during 12 h with the release of approximately 30% of entrapped ibuprofen. Spray-dried PECs provided better control of ibuprofen diffusion from the carrier compared to the ambientdried ones.

Level A IVIVC for immediate release tablets confirms in vivo predictive dissolution testing for ibuprofen

A bioequivalence study comparing two fixed dose combination tablets containing 200 mg ibuprofen and 30 mg pseudoephedrine hydrochloride showed bioequivalence for pseudoephedrine AUC and C_max, but the reference product showed higher C_max than the test product in fasted conditions. The main difference between products was the presence of tribasic calcium phosphate in the reference tablet, resulting in an increased surface pH of the dissolving ibuprofen particles under gastric and intestinal conditions and, consequently, higher solubility of ibuprofen. A mechanistic model based on mass balance and ionization equilibria was used to calculate the pH of the particle surface under different buffer conditions. The discrepancies in surface pH between test and reference tablet were pronounced in 0.1 M and 0.01 M hydrochloric acid and in diluted maleate 7 mM pH 6.5 and phosphate 5 mM pH 6.7 buffers (but negligible in compendial phosphate buffer pH 6.8. Only those dissolution tests using pre-treatment in acidic conditions could be used to build a one-step in vitro-in vivo correlation (IVIVC). This work shows the potential of these discriminatory and in vivo predictive dissolution methods to obtain IVIVCs for BCS class IIa drugs and for extending BCS biowaivers to BCS class IIa drugs.

Enantioselective separation of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with amylose tris(3-chloro-5-methylphenylcarbamate) stationary phase in HPLC with a focus on enantiomeric quality control in six pharmaceutical formulations containing racemic mixtures or single stereoisomers

In the present study, an accurate, rapid, and simple chiral HPLC-UV method with amylose tris(3-chloro-5-methylphenylcarbamate) as stationary phase was developed and applied for enantiomeric determination of six nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the commercial pharmaceutical formulations, including (R,S)-ibuprofen, S-ibuprofen, (R,S)-ketoprofen, S-ketoprofen, S-naproxen, and (R,S)-loxoprofen sodium. Experiments on the influence of mobile phase composition, proportion of organic modifier, percentage of acid additives, and column temperature on enantioseparation were conducted to obtain the best separation condition. It was indicated that one mobile phase simply composed of acetonitrile-water (0.1% formic acid, v/v) at the proportion of 50:50 (v/v) with a flow rate of 0.6 ml/min at 22°C could simultaneously provide the excellent enantiomeric resolutions for all selected NSAIDs, which made the enantioseparation process more applicable and operable. The newly developed method was then applied for determination of NSAID enantiomers in pharmaceutical formulations containing racemic mixtures or single stereoisomers. Calibration curve of each enantiomer at the concentration of 5.0-100 ug/ml showed good linearity with the correlation coefficient above 0.9996. Satisfactory recovery (96.54-101.54%), good intra-day precision (RSD 0.52-1.46%), and inter-day precision (RSD 0.13-1.09%) were also obtained. The newly developed method was then applied for determination of NSAID enantiomers in pharmaceutical formulations containing racemic mixtures or single stereoisomers. Quantitative results of the commercial capsules and tablets demonstrated that the difference between the declared and measured values did not exceed 1.52%.

An Assessment of Occasional Bio-Inequivalence for BCS1 and BCS3 Drugs: What are the Underlying Reasons?

Despite having adequate solubility properties, bioequivalence (BE) studies performed on immediate release formulations containing BCS1/3 drugs occasionally fail. By systematically evaluating a set of 17 soluble drugs where unexpected BE failures have been reported and comparing to a set of 29 drugs where no such reports have been documented, a broad assessment of the risk factors leading to BE failure was performed. BE failures for BCS1/3 drugs were predominantly related to changes in C_max rather than AUC. C_max changes were typically modest, with minimal clinical significance for most drugs. Overall, drugs with a sharp plasma peak were identified as a key factor in BE failure risk. A new pharmacokinetic term (t½C_max) is proposed to identify drugs at higher risk due to their peak plasma profile shape. In addition, the analysis revealed that weak acids, and drugs with particularly high gastric solubility are potentially more vulnerable to BE failure, particularly when these features are combined with a sharp C_max peak. BCS3 drugs, which are often characterised as being more vulnerable to BE failure due to their potential for permeation and transit to be altered, particularly by excipient change, were not in general at greater risk of BE failures. These findings will help to inform how biowaivers may be optimally applied in the future.

Investigation into liquisolid system processability based on the SeDeM Expert System approach

Liquisolid systems are emerging formulation approach for poorly soluble drugs, based on adsorption/absorption of drug dispersion and obtaining free-flowing powder with good compressibility. SeDeM Expert System represents a powder processability evaluation method. It may provide additional insight into liquisolid systems critical quality attributes, but the contribution of this approach remains to be explored. The aims of this study were: pellet preparation by combination of liquisolid technology and water granulation/extrusion, evaluation of liquisolid based systems (pellets/admixtures) and investigation into the applicability of SeDeM Expert System in liquisolid systems characterization. Pellets/admixtures were prepared with microcrystalline cellulose as carrier and crospovidone/silicon dioxide as coating agent. Ibuprofen solution in polyethylene glycol 400 was used as liquid phase. After comprehensive sample characterization, experimentally obtained parameters were mathematically transformed and evaluated in the SeDeM Expert System framework. Pellets exhibited low aspect ratio and excellent flowability, despite liquid load up to 52.2%. The investigated liquisolid admixtures exhibited good flowability and faster drug dissolution than pellets. Single pellet crushing test results exhibited strong correlation with compact indentation hardness and may be used as indentation hardness predictor. SeDeM Expert System provides useful insight into liquisolid system processability and comparative evaluation and it may facilitate final solid dosage form development.

Preparation and In Vitro Evaluation of Aspartic/Alginic Acid Based Semi-Interpenetrating Network Hydrogels for Controlled Release of Ibuprofen

Different combinations of polymers, aspartic acid (ASP), alginic acid (AL), and monomer acrylic acid (AA) were crosslinked in the presence of an initiator ammonium peroxodisulfate (APS) and cross-linker ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) to develop aspartic acid/alginic acid-co-poly(acrylic acid) (ASP/ALPAA) (semi-interpenetrating polymer network (SIPN)) hydrogels by the free radical polymerization technique for the controlled delivery of ibuprofen (IBP). Various studies such as dynamic swelling studies, drug loading, in vitro drug release and sol-gel analysis were carried out for the hydrogels. Higher swelling was observed at higher pH 7.4 as compared to lower pH 1.2, due to the presence of carboxylic groups of polymers and the monomer. Hence, pH-dependent swelling was exhibited by the developed hydrogels which led to a pH-dependent drug release and vice versa. The structural properties of the hydrogels were assessed by FTIR, PXRD, TGA, DSC, and SEM which confirmed the fabrication and stability of the developed structure. FTIR analysis revealed the reaction of both polymers with the monomer during the polymerization process and confirmed the overlapping of the monomer on the backbone of the both polymers. The disappearance of high intense crystalline peaks and the encapsulation of the drug by the hydrogel network was confirmed by PXRD. TGA and DSC showed that the developed hydrogels were thermally more stable than their basic ingredients. Similarly, the surface morphology of the hydrogels was analyzed by SEM and showed a smooth surface with few pores. Conclusively, ASP/ALPAA hydrogels have the potential to deliver IBP for a long period of time in a controlled way.

Molecular engineering of cocrystallization process in holt melt extrusion based on kinetics of elementary molecular processes

Continuous co-crystallization in a twin-screw granulator is a promising technology. In order to fundamentally optimize the process flow, it is necessary to investigate the kinetics of molecular interactions within the mixture and the effect of these interactions on co-crystal formation. In this study, the processes governing the co-crystallization of ibuprofen and nicotinamide were considered. Density functional theory calculations employing the Hirshfeld partitioning scheme were used to identify donor-acceptor sites on each molecule. A total of twenty-one different molecular interactions was identified (nine of ibuprofen and nicotinamide (resembling co-crystals), three of ibuprofen and itself (resembling the ibuprofen dimer), and nine of nicotinamide and itself (resembling the nicotinamide dimer)). Each interaction was defined as an artificial reversible reaction and the kinetics were calculated using the transition state theory of chemical reactions, where linear and quadratic synchronous transition methods were utilized to identify transition-state structures; the minimum energy path was determined using the nudged elastic band method. A kinetic Monte Carlo framework was used to study the collective/coupled effect of reactions on the progress of the co-crystallization process. it was found that operating at low temperatures (especially lower or very close to the melting temperature of ibuprofen) for longer residency times creates a safe route for maximizing the presence of ibuprofen and nicotinamide co-crystals. If the proposed route is applied, the purity and properties of the produced co-crystal would be significant, especially its desirable availability within the body.

Hydrogel-assisted delivery of lipophilic molecules into aqueous medium for transdermal medication based on environment-specific, regioselective adsorption of graphene oxides

Graphene oxide (GO)-laden agarose composite hydrogels (GOACHs) were utilized to deliver lipophilic molecules from organic to aqueous media without alteration of the lipophilic nature of the molecules and the hydrophilic nature of the GOACHs. After the agarose host networks of the GOACHs were impregnated with the non-polar organic solution of lipophilic molecules via stepwise solvent exchange, their GO guests wielded the edge polar groups to effectively adsorb the lipophilic molecules via hydrogen bonding. After being transferred to aqueous media, the GOACHs were able to not only release the loaded lipophilic molecules but also to adsorb the released lipophilic molecules on the GO non-polar carbon lattice planes via hydrophobic interactions, thus resulting in deliberately balanced release of lipophilic molecules in aqueous media. Based on this environment-specific, regioselective adsorption of their GO guests, the GOACHs were harnessed as carriers for sustained delivery of ibuprofen across rat skin, underpinning their applicability in transdermal medication.

Formulation of solid dispersion to improve dissolution and oral bioavailability of poorly soluble dexibuprofen

Dexibuprofen (DEXI) belongs to BCS class II drug with poor aqueous solubility resulting in poor bioavailability. To enhance solubility and bioavailability of DEXI, DEXI-loaded solid dispersion (SD) was formulated. DEXI-SDs were prepared by melting method and solvent evaporation method. Amphipathic polymer poloxamer 407 (pol 407) was selected based on solubility and dissolution tests. The ratio of DEXI:pol 407 was optimized as 1:2. The physicochemical properties, dissolution, and oral bioavailability of SD3 and SD6 were evaluated to compare preparation methods. The dissolution rate of DEXI from SD formulations was higher at pH 6.8 and pH 7.2 than at pH 1.2. Following oral administration in rats, the C_max and AUC_last of SD3 and SD6 formulations were significantly higher compared with raw DEXI. In addition, the SD6 formulation showed increased C_max and AUC_last by 1.34- and 1.33-fold, compared with those of SD3 formulation, respectively. These results demonstrated that SD formulation has excellent potential as a formulation for poorly soluble drug DEXI.

Improvement of New Dianionic Ionic Liquids vs Monoanionic in Solubility of Poorly Water-Soluble Drugs

New ionic liquids (ILs) based on dianionic phosphonate anions and ammonium cations were prepared and characterized. They were used as excipients to increase the water solubility of two oral drugs, piroxicam and ibuprofen, that are slightly soluble in water. An increment in solubility of 300-fold was achieved for ibuprofen when compared with pure water, with only 0.25 mol% of IL in water. Interestingly, this was achieved with the less toxic dianionic ionic liquid [N_{4 1 2OH 2OH}]₂ [C₂H₅PO₃], which presents an IC₅₀ of 120 mM (≈0.25 mol%). On the other hand, piroxicam showed an increase of 480-fold for the same dianionic ionic liquid, with the same ionic liquid percentage. In contrast, for monoanionic ionic liquids, the effect was not so pronounced, and only a 10-fold was obtained, in the presence of 0.3 mol% of IL. The lipophilicity (logP) of drugs decreased in the presence of these ILs. Cytotoxicity profile of these ILs was determined and they did not show a significant impact towards healthy fibroblasts. The cytotoxicity of ibuprofen and piroxicam was also determined, and cellular viability almost did not change when ionic liquid was in the presence of 1 mM of oral drug.

Effect of ibuprofen entrapment procedure on physicochemical and controlled drug release performances of chitosan/xanthan gum polyelectrolyte complexes

The effect of the entrapment procedure of a poorly water soluble drug (ibuprofen) on physicochemical and drug release performances of chitosan/xanthan polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) was investigated to achieve controlled drug release as the ultimate goal. The formation of PECs for two drug entrapment procedures (before or after the mixing of polymers) at pH 4.6 and 5.6 and three chitosan-to-xanthan mass ratios (1:1, 1:2 and 1:3) was observed by continuous decrease in conductivity during the PECs formation and increased apparent viscosity and hysteresis values. The most extensive crosslinking was observed with ibuprofen added before the PECs formation at pH 4.6 and chitosan-to-xanthan mass ratio 1:1. The PECs prepared at polymers' mass ratios 1:2 and 1:3 had higher yield and drug entrapment efficiency. DSC and FT-IR analysis confirmed ibuprofen entrapment in PECs and the partial disruption of its crystallinity. All ibuprofen release profiles were similar, with 60-70% of drug released after 12 h, mainly by diffusion, but erosion and polymer chain relaxation were also included. Potentially optimal can be considered the PEC prepared at pH 4.6, ibuprofen entrapped before the mixing of polymers at chitosan-to-xanthan mass ratio 1:2, which provided controlled drug release by zero-order kinetics, high yield, and drug entrapment efficiency.

Design of Non-Haemolytic Nanoemulsions for Intravenous Administration of Hydrophobic APIs

Among advanced formulation strategies, nanoemulsions are considered useful drug-delivery systems allowing to improve the solubility and the bioavailability of lipophilic drugs. To select safe excipients for nanoemulsion formulation and to discard any haemolytic potential, an in vitro miniaturized test was performed on human whole blood. From haemolysis results obtained on eighteen of the most commonly used excipients, a medium chain triglyceride, a surfactant, and a solubilizer were selected for formulation assays. Based on a design of experiments and a ternary diagram, the feasibility of nanoemulsions was determined. The composition was defined to produce monodisperse nanodroplets with a diameter of either 50 or 120 nm, and their physicochemical properties were optimized to be suitable for intravenous administration. These nanoemulsions, stable over 21 days in storage conditions, were shown to be able to encapsulate with high encapsulation efficiency and high drug loading, up to 16% (w/w), two water practically insoluble drug models: ibuprofen and fenofibrate. Both drugs may be released according to a modulable profile in sink conditions. Such nanoemulsions appear as a very promising and attractive strategy for the efficient early preclinical development of hydrophobic drugs.

The Introduction of a New Flexible In Vivo Predictive Dissolution Apparatus, GIS-Alpha (GIS-α), to Study Dissolution Profiles of BCS Class IIb Drugs, Dipyridamole and Ketoconazole

The physiological pH changes and peristalsis activities in gastrointestinal (GI) tract have big impact on the dissolution of oral drug products, when those oral drug products include APIs with pH-dependent solubility. It is well documented that predicting the bioperformance of those oral drug products can be challenging using compendial methods. To overcome this limitation, in vivo predictive dissolution apparatuses, such as the transfer model, have been developed to predict bioperformance of oral formulation candidates and drug products. In this manuscript we utilize a new transfer-model dissolution apparatus, the gastrointestinal simulator-α (GIS-α), to characterize its behavior in terms of transfer kinetics and pH, assess its reproducibility and adaptability to mimic different transfer conditions, as well as study dissolution of ketoconazole and dipyridamole as model BCS class IIb compounds. Availability of commercially available dissolution transfer systems with similar configuration to compendial dissolution apparatus, may be helpful to simplify and standardize in vivo predictive dissolution methodologies for BCS class IIb compounds in the future.

Evaluation of amorphous dispersion of a cellulose ester-colophony mix for ibuprofen controlled release processed by HME and spin coating

Recently, there has been a rapid growth of using bio-based materials in pharmaceutical applications, due to their low cost and availability. In this study, natural composition of cellaburate (cellulose-ester) and colophony (pine-resin) was used to prepare films to control ibuprofen release from its amorphous solid dispersion. The effect of two preparation technologies of spin-coating and hot-melt-extrusion was studied on the physicochemical properties and in vitro dissolution/release behavior. Physical stability was evaluated for 12 w at 54 %RH/22 °C. Characterization involved using PLM/DSC/MTDSC/ATRFTIR/TGA/SEM and PXRD. Ibuprofen was amorphously-dispersed at 30 %(w/w) in 35:65 colophony:cellaburate films. Spin-films were more physically stable over 12 w; however, controlled release of ibuprofen was achieved mainly from hot-melt-extruded-films for 5 h. Both films have shown first-order release kinetics; whereby polymeric swelling and relaxation likely governed the release. The successful preparation of cellaburate-colophony platform that has achieved tunable release profiles of poorly water-soluble drug holds the potential for further drug delivery development.

Impact of Magnesium Stearate Presence and Variability on Drug Apparent Solubility Based on Drug Physicochemical Properties

Excipients are major components of oral solid dosage forms, and changes in their critical material attributes (excipient variability) and/or amount (excipient variation) in pharmaceutical formulations may present a challenge for product performance. Understanding the biopharmaceutical factors affecting excipient performance is recommended for the successful implementation of excipient variability on Quality by Design (QbD) approaches. The current study investigated the impact of magnesium stearate (MgSt) variability on the apparent solubility of drugs with a wide range of physicochemical properties (drug ionization, drug lipophilicity, drug aqueous solubility). Compendial and biorelevant media were used to assess the role of gastrointestinal (GI) conditions on the excipient effects on drug apparent solubility. The lipophilic nature of MgSt decreased the apparent solubility of most compounds. The reduction in drug apparent solubility was more pronounced for highly soluble and/or highly ionized drugs and in presence of more highly crystalline or smaller particle size MgSt. The use of multivariate data analysis revealed the critical physicochemical and biopharmaceutical factors and the complex nature of excipient variability on the reduction in drug apparent solubility. The construction of a roadmap combining drug, excipient and medium characteristics allowed the identification of the cases where the presence of excipient or excipient variability may present risks for oral drug performance.