Studies on dissolution testing of the nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system. II. Improved in vitro-in vivo correlation using a two-phase dissolution test

Applications of bio-predictive dissolution tools for the development of solid oral dosage forms: Current industry experience

Development and optimization of orally administered drug products often require bio-predictive tools to help with informing formulation and manufacturing decisions. Reliable bio-predictive dissolution toolkits not only allow rational development of target formulations without having to conduct excessive in vivo studies but also help in detecting critical material attributes (CMAs), critical formulation variables (CFVs), or critical process parameters (CPPs) that could impact a drug's in vivo performance. To provide early insights for scientists on the development of a bio-predictive method for drug product development, this review summarizes current phase-appropriate bio-predictive dissolution approaches applicable to address typical concerns on solubility-limited absorption, food effect, achlorhydria, development of extended-release formulation, clinically relevant specification, and biowaiver. The selection of an in vitro method which can capture the key rate-limiting step(s) of the in vivo dissolution and/or absorption is considered to have a better chance to produce a meaningful in vitro-in vivo correlation (IVIVC) or in vitro-in vivo relationship (IVIVR).

In Vitro, in Silico, and in Vivo Assessments of Intestinal Precipitation and Its Impact on Bioavailability of a BCS Class 2 Basic Compound

In this study, a multipronged approach of in vitro experiments, in silico simulations, and in vivo studies was developed to evaluate the dissolution, supersaturation, precipitation, and absorption of three formulations of Compound-A, a BCS class 2 weak base with pH-dependent solubility. In in vitro 2-stage dissolution experiments, the solutions were highly supersaturated with no precipitation at the low dose but increasing precipitation at higher doses. No difference in precipitation was observed between the capsules and tablets. The in vitro precipitate was found to be noncrystalline with higher solubility than the crystalline API, and was readily soluble when the drug concentration was lowered by dilution. A gastric transit and biphasic dissolution (GTBD) model was developed to better mimic gastric transfer and intestinal absorption. Precipitation was also observed in GTBD, but the precipitate redissolved and partitioned into the organic phase. In vivo data from the phase 1 clinical trial showed linear and dose proportional PK for the formulations with no evidence of in vivo precipitation. While the in vitro precipitation observed in the 2-stage dissolution appeared to overestimate in vivo precipitation, the GTBD model provided absorption profiles consistent with in vivo data. In silico simulation of plasma concentrations by GastroPlus using biorelevant in vitro dissolution data from the tablets and capsules and assuming negligible precipitation was in line with the observed in vivo profiles of the two formulations. The totality of data generated with Compound-A indicated that the bioavailability differences among the three formulations were better explained by the differences in gastric dissolution than intestinal precipitation. The lack of intestinal precipitation was consistent with several other BCS class 2 basic compounds in the literature for which highly supersaturated concentrations and rapid absorption were also observed.

Selection of a discriminant and biorelevant in vitro dissolution test for the development of fenofibrate self-emulsifying lipid-based formulations

Fenofibrate, a BCS class II compound, has a low bioavailability especially when taken orally on an empty stomach. The challenge to find a new formulation for providing bioavailability, independent of food, is still ongoing. If the development of a suitable oral delivery formulation of BCS class II compounds is a frequent and great challenge to formulation scientists, the in vitro evaluation of these new formulations is also a great challenge. The purpose of this study was therefore to select an in vitro dissolution test that would be useful and as biorelevant as possible for the development of fenofibrate self-emulsifying lipid-based formulations. In this context, three different fenofibrate formulations, for which in vivo data are available in the literature, were tested using different dissolution tests until we found the one that was the most suitable. As part of this approach, we started with the simplest in vitro dissolution tests and progressed to tests that were increasingly more complex. The first tests were different single phase dissolution tests: a test under sink conditions based on the USP monograph, and different tests under non-sink conditions in non-biorelevant and biorelevant media. Given the inconclusive results obtained with these tests, biphasic dissolution systems were then tested: one with USP apparatus type II alone and another which combined USP apparatus types II and IV. This last combined test seemed the most suitable in vitro dissolution test for the development of the future fenofibrate lipid-based formulations we intend to develop in our own laboratory.

Investigation of a suitable in vitro dissolution test for itraconazole-based solid dispersions

The difficulty to find a relevant in vitro dissolution test to evaluate poorly soluble drugs is a well-known issue. One way to enhance their aqueous solubility is to formulate them as amorphous solid dispersions. In this study, three formulations containing itraconazole (ITZ), a model drug, were tested in seven different conditions (different USP apparatuses and different media). Two of the formulations were amorphous solid dispersions namely Sporanox®, the marketed product, and extrudates composed of Soluplus® and ITZ produced by hot melt extrusion; and the last one was pure crystalline ITZ capsules. After each test, a ranking of the formulations was established. Surprisingly, the two amorphous solid dispersions exhibited very different behavior depending primarily on the dissolution media. Indeed, the extrudates showed a better release profile than Sporanox® in non-sink and in biphasic conditions, whilst Sporanox® showed a higher release profile than the extrudates in sink and fasted simulated gastric conditions. The disintegration, dynamic light scattering and nuclear magnetic resonance results highlighted the presence of interaction between the surfactants and Soluplus®, which slowed down the erosion of the polymer matrix. Indeed, the negative charge of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and bile salts interacted with the surface of the extrudates that formed a barrier through which the water hardly diffused. Moreover, Soluplus® and SDS formed mixed micelles in solution in which ITZ interacts with SDS, but no longer with Soluplus®. Regarding the biphasic dissolution test, the interactions between the octanol dissolved in the aqueous media disrupted the polymer--ITZ system leading to a reduced release of ITZ from Sporanox®, whilst it had no influence on the extrudates. All together these results pointed out the difficulty of finding a suitable in vitro dissolution test due to interactions between the excipients that complicates the prediction of the behavior of these solid dispersions in vivo.

Mechanistic analysis of solute transport in an in vitro physiological two-phase dissolution apparatus

In vitro dissolution methodologies that adequately capture the oral bioperformance of solid dosage forms are critical tools needed to aid formulation development. Such methodologies must encompass important physiological parameters and be designed with drug properties in mind. Two-phase dissolution apparatuses, which contain an aqueous phase in which the drug dissolves (representing the dissolution/solubility component) and an organic phase into which the drug partitions (representing the absorption component), have the potential to provide meaningful predictions of in vivo oral bioperformance for some BCS II, and possibly some BCS IV drug products. Before such an apparatus can be evaluated properly, it is important to understand the kinetics of drug substance partitioning from the aqueous to the organic medium. A mass transport analysis was performed of the kinetics of partitioning of drug substance solutions from the aqueous to the organic phase of a two-phase dissolution apparatus. Major assumptions include pseudo-steady-state conditions, a dilute aqueous solution and diffusion-controlled transport. Input parameters can be measured or estimated a priori. This paper presents the theory and derivation of our analysis, compares it with a recent kinetic approach, and demonstrates its effectiveness in predicting in vitro partitioning profiles of three BCS II weak acids in four different in vitro two-phase dissolution apparatuses. Very importantly, the paper discusses how a two-phase apparatus can be scaled to reflect in vivo absorption kinetics and for which drug substances the two-phase dissolution systems may be appropriate tools for measuring oral bioperformance.

Overcoming sink limitations in dissolution testing: a review of traditional methods and the potential utility of biphasic systems

Objectives

The conventional dissolution test, particularly the USP apparatus I and II, remains an important tool in the armory of the pharmaceutical development scientist. For realistic dissolution characterization, sink conditions, where saturation solubility of a drug in the dissolution medium is at least three times more than the drug concentration, are critical. These conditions can be problematic to maintain with formulations containing poorly-soluble actives. This review summarizes the role of the dissolution test in the pharmaceutical industry, together with some traditional techniques/additives used to enhance solubility and facilitate the achievement of sink conditions. The biphasic dissolution system, an innovative model for the treatment of poorly-soluble species, will also be discussed.

Key findings

The biphasic dissolution model utilizes media comprising immiscible aqueous and organic layers whereby the drug, following initial aqueous dissolution, partitions into the organic layer. This step, which acts to remove all dissolved species from the aqueous layer, enables further aqueous dissolution to occur and hence the dissolution–partition cycle continues. Crucially, the aqueous layer does not saturate allowing sink conditions to be maintained and hence the experiment will, in theory, yield complete dissolution.

Summary

This review highlights important concepts regarding solubility/sink limitation and intends to provoke debate among analytical and formulation scientists as to the potential advantages, long-term development and widespread implementation of a biphasic dissolution system in drug development.

Chitosan and enteric polymer based once daily sustained release tablets of aceclofenac: in vitro and in vivo studies

The purpose of this study was to develop a once daily sustained release tablet of aceclofenac using chitosan and an enteric coating polymer (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate or cellulose acetate phthalate). Overall sustained release for 24 h was achieved by preparing a double-layer tablet in which the immediate release layer was formulated for a prompt release of the drug and the sustained release layer was designed to achieve a prolonged release of drug. The preformulation studies like IR spectroscopic and differential scanning calorimetry showed the absence of drug-excipient interactions. The tablets were found within the permissible limits for various physicochemical parameters. Scanning electron microscopy was used to visualize the surface morphology of the tablets and to confirm drug release mechanisms. Good equivalence in the drug release profile was observed when drug release pattern of the tablet containing chitosan and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate (M-7) was compared with that of marketed tablet. The optimized tablets were stable at accelerated storage conditions for 6 months with respect to drug content and physical appearance. The results of pharmacokinetic studies in human volunteers showed that the optimized tablet (M-7) exhibited no difference in the in vivo drug release in comparison with marketed tablet. No significant difference between the values of pharmacokinetic parameters of M-7 and marketed tablets was observed (p > 0.05; 95% confidence intervals). However the clinical studies in large scale and, long term and extensive stability studies at different conditions are required to confirm these results.

Effect of formulation parameters on the release characteristics of propranolol from asymmetric membrane coated tablets

Controlled delivery of drugs has been achieved successfully by use of asymmetric membranes. In our study, we have evaluated the influence of various preparation parameters such as concentration of the polymer, concentration of the pore former and temperature of the precipitation bath on the permeability and the release characteristics of propranolol. Propranolol tablets were prepared by direct compression and were coated with varying concentrations of cellulose acetate and glycerin. The coat was precipitated in water, maintained at various temperatures, followed by air drying of the coat. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to characterize the asymmetric structure of the membrane. The influence of various preparation parameters on the release of propranolol from asymmetric coated tablets was evaluated. SEM confirmed the asymmetric nature of the membrane. A zero order release of propranolol was obtained from the coated tablets of propranolol. Various preparation parameters studied significantly affected (p<0.05) the release of propranolol hydrochloride from the asymmetric membrane coated tablets and the release was independent of the pH and the rate of agitation of the dissolution medium (p>0.05). Asymmetric membranes can be successfully utilized in the controlled delivery of highly water soluble drugs like propranolol and by modifying preparation parameters like polymer concentration, pore former concentration and temperature of the precipitation bath, desired release rates can be obtained.

Theophylline granule formulation prepared by the wet granulation method: comparison of in vitro dissolution profiles and estimation of in vivo plasma concentrations

The primary and secondary objectives of this study were to develop and evaluate the predictability of in vitro-in vivo correlation models for theophylline sustained release (SR) granules. Theophylline SR granules meeting the USP Drug Release Test criteria were prepared using ethyl cellulose (EC) and/or stearyl alcohol (SA) and the wet granulation method. In vitro dissolution studies of granule formulation were performed, and a commercial dosage form was prepared using USP XXIII apparatus II at pH 4.5. Differences and similarities between in vitro dissolution curves were compared using both model-dependent (t-test) and -independent (f1, f2 test) statistical techniques, and it was shown that the three dissolution profiles i.e model-dependent, model-independent, and methods based on ANOVA were very similar. The in vivo performance of the commercial dosage form was tested by oral route using male rabbits and in vitro-in vivo correlations were established. This study indicates that the dosage forms with similar in vitro dissolution profiles may have a similar in vivo performance, and that this performance could be estimated using appropriate correlation equations.

Design and Evaluation of Jingzhiguanxin Monolithic Osmotic Pump Tablet

A monolithic osmotic pump tablet (MOPT) of Traditional Chinese Medicine Compound Recipe (TCMCR) was successfully prepared and active components of Jingzhiguanxin prescription which has been widely used in China and Japan was selected as model drug. Analysis methods of maker compound in vitro of danshensu, paeoniflorin and safflor yellow A were built, and different methods were compared by f2 factors. The results showed that there were fine correlation among them. Finally UV method of safflor yellow A was chosen to determine the release of the drugs, which was fast, convenient, met the need of determination and could represent other methods. During the research, single factor influence selection was studied emphatically. It showed that there were significant influence between different varieties and quantity of osmotic promoting agents, different kind of retardants, different varieties and quantity of PEG (polyethylene glycol) and membrane weight. However, no significant influence existed between different quantity of retardants and SDS, different membrane orifices and methods of dissolution. Based on the single factor influence selection, an optimal formulation was decided, and three maker compounds of Jingzhiguanxin MOPT could isochronous release and at the same time they had good zero order release characteristics to 8 h. Paeoniflorin release in vivo was estimated by deconvolution, the results shown that there were a good in-vitro in-vivo correlation (r=0.9571).

Development of a new dissolution test method for an oral controlled release preparation, the PVA swelling controlled release system (SCRS)

In vitro dissolution tests of novel controlled release tablets, the poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) swelling controlled release system (SCRS), were performed by various methods under different conditions in the sinking state in water. The in vitro release profiles of various tests were almost the same and faster than the in vivo absorption profiles calculated from the plasma drug concentrations of humans. A novel dissolution test method was developed considering the gastrointestinal tract (GI) conditions. PVA particles were used as the filler in a flow-through cell. PVA particles swelled with water were put in the flow-through cell and the tablet was buried in PVA. The test medium was dropped from the top of the cell, and the dissolution medium that dripped from the bottom of the cell was collected and assayed. The in vitro dissolution profile determined by this method was similar to the in vivo absorption profile against other in vitro methods in the sinking state in water. Furthermore, a good correlation between in vitro and in vivo for the two different release rate preparations was obtained using a flow pattern imitating the GI transition.

Modelling partitioning of sparingly soluble drugs in a two-phase liquid system

The aim of this work was to develop a proper mathematical model able to describe the kinetics partitioning of a drug between a polar (water buffer) and an apolar (n-octanol) liquid phase. In particular, attention is focussed on sparingly soluble drugs in one or both environments. Basically, we suppose that drug fluxes occurring between the polar and apolar phase depend also on drug solubility, and not only on both the kinetics constants and the instantaneous drug concentration in the two phases. The proposed model adequately describes the drug partitioning of sparingly water soluble drugs (piroxicam and nimesulide) as proven by the comparison of the predicted and experimental data. Moreover, it indicates the unsuitability of a previous approach (Chem. Pharm. Bull. 29 (1961) 2718) in describing the partitioning kinetics unless sink conditions in both phases are attained, this being difficult to achieve when working with sparingly soluble drugs. Consequently, the model represents a simple and reliable tool to study the drug partitioning kinetics.

Evaluation and comparison of dissolution data derived from different modified release dosage forms: an alternative method

Dissolution testing is an essential requirement for the development, establishment of in vitro dissolution and in vivo performance (IVIVR), registration and quality control of solid oral dosage forms. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of delivery system positioning in accordance with the USP 23-recommended dissolution methods and the proposed modification on drug release from controlled release systems having different operating release mechanisms, namely, swellable floatable, swellable sticking and osmotic pump. The delivery systems were evaluated by placing each dosage form either in the dissolution vessel in accordance with the USP 23 methods or over/below a designed ring/mesh device for achieving full surface exposure to the dissolution medium for sticking or floatable systems respectively. Results indicate that the overall release profiles from the sticking and floatable systems of theophylline are sensitive to their positioning in the dissolution vessel (P<0.05). Furthermore, release of diltiazem hydrochloride from the sticking system also demonstrated sensitivity (P<0.05). In contrast, the floatable dosage form of this latter drug with the application of a helical wire sinker, or when it was placed below the ring/mesh assembly, or by allowing the dosage form to float, did not show sensitivity (P>0.05) for the overall release behavior. This was attributed to the greater solubility of diltiazem hydrochloride (50% solubility in water at 25 degreesC) in comparison to theophylline which is a sparingly soluble drug (0.85% solubility in water at 25 degreesC). Drug release from the osmotic pump appeared to be identical under the given experimental conditions (P>0.05). Statistical analysis of data was performed by comparing the t50%, t70%, t90%; mean dissolution times (MDT50%, MDT70%, MDT90%); the "difference factor, f1" and "similarity factor, f2". It is concluded that the results derived from the application of the "similarity factor, f2" are superior to the individual time points (e.g. tx%) and MDTx% values in differentiating between overall release patterns or the border line release profile differences. It also became apparent that in the case of the swellable sticking systems full surface exposure to the dissolution medium results in greater release rate. For the osmotic pump the required osmotic pressure threshold necessary for constant rate drug delivery appears to have reached independent of the hydrodynamic conditions. A successful and more accurate evaluation of dissolution data can be derived when full surface exposure is considered and this can be accomplished by dissolution method modification with the aid of the designed ring/mesh assembly.