Development of Abuse-Deterrent Formulations Using Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate

Sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB) and glyceryl monooleate (GMO) hybrid nanoparticles for bioavailability enhancement of rivaroxaban: an optimization study

This study aims to improve the RXB bioavailability using hybrid nanoparticles. A modified melt dispersion technique created different formulas with varying GMO-SAIB: RXB and GMO: SAIB ratios, with fixed GMO-SAIB: poloxamer 407 ratios. The PS, PDI, ZP, and EE were measured to determine the optimal formula, which was selected using Design-Expert™ software. The optimized formula was lyophilized and tested for PS, PDI, ZP, and EE. The chosen lyophilized formula (L4) was characterized using FTIR, DSC, PXRD, dissolution studies, and pharmacokinetics studies. The study found correlations between variables and identified how GMO-SAIB concentration affects drug encapsulation. The dissolution parameters were calculated, including % Q5 and % DE). The % Q5 values were 68.4 ± 1.7% and 89.7 ± 3.6% for Xarelto and L4 tablets, respectively. The % DE values were 89.7 ± 0.4% and 97.5 ± 2.1% for Xarelto and L4 tablets, respectively. The AUC values were 2117.0 ng.h/mL (±77.3) and 3919.4 ng.h/mL (±134.8) for Xarelto and L4 tablets, respectively. The Cmax values were 241.3 ng/mL (±21.0) and 521.5 ng/mL (±91.5) for Xarelto and L4 tablets, respectively. In conclusion, the study found that using GMO-SAIB as co-formers effectively enhanced the bioavailability of RXB. The authors recommend using the hybrid nanoparticles technique and suggest further research to enhance its effectiveness for drug delivery.

A Chewing Study of Abuse-Deterrent Tablets Containing Polyethylene Oxide Using a Robotic Simulator

Abuse-deterrent formulations (ADFs) refer to formulation technologies aiming to deter the abuse of prescription drugs by making the dosage forms difficult to manipulate or extract the opioids. Assessments are required to evaluate the performance of the drugs through different routes including injection, ingestion, and insufflation and also when the drugs are manipulated. Chewing is the easiest and most convenient way to manipulate the drugs and deserves investigation. Chewing is one of the most complex bioprocesses, where the ingested materials are subject to periodic tooth crushing, mixed through the tongue, and lubricated and softened by the saliva. Inter- and intra-subject variations in chewing patterns may result in different chewing performances. The purpose of this study is to use a chewing simulator to assess the deterrent properties of tablets made of polyethylene oxide (PEO). The simulator can mimic human molar grinding with variable chewing parameters including molar trajectory, chewing frequency, and saliva flow rate. To investigate the effects of these parameters, the sizes of the chewed tablet particles and the chewing force were measured to evaluate the chewing performance. Thirty-four out of forty tablets were broken into pieces. The results suggested that the simulator can chew the tablets into smaller particles and that the molar trajectory and saliva flow rate had significant effect on reducing the size of the particles by analysis of variance (ANOVA) while the effect of chewing frequency was not clear. Additionally, chewing force can work as an indicator of the chewing performance.

Preparation and Characterization of Stable Amorphous Glassy Solution of BCS II and IV Drugs

The focus of the present investigation was to develop amorphous glassy solutions (AGSs) of BCS Class II and IV drugs using sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB). The drugs studied were rifaximin (RFX), dasatinib (DST), aripiprazole (APZ), dolutegravir (DLT), cyclosporine (CYS), itraconazole (ITZ), tacrolimus (TAC), sirolimus (SRL), aprepitant (APT), and carbamazepine (CBZ). AGSs were prepared by dissolving known quantity of the drug in the SAIB at 120 (TAC and APZ), 140 (CYS) or 150 ^oC (RFX, DST, DLT, ITZ, SRL, APT, and CBZ). They were characterized visually and by NIR, NIR hyperspectroscopy (NIR-H), and XRPD. Stability were determined by exposing open vials to 40 ^oC/75% RH for a week. AGSs behave like a glassy solid at room temperature and liquified above 60 ^oC. The solubility of APT, DLT, SRL, APZ, RFX, CBZ, TAC and CYS in SAIB was 0.4±0.0, 1.7±0.4, 1.9±0.0, 21.6±2.6, 36.4±0.9, 76.5±4.0, 115.1±2.3, and 239.0±12.6 mg/g, respectively. NIR, NIR-H, and XRPD data indicated the amorphous nature of the AGSs. Furthermore, AGSs were stable against devitrification on exposure to high temperature and humidity. In summary, SAIB can be employed to develop stable AGSs of poorly soluble drugs to increase dissolution, and oral bioavailability with the addition of hydrophilic excipients.

Evaluation of the impact of abuse deterring agents on the physicochemical factors of tramadol-loaded tablet and the definition of new abuse deterrent index

In the design of abuse-deterrent formulations (ADFs), pharmaceutical strategies that do not modify the physical and chemical properties of opioid dosage forms should be investigated. Among these, four major drug abusing factors, including particle size by physical modification, swellability, dissolution rate, and solvent extraction, were mainly characterized for evaluating abuse deterrence of narcotics. Tramadol hydrochloride (TMD) was chosen as a model drug. In this study, the frequently used eight generally recognized as safe (GRAS)-listed pharmaceutical excipients, including polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC 4,000, HPMC 100,000), xanthan gum (XG), cellulose acetate (CA), polyethylene oxide (PEO), carbomer 940 NF, and Compritol® 888 ATO, were selected as abuse deterring agents and used to prepare TMD-loaded tablet. A new abuse-deterrent index (ADI) for compressed TMD-loaded tablets was originally defined and considered as an index of drug abuse deterrence, based on the assumption that it was proportional to particle size and swellability but inversely proportional to dissolution and solvent extraction rates after assigning the categorized five scale scores (one to five) to the four experimental data. The resulting ADI of the selected eight abuse deterring agents in deionized water was given in decreasing order: HPMC 4000 > carbomer 940 > Compritol® 888 ATO > XG > PVA > HPMC 100,000 > PEO, and CA while in 40% hydro-alcoholic solution in the decreasing order: carbomer 940 > HPMC 4,000 ≒ XG > PVA > HPMC 100,000 > PEO > Compritol® 888 ATO > CA. Interestingly, the HPMC 4,000 and carbomer 940 showed the highest ADI and gave drug abuse deterrent potential. This study could provide a pharmaceutical strategy that utilizes a variety of abuse-deterring agents and resist to extraction solvents in designing drug abuse-deterrent formulations and establishing their standard guidelines for regulatory authorities.

Effect of alkalizing agent on abuse deterrent potential of multiple-unit ingestion of bilayer abuse-deterrent extended-release tablets using propranolol as model drug for opioids overdose crisis

The objective of present study is to develop bilayer abuse-deterrent extended-release tablets (ADERTs) using propranolol HCl as model drug for opioids overdose crisis. Bilayer ADERTs were fabricated by direct compression and formulated with polymer matrix in extended-release drug layer coupled with alkalizing and aversive agents in fast-disintegrating pH modifying layer. Various alkalizing agents, like magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, calcium carbonate, and calcium hydroxide, were evaluated for their abuse-deterrent potential via in-vitro drug release and extraction studies. Based on the outcomes, magnesium hydroxide was selected as an alkalizing agent, since it raised the pH of dissolving media near to pKa of the drug studied in this investigation. The formulated bilayer ADERTs with magnesium hydroxide provided similar drug release profiles as compared to conventional extended-release tablets for single-unit ingestion. However, upon ingestion of multiple-unit bilayer ADERTs, the fast-disintegrating pH modifying layer increases pH of dissolving media, while extended-release layer increases micro-environmental pH within tablets. Retarding drug release owing to low solubility of basic drug at higher pH was observed. Therefore, the application of alkalizing agent has impact on pH-dependent solubility of drug like opioids and demonstrate its useful potential to be incorporated in bilayer ADERTs for opioids overdose crisis.

Development of a Multivariate Predictive Dissolution Model for Tablets Coated with Cellulose Ester Blends

The focus of the present investigation was to develop a predictive dissolution model for tablets coated with blends of cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) 171-15 and cellulose acetate phthalate (C-A-P) using the design of experiment and chemometric approaches. Diclofenac sodium was used as a model drug. Coating weight gain (X₁, 5, 7.5 and 10%) and CAB 171-15 percentage (X₂, 33.3, 50 and 66.7%) in the coating composition relative to C-A-P and were selected as independent variables by full factorial experimental design. The responses monitored were dissolution at 1 (Y₁), 8 (Y₂), and 24 (Y₃) h. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) effects of X₁ on Y₁ and X₂ on Y₁, Y_2, and Y₃ were observed. The models showed a good correlation between actual and predicted values as indicated by the correlation coefficients of 0.964, 0.914, and 0.932 for Y₁, Y_2, and Y₃, respectively. For the chemometric model development, the near infrared spectra of the coated tablets were collected, and partial least square regression (PLSR) was performed. PLSR also showed a good correlation between actual and model predicted values as indicated by correlation coefficients of 0.916, 0.964, and 0.974 for Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃, respectively. Y₁, Y_2, and Y₃ predicted values of the independent sample by both approaches were close to the actual values. In conclusion, it is possible to predict the dissolution of tablets coated with blends of cellulose esters by both approaches.