In Vitro-In Vivo Correlation of Tianeptine Sodium Sustained-Release Dual-Layer Tablets

Development and In Vitro-In Vivo Correlation Evaluation of IMM-H014 Extended-Release Tablets for the Treatment of Fatty Liver Disease

This study aimed to develop extended-release tablets containing 25 mg IMM-H014, an original drug formulated by a direct powder pressing method based on pharmaceutical-grade hydrophilic matrix polymers such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, to establish an in vitro-in vivo correlation (IVIVC) to predict bioavailability. The tablets' mechanical properties and in vitro and in vivo performance were studied. The formulation was optimized using a single-factor experiment and the reproducibility was confirmed. The in vitro dissolution profiles of the tablet were determined in five dissolution media, in which the drug released from the hydrophilic tablets followed the Ritger-Peppas model kinetics in 0.01 N HCl medium for the first 2 h, and in phosphate-buffered saline medium (pH 7.5) for a further 24 h. Accelerated stability studies (40 °C, 75% relative humidity) proved that the optimal formulation was stable for 6 months. The in vivo pharmacokinetics study in beagle dogs showed that compared to the IMM-H014 immediate release preparation, the maximum plasma concentration of the extended-release (ER) preparation was significantly decreased, while the maximum time to peak and mean residence time were significantly prolonged. The relative bioavailability was 97.9% based on the area under curve, indicating that the optimal formulation has an obvious ER profile, and a good IVIVC was established, which could be used to predict in vivo pharmacokinetics based on the formulation composition.

Establishment of Level a In Vitro-In Vivo Correlation (IVIVC) via Extended DoE-IVIVC Model: A Donepezil Case Study

This study aimed to establish an extended design of experiment (DoE)-in vitro in vivo correlation (IVIVC) model that defines the relationship between formulation composition, in vitro dissolution, and in vivo pharmacokinetics. Fourteen sustained-release (SR) tablets of a model drug, donepezil, were designed by applying a mixture design of DoE and prepared by the wet granulation method. The in vitro dissolution patterns of donepezil SR tablets were described by Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The mathematical relationship describing the effects of SR tablet compositions on the in vitro dissolution parameter, i.e., the in vitro maximum rate of release (V_max), was derived. The predictability of the derived DoE model was validated by an additional five SR tablets with a mean prediction error (PE%) of less than 3.50% for in vitro V_max. The pharmacokinetics of three types of donepezil SR and the immediate-release (IR) tablets was assessed in Beagle dogs following oral administration (n = 3, each). Based on the plasma concentration-time profile, a population pharmacokinetic model was developed, and the in vivo dissolution of SR tablets, represented by in vivo V_max, was estimated. By correlating the in vitro and in vivo V_max, level A IVIVC was established. Finally, the extended DoE-IVIVC model was developed by integrating the DoE equation and IVIVC into the population pharmacokinetic model. The extended DoE-IVIVC model allowed one to predict the maximum plasma concentration (C_max) and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of donepezil SR tablets with PE% less than 10.30% and 5.19%, respectively, by their formulation composition as an input. The present extended DoE-IVIVC model may provide a valuable tool to predict the effect of formulation changes on in vivo pharmacokinetic behavior, leading to the more efficient development of SR formulations. The application of the present modeling approaches to develop other forms of drug formulation may be of interest for future studies.