Oral lyophilizates obtained using aggressive drying conditions: Effect of excipients

Orodispersible drug formulations are a current trend in the pharmaceutical industry, mostly intended for pediatric and geriatric patients. Oral lyophilizates are solid forms, intended either to be placed in the mouth or to be dispersed (or dissolved) in water before administration. The correct excipient composition is a prerequisite to provide lyophilizates with the appropriate visual appearance and disintegration time. Typically, they are composed of binders, such as gelatin and polyvinylpyrrolidone, fillers such as sucrose, mannitol, or sorbitol, taste modifiers, colorants, sweeteners, and preservatives. The main purpose of this study was to determine the optimal excipient scaffold to ensure the proper appearance of lyophilizates that have undergone aggressive drying conditions and a disintegration time of less than 3 min.

In addition to mannitol and gelatin, the most frequently used binders, PVP K25, PVP K90, glycine, croscarmellose, and hydrolyzed gelatin were investigated. The results obtained revealed that lyophilizates with only mannitol and gelatin have a disintegration time that is too long, and that replacement of gelatin with PVP K25 led to friable and cracked lyophilizates. Considering disintegration time and visual appearance, lyophilizates with a mixture of gelatin, PVP K25, and mannitol (1:2:5) formed from liquid formulations with 6% (w/w) excipients were determined to be the most suitable. As a binder, PVP K25 expresses more appropriate characteristics relating to PVP K90. Addition of croscarmellose provided lyophilizates with a shorter disintegration time, whereas glycine only had a positive effect on the elegant appearance of lyophilizate cakes.

Hydrolyzed gelatin was introduced with the aim of obtaining an even shorter disintegration time and at the same time an acceptable visual appearance of lyophilizates. This was achieved by lyophilization of solutions with 15% (w/w) of excipients with a hydrolyzed gelatin: PVP K25:glycine/croscarmellose:mannitol ratio of 4:2:0.5:4.5. Such lyophilizates show the highest potential for incorporation of poorly soluble and low-dose drugs.

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Materials

Gelatin, hydrolyzed gelatin, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) K25 , and K90 were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich, Germany, and glycine, mannitol, and croscarmellose were purchased from Merck, Germany. Ultra-pure water was obtained from a Milli-Q purification system (A10 Advantage; Millipore Corporation, Bedford, MA, USA).

Maja Bjelošević Žiberna, Odon Planinšek, Pegi Ahlin Grabnar, Oral lyophilizates obtained using aggressive drying conditions: Effect of excipients, Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, Volume 82, 2023, 104379, ISSN 1773-2247, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2023.104379.