Scale-up from batch to flow-through wet milling process for injectable depot formulation
File(s)
Author(s)
Lehocký, R
Pěček, D
Štěpánek, F
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Injectable depot formulations are aimed at providing long-term sustained release of a drug into systemic circulation, thus reducing plasma level fluctuations and improving patient compliance. The particle size distribution of the formulation in the form of suspension is a key parameter that controls the release rate. In this work, the process of wet stirred media milling (ball milling) of a poorly water-soluble substance has been investigated with two main aims: (i) to determine the parametric sensitivity of milling kinetics; and (ii) to develop scale-up methodology for process transfer from batch to flow-through arrangement. Ball milling experiments were performed in two types of ball mills, a batch mill with a 30ml maximum working volume, and a flow-through mill with a 250ml maximum working volume. Milling parameters were investigated in detail by methodologies of QbD to map the parametric space. Specifically, the effects of ball size, ball fill level, and rpm on the particle breakage kinetics were systematically investigated at both mills, with an additional parameter (flow-rate) in the case of the flow-through mill. The breakage rate was found to follow power-law kinetics with respect to dimensionless time, with an asymptotic d50 particle size in the range of 200-300nm. In the case of the flow-through mill, the number of theoretical passes through the mill was found to be an important scale-up parameter.
Date Issued
2016-08-26
Date Acceptance
2016-08-23
Citation
European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016, 95, pp.122-129
ISSN
1879-0720
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
122
End Page
129
Journal / Book Title
European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Volume
95
Copyright Statement
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Subjects
Ball milling
Ball size
Particle size distribution
Power-law kinetics
Surfactant
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
1115 Pharmacology And Pharmaceutical Sciences
Publication Status
Published