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Despite significant advances in the research domain of continuous twin screw granulation, limited information is currently available on the impact of raw material properties, especially considering batch-to-batch variability. The importance of raw material variability and subsequent mitigation of the impact of this variability on the manufacturing process and drug product was recently stressed in the Draft Guidance for Industry on Quality Considerations for Continuous Manufacturing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Therefore, this study assessed the impact of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) batch-to-batch variability and process settings in a continuous twin screw wet granulation and semi-continuous drying line. Based on extensive raw material characterization and subsequent principal component analysis, raw material variability was quantitatively introduced in the design of experiments approach by means of t1 and t2 scores. L/S ratio had a larger effect on critical granule attributes and processability than screw speed and drying time. A large impact of the t1 and t2 scores was found, indicating the importance of raw material attributes. For the studied formulation, it was concluded that MCC batches with a low water binding capacity, low moisture content and high bulk density generated granules with the most desirable quality attributes. Additionally, an innovative and quantitative approach towards mitigating batch-to-batch variability of raw materials was proposed, which is also applicable for additional excipients and APIs.

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In recent years, significant progress has been made in the field of continuous twin screw granulation. However, only limited knowledge is currently available on the impact of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) properties on granule quality and processability. In this study, the response behavior of four formulations containing APIs (5-10% drug load) with diverse characteristics was compared to the behavior of the corresponding placebo formulation consisting of lactose, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC). API selection was based on extensive material characterization, combining conventional testing with in silico descriptors. For each formulation, a design of experiments was set up, evaluating the impact of liquid to solid (L/S) ratio and screw speed. Response ranges, response behavior and processability of each of the four formulations proved very similar to the placebo formulation when an appropriate center point L/S ratio was chosen. Hence, this robust placebo formulation could prove useful by decreasing drug product development time and consequently providing patients with a faster access to innovative medicine. Additionally, APIs with similar properties exhibited highly comparable response behavior at similar L/S ratios, indicating the potential use of surrogate APIs in novel drug product development.

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In recent years, continuous manufacturing techniques, such as twin screw wet granulation, have gained significant momentum. Due to the large diversity of the (model) formulations and equipment, it is often difficult to generalize conclusions about the importance of process settings. As only limited knowledge is available on the importance of formulation variables, this study focused on the systematic quantification of both process as formulation effects on critical quality attributes of granules from several model formulations. Apart from conventional process and formulation variables, also non-conventional process factors such as nozzle diameter, nozzle orientation and inclusion of a new type of size control elements were evaluated using a Plackett-Burman screening design. Although effects were often formulation-dependent, liquid-to-solid ratio proved the most influential variable for all formulations. Furthermore, binder concentration had a clear effect on granule characteristics, whereas barrel fill level and barrel temperature were less influential. The novel type of size control elements improved granule size distribution and density. The impact of nozzle diameter and wet binder addition proved negligible towards granule properties. Overall it was apparent that lactose/MCC-based formulations correlated better than lactose-based formulations, indicating the possible process robustness of the first filler combination to accommodate API and excipient variability and to handle APIs with different characteristics.

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Due to the numerous advantages over batch manufacturing, continuous manufacturing techniques such as twin screw wet granulation are rapidly gaining importance in pharmaceutical production. Since a large knowledge gap on the importance of formulation variables exists, this study systematically assessed the impact of different screw configurations and process settings on eight model formulations, varying in filler type, active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) characteristics and drug load. Although liquid to solid (L/S) ratio was the most influential variable for all formulations, also a large effect of the kneading element thickness was observed. Narrow kneading elements with a length to diameter ratio (L/D) of 1/6 had a significant detrimental effect on granule size, flow and strength compared to 1/4 L/D elements. The effects of kneading element distribution and barrel fill level were less pronounced. At low drug load, both filler types could be used to obtain granules with acceptable critical quality attributes (CQAs) for both APIs. Granulation at high drug load of the poorly soluble, poorly wettable API mebendazole proved challenging as it could not be processed using lactose as filler, in contrast to lactose/MCC. As formulations containing lactose/MCC as filler were less influenced by different screw configurations, process settings and API characteristics than formulations without MCC, lactose/MCC/HPMC was considered a promising platform formulation.

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Despite the recent commercialization of several drug products manufactured through continuous manufacturing techniques, knowledge on the formulation aspect of these techniques, such as twin screw wet granulation, is still rather limited. Previous research identified lactose/MCC/HPMC as a robust platform formulation for several model formulations, although granulation of the high-dosed, poorly soluble API mebendazole proved challenging. Therefore, current research evaluated the binder addition method (wet or dry) as well as surfactant (SLS) addition when using PVP, instead of HPMC. Compared to the previous formulation, using HPMC as binder, all four formulations with PVP yielded significantly stronger granules at similar to significantly lower liquid to solid (L/S) ratios. Through the combination of four replicate center composite circumscribed designs, each evaluating the impact of screw speed and L/S ratio on granule quality attributes, the effect of the formulation variables was assessed. Overall, L/S ratio had the most significant impact on granule characteristics whereas the effect of screw speed was negligible. Similar granule quality attributes were obtained for each formulation, although the addition of SLS and wet binder addition significantly reduced the required L/S ratio to achieve the desired characteristics. This significant reduction could prove useful for processing other formulations requiring high amounts of moisture, which could otherwise not be dried at a high throughput due to the limited drying capacity of the dryer unit of the Consigma system.

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In current study a holistic material characterization approach was proposed and an extensive raw material property database was developed including a wide variety of APIs and excipients with different functionalities. In total 55 different materials were characterized and described by over 100 raw material descriptors related to particle size and shape distribution, specific surface area, bulk, tapped and true density, compressibility, electrostatic charge, moisture content, hygroscopicity, permeability, flowability and wall friction. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to reveal similarities and dissimilarities between materials and to identify overarching properties. The developed PCA model allows to rationalize the number of critical characterization techniques in routine characterization and to identify surrogates for use during early drug product development stages when limited amounts of active pharmaceutical ingredients are available. Additionally, the developed database will be the basis to build predictive models for in silico process and formulation development based on (a selection of) property descriptors.

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Vitamin B(3) is made up of niacin (nicotinic acid) and its amide, niacinamide. Both have equivalent vitamin activity, but only niacin (not niacinamide) is effective in lowering elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. Administration of an extended-release (ER) oral tablet would frequently encounter food. If hydrogel is used to formulate the matrix of a biopharmaceutical classification system I drug (high solubility and high permeability), the dosage form absorbs water and swells.. The softened outer layer may be slashed off by food present in the stomach, thus, exposing the core tablet more readily for water absorption and speeding up drug release from its original designed rate. This project aimed to formulate niacin CR pellets made of hydrophobic inert matrix. After niacin was melted with excipients and cooled, the mass was extruded and spheronized into pellets. Size distribution and flowability were determined before pellets were filled into hard gelatin capsule. The USP dissolution study revealed that a candidate formulation of 250 mg in strength released similar amount of niacin as its commercial reference, niacin controlled-release 500 mg tablet, in 6 h (223.9 ± 23.8 mg, n = 4 versus 259.4 ± 2.6 mg, n = 3). The differential scanning calorimetry study of the pellets in capsules stored in 40°C for 4 weeks, and the content assay of capsules in 40°C up to 6 months suggested that niacin was stable within the innovative formulation. In vitro release from this innovative ER capsules stored at 40°C up to 4 weeks were also investigated.

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