Melt granulation using a twin-screw extruder: A case study - Surfactants

Melt granulation using a twin-screw extruder: A case study
Received 23 February 2006; revised 22 June 2006; accepted 5 July 2006. Available online 10 July 2006.
Barbara Van Melkebekea, Brenda Vermeulena, Chris Vervaeta and Jean Paul Remon, a,
International Journal of Pharmaceutics
Volume 326, Issues 1-2 , 1 December 2006
ScienceDirect
Copyright ? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
aLaboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Ghent University, Harelbekestraat 72, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to use a twin-screw extruder for melt granulation. Polyethylene glycols (PEG 400 and 4000) were used as binders for the development of a drinking water formulation with immediate drug release. The effect of drug content, PEG 400/4000-ratio, surfactant (type and concentration) and granulation temperature on granule properties and dissolution characteristics was determined. The granulation temperature had an important influence on the granule formation. High yield (95% of the granules <1400 ?m) was obtained only at a temperature near the melting point of PEG 4000. During granulation the drug of BCS class II was finely dispersed in the PEGs, creating a micro-environment around the drug particles enhancing the dissolution rate. To obtain complete drug release within 10 min for a formulation containing 10% drug, the addition of 2% (w/w) surfactant (polysorbate 80 or Cremophor? RH40) was required. At a higher drug content (20%), the PEG 4000 concentration had to be increased to 20% to improve granule properties and 4% polysorbate 80 was required to obtain 100% drug release. X-ray diffractograms showed distinct peaks of crystalline drug, the crystallinity of the drug did not change after 50 days, independent of the storage conditions.
Keywords: Continuous granulation; Extruder; Melt agglomeration; Polyethylene glycol

Corresponding author. Tel.: +32 9 264 80 56; fax: +32 9 222 82 36.
You can view the abstract online. A subscription is required to view the full text or it can be purchased online.