Pharmaceutical Research
&
Innovations in Pharma Industry

Hot Melt Extrusion (HME) is emerging technology which is gaining high importance in the pharmaceu cal industry as a novel technique for the prepara on of various dosage forms and drug delivery systems, for example granules and sustained release tablets. It is a fast growing technology pla orm that is u lized to solve diffi  cult formula on challenges, primarily in the area of solubiliza on. Due to fast processing, high degree of automa on, absence of solvents, simple and con nuous opera on and ability to process poorly compactable material into tablet form are some of the main advantages off ered over conven onal processing by this emerging technique. Applica ons of HME in pharmaceu cal industry con nue to grow and recent successes of this technique have made it a useful tool of considera on as a drug delivery solu on.

 

The use of Hot-Melt Extrusion (HME) within the pharmaceu cal industry is steadily increasing, due to its proven ability to effi  ciently manufacture novel products. HME involves the applica on of heat, pressure and agita on through an extrusion channel to mix materials together, and subsequently forcing them out through a die. Twin-screw extruders are most popular in solid dosage form development as it imparts both dispersive and distribu ve mixing. It blends materials while also impar ng high shear to break-up par cles and disperse them. HME extrusion has been shown to molecularly disperse poorly soluble drugs in a polymer carrier, increasing dissolu on rates and bioavailability.