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Kotamarthy L, Karkala S, Dan A, Román-Ospino AD, Ramachandran R. Investigating the Effects of Mixing Dynamics on Twin-Screw Granule Quality Attributes via the Development of a Physics-Based Process Map. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:456. [PMID: 38675117 PMCID: PMC11054190 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16040456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Twin-screw granulation (TSG) is an emerging continuous wet granulation technique that has not been widely applied in the industry due to a poor mechanistic understanding of the process. This study focuses on improving this mechanistic understanding by analyzing the effects of the mixing dynamics on the granule quality attributes (PSD, content uniformity, and microstructure). Mixing is an important dynamic process that simultaneously occurs along with the granulation rate mechanisms during the wet granulation process. An improved mechanistic understanding was achieved by identifying and quantifying the physically relevant intermediate parameters that affect the mixing dynamics in TSG, and then their effects on the granule attributes were analyzed by investigating their effects on the granulation rate mechanisms. The fill level, granule liquid saturation, extent of nucleation, and powder wettability were found to be the key physically relevant intermediate parameters that affect the mixing inside the twin-screw granulator. An improved geometrical model for the fill level was developed and validated against existing experimental data. Finally, a process map was developed to depict the effects of mixing on the temporal and spatial evolution of the materials inside the twin-screw granulator. This process map illustrates the mechanism of nucleation and the growth of the granules based on the fundamental material properties of the primary powders (solubility and wettability), liquid binders (viscosity), and mixing dynamics present in the system. Furthermore, it was shown that the process map can be used to predict the granule product quality based on the granule growth mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rohit Ramachandran
- Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, 98 Brett Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; (L.K.)
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Effect of fill level in continuous twin-screw granulator: A combined experimental and simulation study. ADV POWDER TECHNOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apt.2022.103822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Mechanistic understanding of the effects of process and design parameters on the mixing dynamics in continuous twin-screw granulation. POWDER TECHNOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.powtec.2021.05.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Forster SP, Lebo DB. Continuous Melt Granulation for Taste-Masking of Ibuprofen. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13060863. [PMID: 34208288 PMCID: PMC8230814 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13060863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Taste-masking of drugs, particularly to produce formulations for pediatric patients, can be challenging and require complex manufacturing approaches. The objective of this study was to produce taste-masked ibuprofen granules using a novel process, twin-screw melt granulation (TSMG). TSMG is an emerging, high-productivity, continuous process. Granules of ibuprofen embedded in a lipid matrix were produced across a range of process conditions, resulting in a range of output granule particle sizes. The ibuprofen appeared to be miscible with the lipid binder though it recrystallized after processing. The ibuprofen melt granules were tested in simulated saliva using a novel, small-volume dissolution technique with continuous acquisition of the ibuprofen concentration. The ibuprofen release from the granules was slower than the neat API and physical blend, beyond the expected residence time of the granules in the mouth. The ibuprofen release was inversely related to the granule size. A Noyes–Whitney dissolution model was used and the resulting dissolution rate constants correlated well with the granule size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth P. Forster
- Pharmaceutical Commercialization Technology, MMD, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - David B. Lebo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA;
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Ryckaert A, Stauffer F, Funke A, Djuric D, Vanhoorne V, Vervaet C, De Beer T. Evaluation of torque as an in-process control for granule size during twin-screw wet granulation. Int J Pharm 2021; 602:120642. [PMID: 33933640 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The potential of torque as in-process control (IPC) to monitor granule size in twin-screw wet granulation (TSG) was investigated. An experimental set-up allowing the collection of granules at four different locations (i.e., in the wetting zone, after the first and second kneading zone and at the end of the granulator) of the granulator screws was used to determine the change in granule size, granule temperature and the contribution of each compartment to the overall torque for varying screw speed, mass feed rate and liquid-to-solid ratio. The only observed correlation was between the granule size and torque increase after the first kneading zone because the torque increase was an indication of the degree in granule growth which was consistently observed with all applied granulation process parameters. No correlation was observed in the other locations as changes of torque were accompanied to either granule breakage and/or growth. Moreover, torque increase was correlated to higher granule temperature, suggesting that energy put into the granulator was partly used to heat up the material being processed and explains additionally the lack of correlation between granule size and torque. Therefore, this study showed that torque could not be used as IPC to monitor granule size during TSG.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ryckaert
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Process Analytical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical analysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - F Stauffer
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Process Analytical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical analysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - A Funke
- Chemical & Pharmaceutical Development, Pharma R&D, Bayer AG, Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 475, 42369, Wuppertal, Germany.
| | - D Djuric
- Chemical & Pharmaceutical Development, Pharma R&D, Bayer AG, Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 475, 42369, Wuppertal, Germany.
| | - V Vanhoorne
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutics Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - C Vervaet
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutics Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - T De Beer
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Process Analytical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical analysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
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Zhang Y, Liu T, Kashani-Rahimi S, Zhang F. A review of twin screw wet granulation mechanisms in relation to granule attributes. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2021; 47:349-360. [PMID: 33507106 DOI: 10.1080/03639045.2021.1879844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Due to the trend of continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing, twin screw wet granulation (TSWG), a continuous process, has gained increased research interest as a potential substitution of traditional batch granulation processes. Despite the complex nature of TSWG, its mechanisms have been gradually unveiled with the aid of innovative research strategies. This review synthesizes these recent findings to provide a comprehensive and mechanistic understanding of TSWG. We explain the impact of screw profiles (i.e. conveying, kneading, turbine mixing, and screw mixing elements) and process conditions (i.e. screw speed, feed rate, and liquid-to-solid ratio) on TSWG mixing performance and granule growth along the barrel, both of which ultimately affect critical granule attributes such as content uniformity, size distribution, strength, and compaction properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Tongzhou Liu
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Shahab Kashani-Rahimi
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Feng Zhang
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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Mundozah AL, Yang J, Omar C, Mahmah O, Salman AD. Twin screw granulation: A simpler re-derivation of quantifying fill level. Int J Pharm 2020; 591:119959. [PMID: 33039494 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The fill level is defined as the volume occupied by the powder and granules inside the twin-screw granulator in proportion to the maximum barrel channel void 'free' volume. In literature, the fill level is one of the key factors that determine the final granule properties as it relies on several factors such as the screw speed, screw element geometry, mass flow rate and barrel length. However, quantitative prediction of the fill level in twin-screw granulation (TSG) is still a developing area, which is required to enable effective development of process design space, to yield a product with desired quality attributes for all process scale levels (small to large equipment). In this study, a simple geometrical model is presented that predicts the barrel channel fill level in TSG. This model relates the volumetric flow rate to the forward volumetric conveying rate of the screws when they advance in the axial direction. Experimentation was conducted to validate the model by analytically measuring mass hold-up, the amount of material remaining in the barrel after steady state was reached, as the fill level is proportional to mass hold-up. Furthermore, the trends in the extent of granulation with the proposed model were investigated. Good agreement was found between the proposed fill level model and the mass hold-up for various screw elements, therefore the model provides a more practical measure of the fill level in TSG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aquino L Mundozah
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mapping Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
| | - Jiankai Yang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mapping Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
| | - Chalak Omar
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mapping Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
| | - Osama Mahmah
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mapping Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
| | - Agba D Salman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mapping Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK.
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