Quantitative polymorph contaminant analysis in tablets using Raman and near infra-red spectroscopies

Identification and quantification techniques of polymorphic forms - A review

In the pharmaceutical industry, the unexpected appearance of crystalline forms could impact the therapeutic efficacy of an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API). For quality control, a thorough qualitative and quantitative monitoring of pharmaceutical solid forms is essential to ensure the detection and the quantification of crystalline forms, wither different or with the same chemical composition (polymorphs) at a low detection level. The purpose of this paper was to review and highlight the importance of choosing adequate solid-state techniques for detection and quantification APIs that present polymorphism - based on limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), pharmacopeias specifications, international guidelines and studies reported in the literature. To this study, the powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Infrared and Raman spectroscopies and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were the solid-state techniques analyzed. Additionally, the Argentine, Brazilian, British, European, International, Japanese, Mexican and the United States of America pharmacopeias were reviewed. Based on the analysis performed, the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques, as well as the LOD and LOQ values of APIs were reported. In comparison to these solid-state techniques, reference material used for identification analyses should be previously identified with the corresponding polymorph. Without this previous procedure, the patterns, the spectra, and DSC curves of the reference material can only be used to confirm the mixture of solid forms, not being able to specify which polymorphs are contained in the sample. A major advantage of PXRD is the use of the calculated diffraction patterns obtained from the Crystallographic Information Frameworks (CIFs) files which could be used as a reference pattern without any other information, assistance technique, or physical standards. Regarding the quantification aspect, different pharmacopeias suggest various methods such as the PXRD combining with Rietveld method, which can be used to obtain lower LOD values for minority phases in the mixture of different substances without the need for a calibration curve. Raman spectroscopy can detect polymorphs in small particles and solid-state NMR spectroscopy is a powerful technique for quantification not only crystalline but also crystalline-amorphous mixtures. Finally, this review intends to be a useful tool to control, with efficiency and accuracy, the polymorphism of APIs in pharmaceutical compounds.

Quantitative analysis of low-content impurity crystal forms in canagliflozin tablets by NIR solid-state analysis technique

Canagliflozin (CFZ) tablets was a commercially new class of anti-diabetic drug, CFZ had various anhydrate crystal forms and two hydrate crystal forms (Canagliflozin hemihydrate (Hemi-CFZ) and Canagliflozin monohydrate (Mono-CFZ) crystal form). The active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) of commercially available CFZ tablets were Hemi-CFZ, was easily convert to CFZ or Mono-CFZ under the influence of temperature, pressure, humidity and other factors in tablets processing, storage, and transportation, thus affected bioavailability and efficacy of tablets. Therefore, quantitative analysis of low-content CFZ and Mono-CFZ in tablets was essential to control tablets' quality. The main objective of this study was to explore the feasibility and in-depth explain its quantitative analysis mechanism of NIR for quantitative analysis of low-content CFZ/Mono-CFZ in CFZ tablets. PLSR models for low-content CFZ/Mono-CFZ were established by NIR solid-state analysis technique in different resolutions with different wavenumber regions combined with various pretreatments methods (such as Multiplicative Scatter Correction (MSC), Standard Normal Variate (SNV), Savitzky-Golay First Derivative (SG1st), Savitzky-Golay Second Derivative (SG2nd) and Wavelet Transform (WT)), and the PLSR models were verified. The feasibility of NIR spectroscopy for quantitative analysis of low-content CFZ and Mono-CFZ in CFZ tablets was discussed and analyzed from multiple perspectives, which included the distribution of effective information on the spectrum, the influence of resolution on PLSR models performance, the variance contribution/cumulative variance contribution of PLSR model principal components (PCs), the relation of PCI loadings, scores of the spectra and CFZ/Mono-CFZ content, and the mechanism of quantitative analysis was in-depth explained simultaneously. Eventually the most suitable PLSR models in 0.0000-10.0000 % w/w % obtained. That can provide theoretical support for quantitative analysis of low-content impurity crystal during the production, storage and transportation of CFZ tablets, thus provide reference methods for quality control of CFZ tablets and a reliable reference method for quantitative analysis of impurity crystal forms and quality control of similar drugs.

Hyper-spectra imaging analysis of PLGA microspheres via machine learning enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Long-acting injectables (LAI) offer a cost-effective and patient-centric approach by reducing pill burden and improving compliance, leading to better treatment outcomes. Among various types of long-acting injectables, poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres have been extensively investigated and reported in the literature. However, microsphere formulation development is still challenging due to the complexity of PLGA polymer, formulation screening, and processing, as well as time-consuming and cumbersome physicochemical characterization. A further challenge is the limited availability of drug substances in early formulation development. Therefore, there is a need to develop novel and advanced tools that can accelerate the early formulation development. In this manuscript, a novel comprehensive physicochemical characterization approach was developed by integrating Raman microscopy and the machine learning process. The physicochemical properties such as drug loading, particle size and size distribution, content uniformity/heterogeneity, and drug polymorphism of the microspheres can be obtained in a single run, without requiring separate methods for each attribute (e.g., liquid chromatography, particle size analyzer, thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction). This approach is non-destructive and can significantly reduce material consumption, sample preparation, labor work, and analysis time/cost, which will greatly facilitate the formulation development of PLGA microsphere products. In addition, the approach will potentially be beneficial in enabling automated high throughput screening of microsphere formulations.

Effects of wet granulation process variables on the quantitative assay model of transmission Raman spectroscopy for pharmaceutical tablets

Transmission Raman spectroscopy (TRS) is a process analytical technology tool for nondestructive analysis of drug content in tablets. Although wet granulation is the most used tablet manufacturing method, most TRS studies have focused on tablets manufactured via direct compression. The effects of upstream process parameter variations, such as granulation, on the prediction performance of TRS quantitative models are unknown. We evaluated the effects of process parameter variations during granulation on the prediction performance of the TRS quantitative model. Tablets with a drug concentration of 1%w/w were used. We developed PLS calibration models for the drug concentration range of 70-130% label claims. Subsequently, we predicted the drug content of the tablets with different granulation parameters. The results of our study demonstrate that the variation in the predicted recovery due to the variation in granulation parameters was practically acceptable. The calibration model showed a good prediction performance for tablets manufactured at different granulation scales and thicknesses. Therefore, we conclude that TRS quantitative models are robust to variations in upstream processes, such as granulation and downstream variations in tableting parameters. These results suggest that TRS is a versatile non-destructive quantitative analysis method that can be applied in tablet manufacturing.

Quantitative analysis of low content polymorphic impurities in canagliflozin tablets by PXRD, NIR, ATR-FITR and Raman solid-state analysis techniques combined with stoichiometry

Canagliflozin (CFZ) was a commercially new class of anti-diabetic drug, which had various anhydrate crystal forms and two hydrate crystal forms (Canagliflozin hemihydrate (Hemi-CFZ) and Canagliflozin monohydrate (Mono-CFZ) crystal form). Commercially available CFZ tablets' active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) was Hemi-CFZ, which was easy conversion to CFZ or Mono-CFZ under the influence of temperature, pressure, humidity and other factors in tablets processing, storage, and transportation, thus affected bioavailability and efficacy of tablets. Therefore, quantitative analysis low content of CFZ and Mono-CFZ in tablets was essential to control tablets' quality. The main objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD), Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR), Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and Raman for quantitative analysis the low content of CFZ or Mono-CFZ in ternary mixtures. PLSR calibration models for low content of CFZ and Mono-CFZ were established by the solid analysis techniques of PXRD, NIR, ATR-FTIR and Raman combined with various pretreatments (such as Multiplicative Scatter Correction (MSC), Standard Normal Variate (SNV), Savitzky-Golay First Derivative (SG^1st), Savitzky-Golay Second Derivative (SG^2nd) and Wavelet Transform (WT)), and the correction models were verified. However, compared with PXRD, ATR-FTIR and Raman, NIR due to its water sensitivity was the most suitable for the quantitative analysis low content of CFZ or Mono-CFZ in tablets. Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) model for quantitative analysis low content of CFZ in tablets was as follow: Y = 0.0480 + 0.9928 X, R² = 0.9986, LOD = 0.1596 %, LOQ = 0.4838 %, SG^1st + WT pretreated. And that of Mono-CFZ were Y = 0.0050 + 0.9996 X, R² = 0.9996, LOD = 0.0164 %, LOQ = 0.0498 %, MSC + WT pretreated and Y = 0.0051 + 0.9996 X, R² = 0.9996, LOD = 0.0167 %, LOQ = 0.0505 %, SNV + WT pretreated, respectively. That can be used for quantitative analysis of impurity crystal content in drug production to ensure drug quality.

Research progress on the application of spectral imaging technology in pharmaceutical tablet analysis

Tablet as a traditional dosage form in pharmacy has the advantages of accurate dosage, ideal dissolution and bioavailability, convenient to carry and transport. The most concerned tablet quality attributes include active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) contents and polymorphic forms, components distribution, hardness, density, coating state, dissolution behavior, etc., which greatly affect the bioavailability and consistency of tablet final products. In the pharmaceutical industry, there are usually industry standard methods to analyze the tablet quality attributes. However, these methods are generally time-consuming and laborious, and lack a comprehensive understanding of the properties of tablets, such as spatial information. In recent years, spectral imaging technology makes up for the shortcomings of traditional tablet analysis methods because it provides non-contact and rich information in time and space. As a promising technology to replace the traditional tablet analysis methods, it has attracted more and more attention. The present paper briefly describes a series of spectral imaging techniques and their applications in tablet analysis. Finally, the possible application prospect of this technology and the deficiencies that need to be improved were also prospected.

Quantitative analysis of blend uniformity within a Three-Chamber feed frame using simultaneously Raman and Near-Infrared spectroscopy

This study reports the use of Raman and Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to simultaneously monitor the drug concentration in flowing powder blends within a three-chamber feed frame. The Raman probe was located at the top of the dosing chamber, while the NIR probe was located at the top of the filling chamber. The Raman and NIR spectra were continuously acquired while the powder blends flowed through the feed frame. Calibration models were developed with spectra from a total of five calibration blends ranging in caffeine concentration among 3.50 and 6.50% w/w. These models were optimized to predict three test set blends of 4.00, 5.00, and 6.00% w/w caffeine. The results showed a high predictive ability of the models based on root mean square error of predictions of 0.174 and 0.235% w/w for NIR and Raman spectroscopic models, respectively. Concentration profiles with higher variability were observed for the Raman spectroscopy predictions. An estimate of the mass analyzed by each spectrum showed that a NIR spectrum analyzes approximately 4.5 times the mass analyzed by a Raman spectrum; despite these differences in the mass analyzed, blend uniformity results are equivalent between techniques. Variographic analysis demonstrated that both techniques have significantly low sampling errors for the real-time monitoring process of drug concentration within the feed frame.

Application of reverse engineering in the field of pharmaceutical tablets using Raman mapping and chemometrics

Raman micro-spectroscopy technique offers a combination of relatively high spatial resolution with identification of components or mixtures of components in different sample areas, e.g. on the surface or the cross-section of a sample. This study is focused on the analysis of the tablets from pharmaceutical development with different technological parameters: (1) the manufacturing technology, (2) the particle size of the input API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) and (3) the quantitative composition of the individual excipients. These three mentioned parameters represent the most frequently solved problems in the field of reverse engineering in pharmacy. The investigation aims to distinguish tablets with the above-described technological parameters with limited subjective steps by Raman microscopy. Furthermore, non-subjective methods of Raman data analysis using advanced statistical analysis have been proposed, namely Principal Component Analysis, Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogy and Linear Discriminant Analysis. The methods successfully distinguished and identified even very small differences in the analysed tablets within our study and provided objective statistic evaluation of Raman maps. The information on component and particle size distribution including their small differences, which is the critical parameter in the development of the original and generic products, was obtained due to combination of these methods. Even though each of these chemometric methods evaluates the data set from a different perspective, their mutual application on the problem of Raman maps evaluation confirmed and specified results on level that would be unattainable with the use of only one them.

Pharmaceutical application of multivariate modelling techniques: a review on the manufacturing of tablets

The tablet manufacturing process is a complex system, especially in continuous manufacturing (CM). It includes multiple unit operations, such as mixing, granulation, and tableting. In tablet manufacturing, critical quality attributes are influenced by multiple factorial relationships between material properties, process variables, and interactions. Moreover, the variation in raw material attributes and manufacturing processes is an inherent characteristic and seriously affects the quality of pharmaceutical products. To deepen our understanding of the tablet manufacturing process, multivariable modeling techniques can replace univariate analysis to investigate tablet manufacturing. In this review, the roles of the most prominent multivariate modeling techniques in the tablet manufacturing process are discussed. The review mainly focuses on applying multivariate modeling techniques to process understanding, optimization, process monitoring, and process control within multiple unit operations. To minimize the errors in the process of modeling, good modeling practice (GMoP) was introduced into the pharmaceutical process. Furthermore, current progress in the continuous manufacturing of tablets and the role of multivariate modeling techniques in continuous manufacturing are introduced. In this review, information is provided to both researchers and manufacturers to improve tablet quality.

Calibration transfer between modelled and commercial pharmaceutical tablet for API quantification using backscattering NIR, Raman and transmission Raman spectroscopy (TRS)

Backscattering NIR, Raman (BSR) and transmission Raman spectroscopy (TRS) coupled with chemometrics have shown to be rapid and non-invasive tools for the quantification of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) content in tablets. However, the developed models are generally specifically related to the measurement conditions and sample characteristics. In this study, a number of calibration transfer methods, including DS, PDS, DWPDS, GLSW and SST, were evaluated for the spectra correction between modelled tablets produced in the laboratory and commercial samples. Results showed that the NIR and BSR spectra of commercial tablet corrected by DWPDS and PDS, respectively, enabled accurate API predictions with the high ratio of prediction error to deviation (RPD_P) values of 2.33 and 3.03. The most successfully approach was achieved with DS corrected TRS data and SiPLS modelling (161 variables) and yielded RMSE_P of 0.72 %, R²_P of 0.946 and RPD_P of 4.35. The proposed calibration transfer strategy offers the opportunities to analyse samples produced in different conditions; in the future, its implication will find extensively process control and quality assurance applications and benefit all possible users in the entire pharmaceutical industry.

Low-frequency Raman spectrophotometer with wide laser illumination on the sample: A tool for pharmaceutical analytical analysis

This work describes an optical configuration for a Raman spectrophotometer, which permits variation of the laser spot size from 3 to 3000 μm, maintaining a high Raman photons throughput and allowing acquisitions with a short integration time. In addition, the instrument can acquire spectra from the low to middle frequency vibrational range (10 to 2000 cm^-1), on the Stokes and anti-Stokes sides. One of the features of this new optical configuration is the non-use of beam splitters to redirect the scattered light to the detector, which would sacrifice the laser power. The quantitative and qualitative analytical performances of the Raman spectrophotometer were evaluated using chemometric models to predict the concentrations of different active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in mixtures with polymorphs and excipients, as well as by analysis of an API mixture employing hyperspectral imaging. This new optical configuration was shown to be versatile for pharmaceutical purposes and could be used in applications such as the characterization of new drugs or the quality control of raw materials and processes, using normal Raman measurements or SERS (surface-enhanced Raman scattering).

Pharmaceutical Cocrystal Formation of Pyrazinamide with 3-Hydroxybenzoic Acid: A Terahertz and Raman Vibrational Spectroscopies Study

Vibrational modes of pyrazinamide (PZA), 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (3-hBA), and their cocrystal were characterized using terahertz time-domain (THz-TDS) and Raman vibrational spectroscopic techniques. In experimental THz spectra, the cocrystal has characteristic absorption bands at around 0.81, 1.47, and 1.61 THz, respectively, meanwhile the raw materials are absolutely different in this region. Raman spectra also show similar results about differences between the cocrystal and corresponding starting parent materials. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to simulate both optimized structures and vibrational modes of the cocrystal formed between PZA and 3-hBA. The vibrational modes of such cocrystal are assigned through comparing the simulation DFT frequency results with experimental vibrational spectra. The calculation of the theoretical THz spectrum shows that the hydrogen bonding effect established between H11⁻N12⁻H13 and the carboxyl group -COOH makes contributions to the formation of absorption peaks in 0.49, 0.62, 0.83, and 1.61 THz, which agrees pretty well with experimental results. The theoretical Raman result also matches well with experimental observations. The results provide a fundamental benchmark for the study of pharmaceutical cocrystal formation and also inter-molecular hydrogen bonding interactions between active pharmaceutical ingredients and various cocrystal coformers based on Raman and terahertz vibrational spectroscopic techniques combined with theoretical simulations.

Investigation into tautomeric polymorphism of 2-thiobarbituric acid using experimental vibrational spectroscopy combined with DFT theoretical simulation

Vibrational modes of 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) tautomeric polymorphs (form I, II and IV) were characterized by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and Raman spectral techniques. The experimental results indicate that both vibrational spectroscopy techniques could be used to recognize the above TBA three tautomeric forms clearly. Experimental THz spectral results show that each of TBA tautomeric polymorphs has distinctive fingerprint peaks in the terahertz region. Raman spectra also show similar results about differences of TBA tautomeric polymorphs, but not significant as that of terahertz spectra since Raman-active vibrational modes are mostly from intra-molecular interaction of various functional groups within the specific molecule while that of terahertz region is more sensitive to inter-molecular interaction within crystalline unit cells. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) was used to simulate the optimized structures and vibrational modes of these three TBA tautomeric forms above. The characteristic vibrational modes of TBA polymorphs are assigned comparing the simulated DFT results with experimental vibrational spectra. The results provide fundamental benchmark for the study of pharmaceutical polymorphism based on both Raman and terahertz vibrational spectroscopic techniques combined with theoretical simulations.

Rapid quantitation of atorvastatin in process pharmaceutical powder sample using Raman spectroscopy and evaluation of parameters related to accuracy of analysis

The purpose of this study was to determine the atorvastatin (ATV) content in process pharmaceutical powder sample using Raman spectroscopy. To establish the analysis method, the influence of the type of Raman measurements (back-scattering or transmission mode), preparation of calibration sample (simple admixing or granulation), sample pre-treatment (pelletization), and spectral pretreatment on the Raman spectra was investigated. The characteristic peak of the active compound was more distinctively detected in transmission Raman mode with a laser spot size of 4mm than in the back-scattering method. Preparation of calibration samples by wet granulation, identical to the actual manufacturing process, provided unchanged spectral patterns for the in process sample, with no changes and/or shifts in the spectrum. Pelletization before Raman analysis remarkably improved spectral reproducibility by decreasing the difference in density between the samples. Probabilistic quotient normalization led to accurate and consistent quantification of the ATV content in the calibration samples (standard error of cross validation: 1.21%). Moreover, the drug content in the granules obtained from five commercial batches were reliably quantified, with no statistical difference (p=0.09) with that obtained by HPLC assay. From these findings, we suggest that transmission Raman analysis may be a fast and non-invasive method for the quantification of ATV in actual manufacturing processes.

Discrimination and quantification of sulfathiazole polytypes using low-frequency Raman spectroscopy

Low-frequency Raman spectroscopy has advantage to discriminate and quantify polymorphs where common 2D superstructures are piled up with different mode.

Development of an analytical method for crystalline content determination in amorphous solid dispersions produced by hot-melt extrusion using transmission Raman spectroscopy: A feasibility study

The development of a quantitative method determining the crystalline percentage in an amorphous solid dispersion is of great interest in the pharmaceutical field. Indeed, the crystalline Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient transformation into its amorphous state is increasingly used as it enhances the solubility and bioavailability of Biopharmaceutical Classification System class II drugs. One way to produce amorphous solid dispersions is the Hot-Melt Extrusion (HME) process. This study reported the development and the comparison of the analytical performances of two techniques, based on backscattering and transmission Raman spectroscopy, determining the crystalline remaining content in amorphous solid dispersions produced by HME. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression were performed on preprocessed data and tended towards the same conclusions: for the backscattering Raman results, the use of the DuoScan™ mode improved the PCA and PLS results, due to a larger analyzed sampling volume. For the transmission Raman results, the determination of low crystalline percentages was possible and the best regression model was obtained using this technique. Indeed, the latter acquired spectra through the whole sample volume, in contrast with the previous surface analyses performed using the backscattering mode. This study consequently highlighted the importance of the analyzed sampling volume.

Chemometrics-assisted solid-state characterization of pharmaceutically relevant materials. Polymorphic substances

Current regulations command to properly characterize pharmaceutically relevant solid systems. Chemometrics comprise a range of valuable tools, suitable to process large amounts of data and extract valuable information hidden in their structure. This review aims to detail the results of the fruitful association between analytical techniques and chemometrics methods, focusing on those which help to gain insight into the characteristics of drug polymorphism as an important aspect of the solid state of bulk drugs and drug products. Hence, the combination of Raman, terahertz, mid- and near- infrared spectroscopies, as well as instrumental signals resulting from X-ray powder diffraction, ¹³C solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and thermal methods with quali-and quantitative chemometrics methodologies are examined. The main issues reviewed, concerning pharmaceutical drug polymorphism, include the use of chemometrics-based approaches to perform polymorph classification and assignment of polymorphic identity, as well as the determination of given polymorphs in simple mixtures and complex systems. Aspects such as the solvation/desolvation of solids, phase transformation, crystallinity and the recrystallization from the amorphous state are also discussed. A brief perspective of the field for the next future is provided, based on the developments of the last decade and the current state of the art of analytical instrumentation and chemometrics methodologies.

Raman spectroscopy as a process analytical technology for pharmaceutical manufacturing and bioprocessing

Adoption of Quality by Design (QbD) principles, regulatory support of QbD, process analytical technology (PAT), and continuous manufacturing are major factors effecting new approaches to pharmaceutical manufacturing and bioprocessing. In this review, we highlight new technology developments, data analysis models, and applications of Raman spectroscopy, which have expanded the scope of Raman spectroscopy as a process analytical technology. Emerging technologies such as transmission and enhanced reflection Raman, and new approaches to using available technologies, expand the scope of Raman spectroscopy in pharmaceutical manufacturing, and now Raman spectroscopy is successfully integrated into real-time release testing, continuous manufacturing, and statistical process control. Since the last major review of Raman as a pharmaceutical PAT in 2010, many new Raman applications in bioprocessing have emerged. Exciting reports of in situ Raman spectroscopy in bioprocesses complement a growing scientific field of biological and biomedical Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy has made a positive impact as a process analytical and control tool for pharmaceutical manufacturing and bioprocessing, with demonstrated scientific and financial benefits throughout a product’s lifecycle.

Processing-induced-transformations (PITs) during direct compression: impact of compression speeds on phase transition of caffeine

For pharmaceutical industry, understanding solid-phase transition of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) induced by the manufacturing process is a key issue. Caffeine was chosen as a model API since it exhibits a polymorphic transformation during tableting. This study investigated the impact of the compression speed on the phase transition of anhydrous Form I (CFI) into Form II. Tablets were made from pure CFI and binary mixtures of CFI/microcrystalline cellulose, with an electric press well instrumented at three different compression speeds (50, 500 and 4500 mm min(-1)). For each velocity of the mobile punch studied, tablets made from three compression pressures (50, 100 and 200 MPa) were analyzed. The determination of the CFI transition degree was performed using a Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The CFI transition degree was monitored during three months in order to obtain the transformation profile of the API in tablets and in uncompressed powder. The modeling of the profile with a stretched exponential kinetic law (Johnson-Mehl-Avrami model) was used for the identification of the transition mechanism. The direct compression process triggered the polymorphic transformation in tablet when a sufficient compression pressure is applied. The velocity of the punch did neither impact the transition degree just after compression nor the transformation profile. The transition mechanism remained driven by nucleation for several operating conditions. Consequently, the punch velocity is not a decisive process parameter for avoiding such phase transition in tableting. As already observed, the compression pressure did not influence the transition whatever the compression speed and the velocity.

Comprehensive quantification of tablets with multiple active pharmaceutical ingredients using transmission Raman spectroscopy--a proof of concept study

Transmission Raman spectroscopy is a potent new tool for content uniformity testing in pharmaceutical manufacturing enabling rapid bulk sampling of a material by non-destructive means. In this proof-of-concept study, we present, for the first time, comprehensive quantification of all the constituents in a set of tablets consisting of 5 components (3 APIs and 2 excipients) by this method. The nominal concentration of individual components ranged from 1 to 85% (w/w). Two multivariate partial least-squares approaches have been used to calibrate concentration models consisting of 40 handmade tablets covering 20 sample points. These models successfully predicted all the components in a set of 10 validation tablets covering 5 different sample points. A single model for all components (PLS2) and 5 individual models each optimised for one component (PLS1) performed similarity and have been used to demonstrate that specificity of prediction has been achieved through using a multifactor orthogonal DoE for sample preparation. The ability to determine multiple analyte concentrations in one single measurement further establishes this procedure and its benefits for assay and content uniformity testing.

Raman spectroscopy in pharmaceutical product design

Almost 100 years after the discovery of the Raman scattering phenomenon, related analytical techniques have emerged as important tools in biomedical sciences. Raman spectroscopy and microscopy are frontier, non-invasive analytical techniques amenable for diverse biomedical areas, ranging from molecular-based drug discovery, design of innovative drug delivery systems and quality control of finished products. This review presents concise accounts of various conventional and emerging Raman instrumentations including associated hyphenated tools of pharmaceutical interest. Moreover, relevant application cases of Raman spectroscopy in early and late phase pharmaceutical development, process analysis and micro-structural analysis of drug delivery systems are introduced. Finally, potential areas of future advancement and application of Raman spectroscopic techniques are discussed.

Raman and terahertz spectroscopical investigation of cocrystal formation process of piracetam and 3-hydroxybenzoic acid

Cocrystallization can improve physical and chemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredient, and this feature has great potential in pharmaceutical development. In this study, the cocrystal of piracetam and 3-hydroxybenzoic acid under grinding condition has been characterized by Raman and terahertz spectroscopical techniques. The major vibrational modes of individual starting components and cocrystal are obtained and assigned. Spectral results show that the vibrational modes of the cocrystal are different from those of the corresponding parent materials. The dynamic process of such pharmaceutical cocrystal formation has also been monitored directly with Raman and THz spectra. The formation rate is pretty fast in first several 20 min grinding time, and then it becomes slow. After ∼35 min, such process has been almost completed. These results offer us the unique means and benchmark for characterizing the cocrystal conformation from molecule-level and also provide us rich information about the reaction dynamic during cocrystal formation process in pharmaceutical fields.

Vibrational spectroscopic study of polymorphism and polymorphic transformation of the anti-viral drug lamivudine

Vibrational spectra of hydrated and anhydrous lamivudines, and also the dynamic process of polymorphic transformation have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopic techniques. The vibrational modes of both polymorphic lamivudines are assigned. FT-IR and Raman spectral results show that the interaction between crystalline water and lamivudine molecular has an important effect on the molecular vibration motions of polymorphic lamivudines. The two characteristic Raman peaks at 783 and 798 cm(-1) represent hydrated and anhydrous lamivudine respectively. The relationship between changes of two characteristic peak normalized areas and heating time could be fitted with single exponential functions, and the dynamic information of polymorphic transformation of lamivudine drug is obtained. The decay rate of characteristic peak for hydrated lamivudine and the growth rate of that for anhydrous lamivudine are consistent during dehydration transformation process. The reported results provide us important benchmark for qualitatively monitoring different polymorphic drugs and also establishing the corresponding model for the polymorphic transformation of drugs in related pharmaceutical research fields.

DFT computational analysis of piracetam

Density functional theory calculation with B3LYP using 6-31G(d,p) and 6-31++G(d,p) basis set have been used to determine ground state molecular geometries. The first order hyperpolarizability (β0) and related properties (β, α0 and Δα) of piracetam is calculated using B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) method on the finite-field approach. The stability of molecule has been analyzed by using NBO/NLMO analysis. The calculation of first hyperpolarizability shows that the molecule is an attractive molecule for future applications in non-linear optics. Molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) at a point in the space around a molecule gives an indication of the net electrostatic effect produced at that point by the total charge distribution of the molecule. The calculated HOMO and LUMO energies show that charge transfer occurs within these molecules. Mulliken population analysis on atomic charge is also calculated. Because of vibrational analysis, the thermodynamic properties of the title compound at different temperatures have been calculated. Finally, the UV-Vis spectra and electronic absorption properties are explained and illustrated from the frontier molecular orbitals.

PAT for tableting: inline monitoring of API and excipients via NIR spectroscopy

This paper describes the application and implementation of inline NIR spectroscopy in an industrial tablet press. The content uniformity of a powder was analyzed via a NIR probe mounted on the feed frame. A PLS model with four latent variables (R(2)=0.97, Q(2)=0.95) was developed for the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and two main excipients (EX1, EX2), according to the mixture DoE. The RMSEP corresponded to the relative errors of 2.7% for API, 1.7% for EX1 and 2.6% for EX2, compared to the nominal formulation. Transfer of the model, from the lab to an inline setup for manufacturing was achieved using local centering. There was a good agreement between the results of inline NIR and drawn tablets analyzed via UV-Vis. Notably, NIR indicated stochastic segregation behavior of the powder toward the end of the process, which was confirmed by the UV-Vis analysis. The outcome of our work was related to the recently published Ph. Eur. chapter 2.9.47 "Demonstration of uniformity of dosage units using large sample sizes".