Co-processing of small molecule excipients with polymers to improve functionality

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Polymers have various applications such as binder, film coating agent, stabilizer, drug release modification, and as primary packaging materials. Recently, they have been explored in co-processing technique to improve the functionality of small molecule excipients (SMEs). Co-processing is a concept wherein two or more excipients interact at sub-particle level to provide synergy in functionality and minimize drawbacks of individual excipients.

Area covered

The present review highlights the application of co-processing to improve the functionality of SMEs using polymers; physicochemical and mechanical properties of polymers for co-processing; advantages of co-processed excipients for different applications; functionality enhancement of co-processed excipients; novel concepts/methods for co-processing; mechanistic insights on co-processing and commercial products available in the market.

Expert opinion

Most of the SMEs do not possess optimal multifunctional properties like flow, compressibility, compactibility, and disintegration ability, required to compensate for poorly compactable drugs. Some of these drawbacks can be overcome by co-processing of SMEs with polymers. For example, co-processing of a brittle SME and plastic material (polymer) can provide a synergistic effect and result in the generation of single entity multi-functional excipient. Besides, novel co-processed excipients generated using combinations of SMEs and polymers can also generate intellectual property rights.

KEYWORDS:

• Small molecule excipients
• polymers
• co-processing
• co-processed excipients
• functionality

Article highlights

• Co-processing represents a simple, efficient and economical approach for the development of high-functionality excipients.

• Co-processing of SMEs with polymers is widely explored as evident by literature and marketed products.

• Polymer properties like molecular weight, particle size, mechanical, binding, disintegration and diluent as pharmaceutical excipient are discussed.

• Co-processing of SMEs with polymers is able to improve functionality such as compactibility, tabletability, compressibility, flow property, disintegration ability, content uniformity, controlled or sustained-release, palatability and stability.

• Current research findings, patents, and marketed products based on co-processing of SMEs with polymers are summarized.

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants, or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Acknowledgments

Prashantkumar K. Parmar would like to gratefully acknowledge Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship (RGNF, New Delhi, India) for providing Ph.D. Scholarship.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.