Dow and Colorcon roll out direct compression hypromellose
The product, Methocel DC Premium Grade, is an addition to the Methocel hypromellose range designed to enhance powder flowability during direct compression while retaining attributes key to controlled-release drug performance.
Dow said that the new product, which is produced at its facility in Michigan, is already being used in two drugs products that are commercially available in India, but did not provide additional information.
Methocel DC was developed as part of the controlled-release collaboration Dow and Colorcon formed in 2007, which sought to find more applications for Methocel and sister products Ethocel and Polyox.
Such work was a driver for the new grade’s development according to Dow Wolff Cellulosics’ global marketing director, Lucrece Foufopoulos, who explained that its attributes are much in demand among drug formulators.
She suggested that: “Direct compression is becoming the preferred option for tablet manufacturing as pharmaceutical companies look to offer more controlled release options to patients.”
The firm did not provide any supporting evidence for this trend, but did explain that direct compression eliminates the need for wet granulation which it said would reduces production timelines and cost.
Dow did not respond to in-Pharmatechnologist’s request for additional specific information ahead of publication deadlines.
The benefits of direct compression were also stressed by Colorcon formulation tech manager David Bain who said: “Helping formulators to achieve more, in less time, is a cornerstone of the Controlled Release Alliance."
Bain went on to say that the new hypromellose grade “opens up direct compression as a viable manufacturing option to a wider range of drugs, doses and customers.”
