ISP discusses solvent selection and solids in spray drying

Solvent selection and solid loading are critical to optimising the spray drying process and unlocking its solubility-enhancing properties for drug production according to a new report by ISP Pharmaceuticals.

Lead author Tim Bee told in-pharmatechnologist.com that these criteria are key to helping formulators match the solubility of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and polymer they are working with and hence to the formation of the desired solid dispersion.

Dr Bee explained that, in general, APIs with poor water solubility also have poor solvent solubility “So fining a solvent that works well for the API that also works well for the polymer is a particular challenge.”

Dr Bee and colleagues will be discussing these and other findings at the Controlled Release Society’s product development forum next week.