Particle formation in spray drying of Amorphous Solid Dispersions: a challenge for soft matter physics*

In this presentation we discuss the mathematical modeling of the various concurrent physical phenomena that a polymer solution with an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) undergo prior to forming an amorphous solid dispersion particle, such as atomization, co-solvent evaporative dynamics, propensity for phase separation and shell formation. We show a set of case studies comparing computational predictions against data from spray drying experiments.
The motivation of the work is to support the development of Amorphous Solid Dispersion powders of poorly water soluble APIs in hydrophilic polymeric matrices which is a commonly used strategy to increase the solubility and dissolution rate of oral-dosage forms. However, successful development of amorphous solid dispersions for optimal performance and stability depends on both the formulation (e.g. drug load, polymer system and surfactants) and on the manufacturing technology/process conditions. Optimizing the formulation and the process requires extensive laboratory work, which is often compromised by time and cost constraints. Therefore the ability to perform virtual experiments is highly advantageous and cost-effective. .