This week Freund-Vector and Grain Processing Corporation (GPC) received a patent related to  microspheres using Freund-Vector’s Granurex (GXR), the most powerful pellet/powder processor available in the market place.

Microspheres composed of inert or comestible materials are used in various industries.  In the pharmaceutical industry, microspheres are typically used for applications such as solid dosage delivery systems with coatings for controlled release formulas.  The microspheres can be used as the seed for drug layering and optional subsequent application of various coatings.  The coated microspheres can then be incorporated into the tablets, capsules, powders, suspensions or other dosage forms.

The following examples illustrate the use of starch and maltodextrin to create uniform, high density microspheres.

Example 1

Using a two-phased approach, microspheres were manufactured using the GRX Rotor Processor.  The microspheres created in the first phase were used as seeds for the powder layering process performed in the second phase.  The results of this experiment, as shown below, produced uniform, spherical granules.

Example 2

The results of the testing showed that the maltodextrin/starch microspheres behaved very similarly to the sugar/starch cores in the dry powder layering process.  The processes with both sets of cores had very efficient results and produced uniformly coated products.

 

Freund-Vector and GPC were able to show that the process was efficient at layering and producing very small non-reactive robust cones with superior characteristics for immediate and modified release multiarticulate products.

Congratulations to Brian Jensen, Shawn Engels, Susan Freers and Carrie Shipley for their efforts on bringing this patent to fruition.