Two-piece capsules for Liquid-fill Formulations
Transcription
Two-piece capsules for Liquid-fill Formulations
LUFERCOMP QSA022 - 2006E Two-piece capsules for Liquid-fil l Formulations F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:1 23/2/06 14:16:02 Liquid-fill Applications An innovative solution for formulation challenges The changing nature of the NCE (New Chemical Entity) and NME (New Molecular Entity) that are being produced currently by the research groups in the pharmaceutical industry means that the formulator is faced with new challenges to produce effective products. Solid oral dosage forms (SODF) are the most popular for medicines because patients like their simplicity and ease of use. Thus the formulator needs to find ways in which to utilise their acceptability and at the same time devise new types of formulation. The hard two-piece capsule is the oral dosage form that is the most versatile, because it can be filled with formulations that have wide range of physical forms, from dry powders, through pellets to semi-solid matrices (SSM) and non-aqueous liquids. It is really a tool for the latest formulation technologies. Recent research to improve absorption of poorly soluble actives has focused on lipid systems: an application for which the hard capsule is well suited. 2 F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:2 23/2/06 14:16:08 Qualicaps manufactures a range of hard two-piece capsules with different shell formulations each designed for specific applications: Qualicaps® Gelatin capsules ❚ The standard gelatin capsules for liquid fill formulations compatible with many excipients. Qualicaps® PEG/Gelatin capsules ❚ First developed by Qualicaps in Japan, standard gelatin capsules containing 5% w/w Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) 4000 as an additional plasticizer. Suitable for slightly hygroscopic excipients. Quali-V® capsules ❚ The first hypromellose capsules to be produced with properties suitable for pharmaceutical applications. Compatible with a wide range of excipients. Made from non-animal materials with a lot of interesting properties for the liquid formulations. www.qualicaps.com F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:3 3 23/2/06 14:16:25 Liquid-fill Applications The pharmaceutics of liquid-filled capsules Liquid Formulation There are two types of liquid-fill formulations: 1) Liquids mobile at temperatures below 35°C: mixtures of oils and lipids and solutions or suspensions of actives in oils or lipids. 2) Liquids that are non-mobile solids below 35°C: are liquefied for filling by the use of heat, thermosoftening mixtures, or by the use of shear stress, thixotropic mixtures. In these semi-solid matrix formulations, the active is presented either in solution or as a suspension: in the former they are in a thermosoftening base, and in the latter in a liquid base to which viscosity modifying ingredients have been added. A formulation-tree (Chart 1) shows how SSM formulations are developed. Chart 1. Formulation selection based on the water solubility of the active. ACTIVE INGREDIENT ACTIVE PROPERTY GOOD SOLUBILITY POOR SOLUBILITY RELEASE REQUIRED STANDARD RELEASE PROLONGED RELEASE STANDARD RELEASE PROLONGED RELEASE NATURE OF FORMULATION HYDROPHILIC /NEUTRAL HYDROPHOBIC HYDROPHILIC HYDROPHOBIC /NEUTRAL EXCIPIENT PROPERTIES SSM: HLB>7 PEG >1500 SiO2 SSM: HLB<5 SSM: HLB >10 PEG >1500 SiO2 SSM: HLB 5-10 4 F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:4 23/2/06 14:16:36 This demonstrates that a range of release characteristics can be obtained by matching the solubility of the active to the properties of the excipients. For example, if a prolonged release product is required for a soluble active then the SSM formulation needs to be hydrophobic and an SSM base with an Hydrophilic/Lipophilic Balance (HLB) value less than 5 is required. The excipients used for this technology are widely used in pharmaceutical products and are well documented (Table 1). Table 1. Excipients used for liquid-fill hard capsules. MATERIAL TYPE EXAMPLES Natural oils Lipophilic liquids Propylene glycol laurate Glyceryl monolineate Glyceryl monooleate Arachis (groundnut), Castor, Cottonseed, Soybean Hydrogenated oils Medium chain triglycerides Caprylic/capric triglycerides Macrogols (Polyethylene Glycol) Macrogol Glycerides Arachis, Castor, Cottonseed, Maize (corn), Olive, Soybean, Sunflower Lauroglycol FCC Maisine 35-1 Peceol Bergabest, Captex 300 & 350, Labrafac CC, Miglyol 810 & 812, Myritol, Neobee M5, Nesatol, Waglinol 3/9280 Carbowax, Lipoxol, Lutrol E, Pluriol E Oleoyl-6, Linoleoyl-6, Caprylocaaproyl-8, Lauroyl-32, Stearoyl-32 Glyceryl esters of fatty acids Labrafil M 1944 CS, Labrafil M 2125 CS, Labrasol, Gelucire 44/14, Gelucire 50/13 Gelucire 33/01, 39/01, 43/01 Transcutol HP, Solubilizers, surfactants Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, Glyceryl monostearate, Polyglycerol-6 dioleate, Polyoxyethylene castor oil derivatives Viscosity enhancers Colloidal silicon dioxide Aerosil, Cab-O-Sil, Wacker HDK Imwitor, Plurol oleique CC497, Cremophor RH40 www.qualicaps.com F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:5 5 23/2/06 14:16:37 Liquid-fill Applications Equipment for Liquid Filling The liquid filling of hard capsules is done using volumetric pumps that give better dose uniformity than for powder-filled products. Equipment is available to fill hard capsules at all scales from the bench to full-scale production. Initial trials can be carried out using a hypodermic syringe, and the product produced will have the same properties as one filled on a high-speed automatic machine. Sealing of Capsules Certain liquid-filled hard capsules need to be sealed after filling to prevent the liquid leaking out. The sealing of capsules brings additional benefits to the encapsulated product because it reduces the amount of oxygen that can penetrate through the shell and interact with the formulation. It can retain within the shell any strong odours generated by the product. There is equipment available to carry out band-sealing on the bench-scale. Preparation of products on the small-scale can replicate filling on high-speed machines. Major Capsule Properties Less brittle Qualicaps® PEG/Gelatin and Quali-V® capsules were developed by Qualicaps to try and overcome the well-known problems of standard gelatin capsules associated with their water content. Water in a gelatin film acts as the plasticizer and when the moisture content of a capsule falls below its specification limit they become brittle. This can happen when capsules are exposed to low humidities during storage or if the formulation filled in to them is hygroscopic. 6 4 F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:6 23/2/06 14:16:37 Brittleness (% broken) Qualicaps® PEG/Gelatin capsules contain PEG 4000 as an additional plasticizer that allows their moisture content to fall to below about 10% without brittleness: Gelatin capsules become brittle at about 12% (see Figure 1). Quali-V® capsules are made from hypromellose and the water in their shell walls does not act as a 0%''ELATIN plasticizer. Thus if they lose water when they are exposed to low humidities during storage or if the formulation filled in to them is hygroscopic then they do not become brittle (see Figure 1). % moisture content Figure 1. The effect of capsule moisture content on brittleness of empty capsules: a comparison of capsule types. Test conditions: capsules stored in sealed bottles at 45°C, number of replicates = 5. Brittleness determined by dropping 50 g weight from 10 cm on to capsules placed on a flat anvil. This is of particular use because it extends the number of excipients that can be used in formulations. Several of the more useful ones are slightly hygroscopic. For example, the effects of slightly hygroscopic SSM excipients on the moisture content and brittleness are shown in (Figures 2 & 3). Figure 2 shows that both Qualicaps® Gelatin capsules and Quali-V® capsules lose equivalent amounts of water, when filled with the same SSM excipients. QUALICAPS® Gelatin capsules % moisture content % moisture content QUALI-V® capsules Time, weeks Time, weeks Figure 2. Effect of SSM fill materials on the moisture content of Qualicaps® Gelatin and Quali-V® capsules. Filled capsules stored in sealed bottles at 45°C, n=5. Moisture content determined by Karl Fischer. Redrawn from information in Nagata, S. and Tochio, S., Poster CRS meeting, Seoul, South Korea, 2002. www.qualicaps.com F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:7 7 5 23/2/06 14:16:37 Liquid-fill Applications % Brittleness Figure 3 shows that the Qualicaps® Gelatin capsules became extremely brittle over the course of this trial and the more water that was removed from the shells the more brittle they became. On the other hand, none of the Quali-V® capsules showed any signs of brittleness during this test. Time, Weeks Figure 3. Liquid-fill hard capsules, the effect of liquid-fill excipients and storage on Qualicaps® Gelatin capsule brittleness. Filled capsule stored in sealed bottles at 45°C, number of replicates = 5. Brittleness determined by dropping 50g weight from 10 cm on to capsules placed on a flat anvil. Redrawn from information in Nagata, S. and Tochio, S., Poster CRS meeting, Seoul, South Korea, 2002. Water Vapour and Gas Permeability Rate, g/m2 / 24hr: Thickness, microns The capsule shell wall is permeable to gases and water vapour. The stability of the formulation can be affected if components contained in the formulation are readily hydrolysed or oxidized. Figure 4. The rate of water vapour transmission through capsule shell films. Comparison of capsule types. Redrawn from data in Nagata, S., Drug. Del., Technol., 2002, 2(2), 34-39. 8 4 F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:8 23/2/06 14:16:39 This is an important consideration during formulation. The rate of which water vapour penetrates through the shell is different for Gelatin, PEG/Gelatin and Hypromellose capsules (Figure 4). The rate at which water diffuses through Quali-V® capsule films is about half of the rate for Qualicaps® Gelatin capsule films. In addition, Quali-V® capsules do not change their physical properties when exposed to low humidities. Thus, they are more suitable for products that are moisture sensitive because their water content can be reduced before filling. On the contrary, the rate at which gases such as oxygen penetrate through shell walls is about three fold slower for Qualicaps® Gelatin than for Quali-V® capsules (Table 2). Table 2. The rate of oxygen diffusion through capsule shell films: a comparison of capsules types. Films O2 concentration after 3 days Gelatin PEG/Gelatin Hypromellose 0.1% 0.0% 0.3% Data from Nagata, S., Shionogi Qualicaps, Co., Ltd, 1999. However, to put this into perspective it must be remembered that the bulk of the oxygen will enter the capsule through the gap between the cap and the body. Thus if the Quali-V® capsules are band-sealed, the amount penetrating into the capsule will be significantly reduced. If this amount is still a problem for the product then an anti-oxidant could be included in the formulation. Product-Shell Interaction When considering the potential for product-shell interactions, there is a significant difference between a powder-filled capsule and a liquid-filled capsule, because the contact area between the products and capsule shell is significantly greater in the case of the liquid-filled capsule. The types of interaction that can occur will be either partitioning or migration from the contents to the shell or vice-versa. These interactions are well documented for soft gelatin capsules. However, the potential for this to happen in a hard capsule is significantly less than for soft gelatin capsule because of the much smaller hydrophilic phase in the shell from which materials can migrate in to or out of. www.qualicaps.com F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:9 5 9 23/2/06 14:16:41 Liquid-fill Applications For example, consider the case of a size 0 capsule with a fill volume of about 0.7 ml, a hard gelatin capsule would have a hydrophilic phase of 15 mg, which is its moisture content, and a hypromellose capsule one of 5 mg. Whereas a soft gelatin capsule with the same fill volume would have a shell wall that is approximately 4 times as thick, weighing about 400 mg, and its hydrophilic phase, which is a mixture of water and plasticizer, would be about 150mg. Qualicaps® Gelatin capsules filled with liquid will react in a slightly different way to the ones filled with powder if the contents are hygroscopic, because the stresses will build up in a different way (Figure 5). RH inside cap dome Stresses caused by Cap shrinkage and Body expansion Body expansion by migration of fill Figure 5. Stress points for liquid-filled Qualicaps® Gelatin capsule. The filling capacity of a capsule for a liquid-fill product is approximately 90% of the powder capacity to avoid spillage of liquid during filling. In the case of a SSM formulation, the material will solidify in the body. This is in contrast to a powder-filled capsule where the material will be more evenly spread through out its internal space. Therefore in a SSM-filled capsule there will be an air space in the dome of the cap. If the RH in this space is reduced, water will be drawn from the cap, causing it to shrink on to the body. The stresses will increase if material migrates in the body shell causing it to swell slightly. The result of these stresses will bring a longitudinal split in the cap. 10 4 F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:10 23/2/06 14:16:41 Applications & Benefits of liquid-filled capsules Expand Product Development Possibilities The liquid-filled capsule provides a very flexible vehicle for the formulator to solve many of the challenges currently facing the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries: ❚ Improves the absorption of poorly soluble drugs through utilising lipid-based formulations. ❚ Makes easier the handling of toxic and potent actives in production areas. Once mixed in a SSM base, it prevents contamination of areas enabling operator-friendly environments to be created without great expense. Reduce Time for Product Development and for Scale-up Many of the formulations developed for liquid filling are simple mixtures of active plus excipient. It reduces the number of tests and process validations that have to be performed. Liquid formulations in hard capsules are typically easier to scale-up than other solid oral dosage forms because liquid systems are much less complex. They involve two steps, mixing and filling: the filling process is typically scaled-up just by using more pumps rather than by pumping faster. Thus products prepared on the small-scale will have the same properties as those filled on high-speed production machines. Give Good Product Appearance The two-piece capsule has always been regarded as a pharmaceutically elegant dosage form. Liquid-filled capsules bring an extra cachet to a product by their ability to make it eye-catching (Figure 6). Hard capsules can be bandsealed to give the possibility of adding a third colour to the product: thus giving it a more distinctive appearance with patient appeal and at the same time making it more difficult to copy. Figure 6. Liquid-filled capsule. www.qualicaps.com F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:11 11 5 23/2/06 14:16:41 Liquid-fill Applications For the Liquid-Fill applications Qualicaps recommends the following range: QUALICAPS® Gelatin capsules Our Gelatin two-piece capsules for liquid-fill formulations ❚ Compatible with a wide range of excipients for improving bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. ❚ Leak-proof capsules for liquid formulations with our patented bandsealing technology. ❚ Tamper evident capsule with our band-sealing technology ❚ Band-sealed penetration. capsules provide an excellent barrier to oxygen ❚ Can be filled with SSM formulations up to 70°C. QUALICAPS® PEG/Gelatin capsules Our Gelatin with PEG 4000 two-piece capsules for liquid-fill formulations ❚ Suitable for use with slightly hygroscopic excipients. ❚ Recommended for products that may be exposed to low humidity conditions. ❚ Leak-proof capsules for liquid formulations with our patented band sealing technology. ❚ Tamper-evident capsules with our band-sealing technology. ❚ Band-sealed penetration. capsules provide an excellent barrier to oxygen ❚ Can be filled with SSM formulations up to 70°C. 12 4 F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:12 23/2/06 14:16:42 QUALI-V® capsules Our hypromellose two-piece capsules for liquid-fill formulations ❚ Plant derived materials. ❚ Maintain shell mechanical strength at low moisture contents. ❚ Suitable for products with hygroscopic tendencies without the problem of shell brittleness. ❚ Extend the range of excipients that can be used for liquid-fills. ❚ Compatible with a wider range of excipients for improving bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. ❚ Leak-proof capsules for liquid formulations with our band-sealing technology. ❚ Tamper evident capsule with our band-sealing technology. ❚ Can be filled with SSM formulations up to 80°C. www.qualicaps.com F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:13 13 5 23/2/06 14:16:42 Liquid-fill Applications Liquid-filled capsules are an innovative solution for formulation challenges. The filling of liquids in to hard two-piece capsules has been known of since the 19th century. There has been a resurgence in the interest in using this simple technique because its provides a means of handling compounds that are difficult to formulate in terms of both stability and availability. Two types of liquid formulation can be used: those that are mobile at ambient temperatures and those that are solids (SSM). The excipients for liquid and SSM formulations have a wide range of chemical and physical properties. The choice is greater than for soft gelatin capsules because materials can be used with melting points higher than 35ºC. Hard two-piece capsules are now available made with shell formulations that are better adapted to liquid filling than the traditional gelatin shell capsules. Qualicaps® PEG/Gelatin capsules give an improved performance compared to the standard gelatin capsules in situations where its moisture content is reduced, i.e., when exposed to low humidities or filled with slightly hygroscopic formulations. Quali-V® hypromellose capsules are the premium grade of capsules for liquid filling because the problems of brittleness with gelatin based capsules, associated with water loss, do not occur. This means that a more extensive list of excipients is available for use to solve the formulator challenges. 14 4 F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:14 23/2/06 14:16:42 www.qualicaps.com F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec2:15 15 5 23/2/06 14:16:43 Qualicaps, Co., Ltd. 6505 Franz Warner Parkway Whitsett, NC 27377-9215 USA Tel: +1 336 449 3900 Fax: +1 336 449 3333 E-mail: info@qualicaps.com 321-5 Ikezawacho Yamatokoriyama Nara, 639-1032 Japan Tel: +81 743 56 0651 Fax: +81 743 56 5113 E-mail: contact@qualicaps.co.jp QSA022 - 2006E Qualicaps, Inc. Calle de la Granja, 49 28108 Alcobendas Spain Tel: +34 91 663 08 00 Fax: +34 91 663 08 30 E-Mail: contact@qualicaps.es LUFERCOMP Qualicaps Europe, S.A. www.qualicaps.com F4SHIO001_8p_liquid_3V2.indd Sec1:8 23/2/06 14:15:50