Dow Pharma & Food Solutions, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company and Colorcon Inc., will present the next-generation METHOCEL DC2 polymer at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting and Expo in San Antonio, Texas from November 10 to 14, 2013. Designed to help the pharmaceutical industry shorten development time and lower manufacturing costs, the DOW-COLORCON Controlled Release Alliance supports pharmaceutical manufactures looking to switch to roller compaction and direct compression for matrix tablet applications.
“Our customers count on us to continually develop customized solutions to address their needs, help them remain competitive and support their growth,” said Dago Caceres, marketing leader, Dow Pharma & Food Solutions. “Our innovative solutions for tablet production will help drug companies save time and money,” he added.
Exceptional flow properties help lower manufacturing cost by up to 60 percent
METHOCEL DC2 will help manufacturers replace wet granulation in matrix tablet production, lowering manufacturing costs by as much as 60 percent, reducing waste, and shortening development time. Furthermore, direct compression methods offer better formulation options for heat- and moisture-sensitive active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Spheroidal particles and fewer fines
METHOCEL DC2 polymers deliver exceptional flow properties and process capability, as well as consistent modified-release performance for matrix formulations. They maintain the same viscosities, degrees of methoxyl and hydroxypropyl substitution, and other important properties of their CR grade equivalents while optimizing processability.
“Compared to METHOCEL CR, next generation METHOCEL DC2 notably improves the flow properties of powder blends, facilitating roller compaction and direct compression. Differences in morphology drive the improved flow,” explains Dr. True Rogers, technologies leader for Dow Pharma & Food Solutions. “Regarding processability, METHOCEL™ DC2 produces tablets exhibiting higher reproducibility in weight and hardness as well as more accurate and precise API content uniformity from tablet-to-tablet.”
A portfolio that meets US, European and Japanese pharmacopoeia specifications
Three direct compression grades of METHOCEL DC2 are now available: K100 LV, K4M and K100M, each chemically identical to current METHOCEL Premium products meeting the harmonized monograph specifications.
METHOCEL DC2 will be commercialized under the DOW-COLORCON Controlled Release Alliance. Dr Ali Rajabi-Siahboomi, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Colorcon Inc. adds, “this is a significant advancement in METHOCEL CR for matrix formulation, providing excellent functionality of the polymer with improved flow and mechanical properties. The CR Alliance will leverage Colorcon’s application specialists and global network of technical centers to bring this advancement to customers around the world.”
Controlled Release Alliance offers more resources than ever to accelerate pharmaceutical product development efforts and reach markets throughout the world, delivering the following customer benefits:
- Dow polymer chemistry expertise and manufacturing capability,
- Colorcon formulation expertise,
- Colorcon local technical support for trials, scale-up and troubleshooting,
- Colorcon global supply and logistics.