PurposeDevelopment of a method to assess the drug/polymer miscibility and stability of solid dispersions using a melt-based mixing method.MethodsAmorphous fractured films are prepared and characterized with Raman Microscopy in combination with Atomic Force Microscopy to discriminate between homogenously and heterogeneously mixed drug/polymer combinations. The homogenous combinations are analyzed further for physical stability under stress conditions, such as increased humidity or temperature.ResultsCombinations that have the potential to form a molecular disperse mixture are identified. Their potential to phase separate is determined through imaging at molecular length scales, which results in short observation time. De-mixing is quantified by phase separation analysis, and the drug/polymer combinations are ranked to identify the most stable combinations.ConclusionsThe presented results demonstrate that drug/polymer miscibility and stability of solid dispersions, with many mechanistic details, can be analyzed with Atomic Force Microscopy. The assay allows to identify well-miscible and stable combinations within hours or a few days.Electronic Supplementary MaterialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11095-010-0306-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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PurposeTo verify the robustness and fundamental value of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and AFM-based assays to rapidly examine the molecular homogeneity and physical stability of amorphous solid dispersions on Hot-Melt-Extrudates.MethodsAmorphous solid dispersions were prepared with a Hot-Melt Extruder (HME) and profiled by Raman Microscopy and AFM following a sequential analytical routine (Multi-Scale-Imaging-of-Miscibiliy (MIMix)). Extrudates were analyzed before and after incubation at elevated temperature and humidity. The data were compared with published results as collected on miniaturized melt models. The value of molecular phase separation rates for long term stability prediction was assessed.ResultsData recorded on the extrudates are consistent with those published, and they can be compared side by side. Such direct data comparisons allow the identification of possible sources of extrudate heterogeneities. The surface roughness analysis of fracture-exposed interfaces is a novel quantitative way to trace on the nanometer scale the efficiencies of differently conducted HME-processes. Molecular phase separation rates are shown to be relevant for long term stability predictions.ConclusionsThe AFM-based assessment of API:excipient combinations is a robust method to rapidly identify miscible and stable solid dispersions in a routine manner. It provides a novel analytical tool for the optimization of HME processes.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11095-013-1045-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

In situ attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier transform (FT) spectroscopy is presented as an adequate tool for studying molecular structure and function of biomembranes. In this article emphasis was directed to the production of suitable model bilayer membranes for optimum mimicking of natural biomembranes, and to special FTIR ATR techniques to achieve enhanced selectivity as well as time resolved information on complex membrane assemblies. In this context, the preparation of supported bilayers according to the LB/vesicle method is presented and the use of such model membranes to build more complex assemblies, e.g. with creatine kinase, a surface bound enzyme, and alkaline phosphatase, a membrane anchored enzyme. A comprehensive summary of equations used for quantitative ATR spectroscopy is given and applied to determine the surface concentration and orientation of membrane bound molecules. The use of supported bilayers for drug membrane interaction studies is demonstrated by the local anesthetic dibucaine. Besides of structural information's, such studies result also thermodynamic date, such as adsorption isotherm and partition coefficient. A special ATR setup for more precise background compensation is presented enabling the conversion of a single beam spectrometer into a pseudo double beam spectrometer. This optical component may be placed in the sample compartment of the spectrometer, and is referred to as single-beam-samplereference (SBSR) attachment. Finally, a short theoretical introduction into time resolved modulation spectroscopy is given. Temperature modulated excitation of reversible conformational changes in the polypeptide poly-L-lysine and the enzyme RNase are shown as examples.