Investigating the Potential Plasticizing Effect of Di-Carboxylic Acids for the Manufacturing of Solid Oral Forms with Copovidone and Ibuprofen by Selective Laser Sintering

Abstract

In selective laser sintering (SLS), the heating temperature is a critical parameter for printability but can also be deleterious for the stability of active ingredients. This work aims to explore the plasticizing effect of di-carboxylic acids on reducing the optimal heating temperature (OHT) of polymer powder during SLS. First, mixtures of copovidone and di-carboxylic acids (succinic, fumaric, maleic, malic and tartaric acids) as well as formulations with two forms of ibuprofen (acid and sodium salt) were prepared to sinter solid oral forms (SOFs), and their respective OHT was determined. Plasticization was further studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Following this, the printed SOFs were characterized (solid state, weight, hardness, disintegration time, drug content and release). It was found that all acids (except tartaric acid) reduced the OHT, with succinic acid being the most efficient. In the case of ibuprofen, only the acid form demonstrated a plasticizing effect. DSC and FTIR corroborated these observations showing a decrease in the glass transition temperature and the presence of interactions, respectively. Furthermore, the properties of the sintered SOFs were not affected by plasticization and the API was not degraded in all formulations. In conclusion, this study is a proof-of-concept that processability in SLS can improve with the use of di-carboxylic acids.

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment and Pharmaceutical Validations of Directly Compressed versus Additively Manufactured Tablets

“…This allows predetermined and controlled release of drugs from sintered tablets. 36 Drug Content. The average drug content of DC and SLSmediated sintered tablets was found to be 90.06 ± 5.69 and 94.29 ± 6.29%, respectively.…”

Releasing fast and slow: Non-destructive prediction of density and drug release from SLS 3D printed tablets using NIR spectroscopy

“…Interestingly, previous studies have also shown that drug release from SLS 3D printed drug products can be controlled by varying the drug load ( Fina et al, 2017 ), excipient type and load ( Allahham et al, 2020 ; Gueche et al, 2021a ), printlet geometry ( Fina et al, 2018a ) and laser scanning speed of the process ( Barakh Ali et al, 2019 ; Fina et al, 2018b ; Gueche et al, 2021b ; Khuroo et al, 2022 ). Fina.…”

The Role of Roller Rotation Pattern in the Spreading Process of Polymer/Short-Fiber Composite Powder in Selective Laser Sintering

“…Selective laser sintering (SLS), one of the popular processes for manufacturing polymer materials in additive manufacturing technology, has continued to receive wide attention from the community in recent years [1,2]. In the polymer additive manufacturing process, polymer/fiber composite powder materials have attracted a lot of interest from scholars because fibers can significantly enhance the mechanical properties of the matrix material [3,4].…”