This six-page article was published in the January 2006 issue of Pharmaceutical Technology. The article reviews HME process parameters and highlights three polymers in HME (polyethylene oxide, ethylcellulose and hypromellose) to help you select the appropriate polymer for your HME formulation.

This is an eleven page article, which was originally published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics. The purpose of this study was to develop a technique to enhance the dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs with Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (Hypromellose) without the use of solvent or heat addition.

This journal article, reprinted from a special insert on Tableting & Granulation from the October 1999 issue of Pharmaceutical Technology, details a study of the effects of roll compaction equipment scale-up on tablet robustness of a model matrix controlled-release formulation that contained hypromellose with theophylline as the model drug. The effects of scale-up from laboratory to pilot plant on granulation, tablet physical properties, and drug release of samples produced with roll compaction were compared with samples produced by direct compression.

This eight-page report was originally published in Pharmaceutical Technology magazine. The authors studied the effects of granulation technique and water addition levels on the physical properties of, and subsequent drug release from, tablets made from a controlled-release matrix formulation containing hypromellose and a high-dose, highly water-soluble drug (niacinamide). The results indicated that the level of water addition and the method of wet granulation (low shear versus high shear) had little effect on tablet physical properties and drug release. However, increasing levels of water addition resulted in increasing densification of granules. (March 1996)

Reprinted from Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, this 8-page article explores the effects of the lubricant magnesium stearate at different concentrations, mixing shear rates, and mixing times on the tablet properties and drug dissolution from controlled-release matrix tablets containing hypromellose 2208, USP, (METHOCEL K4M Premium). Studies were performed on diphenhydramine HCl and hydrochlorothiazide model drug formulations using spray-dried lactose and anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate as the model excipient/fillers. The article provides data on resulting particle size distributions, crush strengths, friabilities, and dissolution characteristics of the various formulations. (1995)

This paper describes a laboratory method used for determining the partial solubility parameters of five METHOCEL* and six ETHOCEL* cellulose ether products. These laboratory derived values extend the data base of solubility parameters that have been used to understand phenomena like film coating adhesion, and cohesive and adhesive forces between substrates and polymeric binders in wet granulation processes. The paper characterizes the cellulose ethers in terms of non-polar, polar, and hydrogen bonding behavior. (1992)

A 24-page technical article that details model studies for fluid bed granulation using METHOCEL Premium products as binders. Performance of METHOCEL Premium cellulosic polymers in three model systems is reported. Numerous charts portray granulation properties, dissolution rates, friability and hardness measures, and other results from tests on model formulations. (Last Printed January 2001)

This 28-page brochure reports on in-depth studies of the performance of various binder polymers in three model systems produced by low shear granulation. Polymers studied are methylcellulose, hypromellose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, povidones, acacia, and pregelatinized starch. The three model drug systems included acetaminophen (high-dose, low solubility), Vitamin C (high-dose, high solubility), and methazolamide (low-dose, low solubility). The study reports on many performance variables, including particle size distributions of the granulates, tablet hardnesses and friabilities, and tablet dissolution properties. (Last Printed May 1996)