Copley Scientific has launched commercially available apparatus designed for dissolution testing of inhaled-drug formulations.
Based on a concept developed by Prof Jason McConville and his team at the College of Pharmacy, University of Texas, a NGI dissolution cup and membrane holder enables dissolution testing of size-fractionated particles selected from the emitted dose.
Employing analytical methodology based on established pharmacopoeial techniques for transdermal patches, it provides information that allows developers to more closely tailor inhaled-drug delivery.
The solution integrates conventional tablet-dissolution testing equipment within the Next Generation Impactor (NGI), a system used routinely for aerodynamic particle-size measurement to size fractionate a sample.
The NGI dissolution cup fits into a conventional NGI cup tray but has a 50mm removable insert in the impaction area, allowing the collection of particles lying in a specific size fraction.
The collected sample is tested in a dissolution tester using a procedure very similar to the 'Paddle over Disc' technique described in the pharmacopoeia for transdermal patches.
Copley Scientific offers a similar solution for use with the Andersen Cascade Impactor.
