A perfect active pharmaceutical ingredient is one that performs well from R&D through tablet production. However, in real-world situations challenges are inevitable. Here, Jonathan Gaik, director, Natoli Scientific, looks at the critical issue of powder flow and how solving issues before production can reduce product performance issues later down the line.
flow
The ideal active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is one that flows well, is stable, self-lubricates, compacts well and is not strain rate sensitive. While all the listed properties are important, the one that continues to be critical is powder flow. Most challenges in the tabletting process initiate with or can be traced back to flow.