Direct Compression Tablet Manufacturing via Liquid Injection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional granulation techniques for manufacturing compressed tablets with multiple pharmaceutically active agents are complex and costly, especially when dealing with small doses, as they require multiple blending steps and can result in non-uniform distribution of active agents, making it difficult to achieve precise dosing and efficient production.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the injection of a liquid drug composition containing the pharmaceutically active agent into a die cavity, where it contacts a powder carrier, allowing for direct compression to form a tablet, which enables improved content uniformity and efficient production of tablets with precise dosing, particularly for small quantities of active agents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional granulation techniques are used to manufacture tablets with multiple pharmaceutically active agents, then the tablets can be produced with acceptable formulation flexibility, but the production complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveformulation flexibilityVSAvoidproduction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical state parameter of the active agent from solid powder to liquid solution. This parameter change eliminates the need for complex granulation processes while maintaining formulation flexibility, as liquid solutions can be directly compressed into tablets without requiring multiple blending steps or granulation equipment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the active agent from its traditional solid powder form and delivers it in liquid solution form directly into the die cavity. This extraction of the active agent from the complex granulation process simplifies the overall manufacturing process while maintaining the ability to produce tablets with multiple active agents

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Quantity of substance

If traditional granulation techniques are used for small dose pharmaceutically active agents, then the agents can be incorporated into tablets, but the content uniformity becomes difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmall dose incorporationVSAvoidcontent uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the concentration parameter by delivering the active agent in liquid solution form rather than dispersed powder. This allows for precise control of the amount of active agent delivered to each tablet, achieving superior content uniformity even for very small doses, as the liquid solution can be metered with high precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the mechanical blending and granulation system with a liquid injection system. This substitution eliminates the variability inherent in mechanical mixing of small quantities of powder, providing consistent and uniform distribution of the active agent throughout the tablet matrix

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple blending steps are performed to achieve uniform distribution of small dose agents, then content uniformity improves, but the production time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent uniformityVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the manufacturing process by delivering the active agent in liquid solution form directly into the die cavity, separate from the tablet base material. This segmentation eliminates the need for multiple blending steps, as the liquid active agent is precisely deposited and then compressed with the powder in a single step, improving production efficiency while maintaining content uniformity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method ensures uniform distribution and precise dosing of active agents, reduces production complexity and costs, and allows for rapid changes between different tablet formulations using a simple direct compression process.

Implementation Method 1

injecting a liquid drug composition containing the pharmaceutically active agent into the die cavity such that the liquid drug composition contacts the powder

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

compressing the combination of the powder and the liquid drug composition within the die cavity to form the tablet

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentUS8357395B2Manufacture of tablet
Publication Date: 2013.01.22 KENVUE BRANDS LLC

AI summary

The present invention features a method of manufacturing a tablet containing a pharmaceutically active agent by the steps of: (a) adding a powder containing a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier to a die cavity; (b) injecting a liquid drug composition containing the pharmaceutically active agent into the die cavity such that the liquid drug composition contacts the powder; (c) compressing the combination of the powder and the liquid drug composition within the die cavity to form the tablet; and (d) removing the tablet from the die cavity.