Pore-Forming Agents in Osmotic Pump Membranes

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Solution Overview

Problem

The preparation of controlled osmotic pump tablets using laser drilling is costly, labor-intensive, and prone to errors, leading to low yield and high production costs due to the need for expensive equipment and manual screening of unqualified tablets.

Innovation Solution

The development of controlled porous osmotic pump tablets that do not require laser drilling, achieved by incorporating a suitable quantity of pore-forming agents into the semipermeable membrane, simplifying the preparation process and reducing production costs, while utilizing the solubility and permeability of drugs like venlafaxine and metoprolol to facilitate controlled drug release.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If laser drilling is used to prepare controlled osmotic pump tablets, then a single aperture can be formed for drug release, but the production cost increases significantly due to expensive equipment and manual screening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrug release controlVSAvoidproduction cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies porous materials by incorporating pore-forming agents (such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, or silicon dioxide) into the semipermeable membrane coating. During tablet formation, these agents create multiple micropores that allow drug release without requiring laser drilling. This resolves the contradiction by eliminating expensive equipment while maintaining controlled drug release through the porous structure of the membrane.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical laser drilling system with a chemical/physical approach during tablet compression. The pore-forming agents react or dissolve during the compression process to create apertures automatically, substituting the complex laser drilling mechanism with a simpler chemical reaction-based pore formation that occurs during normal tablet manufacturing.

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

2Manufacturing precision

If laser drilling is used to create apertures in semipermeable membranes, then drug release can be controlled, but labor intensity increases due to manual screening of unqualified tablets

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaperture formationVSAvoidlabor intensity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by designing a system where the tablet compression process itself creates the necessary apertures through the pore-forming agents. The compression force causes the pore-forming agents to create micropores automatically during tablet formation, eliminating the need for subsequent laser drilling and manual screening operations. The system serves itself by integrating aperture creation into the basic tablet manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If traditional osmotic pump tablets are prepared with drilling, then the structure is simple, but the production period is long due to multiple procedures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetablet structureVSAvoidproduction period
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the aperture creation step with the tablet compression step by incorporating pore-forming agents into the semipermeable membrane. Instead of separately drilling apertures after tablet formation, the pore-forming agents create the necessary channels during compression itself. This combines multiple procedures into one, significantly reducing the production period while maintaining the simple osmotic pump structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 approach eliminates the need for expensive laser drilling equipment, reduces labor intensity, increases production reliability, and enhances safety by ensuring consistent drug release through multiple pores, avoiding issues associated with single-pore drilling.

Implementation Method 1

the semipermeable membrane comprises a film-forming material and a pore-forming agent; the semipermeable membrane comprises the pore-forming agent in an amount of 20-45%, preferably 25-35%, by weight of the semipermeable membrane

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPorosity: Porosity

Implementation Method 2

controlled porous osmotic pump tablet and the preparation method thereof

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOsmotic pressure: Osmotic Pressure

Data Source

PatentEP2679220B1Controlled porous osmotic pump tablet and the preparation method thereof
Publication Date: 2019.08.21 COSCI MED TECH CO LTD
  • EP2679220B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2679220B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2679220B1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention relates to controlled porous osmotic pump tablets of high permeable drugs and the preparation process thereof. The controlled porosity osmotic pump tablets do not need to be drilled by laser, but provides controlled porosity for drug release by adding a suitable quantity of pore-forming agents into the semipermeable membrane. In specific embodiments, the present invention relates to controlled porous osmotic pump tablets comprising venlafaxine or metoprolol or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.