With few potential blockbuster drugs within the pharma pipeline immediately and therefore the shrinking drug pipeline, many pharmaceutical companies are looking to expand their product portfolio from their existing molecules. the foremost common strategy is to expand into fixed-dose combination-based products which involves combining two or more existing molecules, during a single formulation. this will offer several advantages, such as, providing a synergistic therapeutic effect, a far better safety profile with fewer side effects, or a far better release profile. a number of these combinations offers multiple release profiles (where one drug could also be intended for immediate release and therefore the other for modified release or each of the constituent drug could also be designed for release at different locations within the alimentary canal .) Combination products can also help increase patient adherence by reducing pill burden.
Hard capsules in fixed-dose combinations
Developed within the 19th century, two-piece hard capsule has been a well-liked dosage form within the pharmaceutical industry and may be a suitable dosage form for delivering fixed-dose combinations (FDC) formulations. it's available in many sizes: standard hard capsules typically range as big as size 000 to as tiny as size 5 and may accommodate various fill volumes. To encapsulate additional fill volumes outside traditional sizes, some intermediate sizes called “elongated sizes” also exist. These typically have an additional 10% fill volume over the quality sizes to handle variations in density. Customised sizes also can be developed by capsule manufacturers if a selected formulation or delivery technology involves such engineering. the arrival of hypromellose (HPMC) capsules also makes it easy now to fill in hygroscopic/moisture-sensitive ingredients, which has been a challenge with traditional gelatine capsules.
Encapsulation of liquid combination
Combination capsule products have naturally evolved as a results of advancement in capsule filling technology. Beyond powder filling, today formulation scientists are able to do combination liquid filling in capsules. it's possible to combine beads and pellets with a liquid or insert small liquid filled capsules into larger liquid-filled capsules.
Technology and increased understanding of self-emulsifying drug delivery systems including advances in commercial filling equipment have reduced formulation difficulties. As a result, developing and commercialising combination products is simpler than ever and may benefit both patient and manufacturer.
Encapsulation of combinations for inhalation
Hard capsules are often used for inhalation delivery of medicine , where the capsule is punctured and therefore the patient inhales to facilitate the powder reaching the lungs. In capsuled-based dry powder inhalation technology, the utilization of a mixture therapy usually yields better results than employing a single ingredient. an honest example is that the mixture formoterol-budesonide. the only capsule combination of formoterol-budesonide appears to be more efficacious and safer than budesonide alone for the treatment of asthma.
As the use of pulmonary drug delivery as a non-invasive route for treating systemic diseases has garnered interest in recent times, combination inhalation therapy employing a simple delivery system like capsule-based DPI products are often considered an appropriate option.
Conclusion
FDCs provide ample opportunities to innovate oral solid dosage forms and capsules offers new drug delivery solutions by housing different product forms besides powders, like pellets, minitablets, capsules, liquids, and semi-solids. With the advancement in encapsulation technology, combination filling in capsules possesses simpler.
References
https://pharma-trends.com/2021/03/24/developing-fixed-dose-combinations-...