The importance of roller compaction in the pharmaceutical industry has been growing recently, especially because it is a simple, environmentally friendly, and economically efficient technology that is suitable for moisture- and temperature-sensitive active pharmaceutical ingredients. Due to its advantages, it is reasonable to utilize it in manufacturing hypromellose-based matrix tablets. This doctoral dissertation studied the influence of formulation factors (hypromellose content, filler-type lactose, and microcrystalline cellulose), process parameters of roller compaction (compression force and roll speed), milling of ribbons (type of mill: oscillating, conical, or hammer mill; milling speed; and size of screen apertures), and tableting (hardness) on granule properties (particle size distribution or PSD, porosity, friability, hardness, and shape), the properties of compression mixtures (compressibility and compactibility), and the release of carvedilol from hypromellose-based matrix tablets. The dissertation also investigated use of the spatial filtering technique (SFT) in monitoring the PSD of the granulate. It confirmed good correlation of SFT results and the results of conventional methods. The data obtained have also been assessed with multivariate data analysis tools, and models have been developed for predicting key properties of granules and drug release from tablets. The models for PSD showed good predictive value for d50 and d90 values in real time, which confirmed the use of SFT as a process analytical technology tool for monitoring and control of the roller compaction process. Further analyses confirmed that SFT results can be used together with formulation factors and process parameters for predicting carvedilol drug release. It was confirmed that drug release is affected not only by composition but also by the roller compaction process (roll speed) and quality attributes of granules (PSD) and tablets (hardness). Additional studies demonstrated that carvedilol drug release is affected by the mill type used for milling ribbons; however, the effect is strongly related to the filler type and to the size and shape of granules. The results presented add to the body of knowledge about hypromellose-based matrix tablets and roller compaction, and they present some new considerations for the development of solid dosage forms.
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