UNIFORM SHAPE AND SIZE DRUG PARTICLES PREPARED BY A NEW PRESSURE INDUCED WATER ANTI-SOLVENT PRECIPITATION (PIWASP) METHODOLOGY

The poor water solubility of many drugs is a challenge in pharmaceutical research. Because of their low bioavailability, several potential drugs have to be abandoned in pharmacological screenings because of their lipophilicity. Their dissolution rate is the limiting factor since drugs with a high lipophilicity can permeate biomembranes quickly. Thus, the research on strategies for drug dissolution enhancement is of high interest. The administration of a drug in a reduced particle size is a very promising way to improve drug bioavailability of poorly soluble substances [1]. For instance, in the case of nanosuspensions, the drug is delivered suspended in an aqueous media, and has a particle size small enough for pharmaceutical acceptability. In addition to overcoming issues of solubility, nanosuspensions enable a higher mass per volume loading in comparison to solutions, allowing reduced administration volumes, which is crucial for low-volume intramuscular and ophthalmic applications. On the other hand, the particulate nature of the dosage form might offer alternative pharmacokinetic profiles; both in intravenous delivery, where one might expect lower toxicity and more efficacious regimens, and in oral delivery, where we might find potential for first-pass hepatic metabolism [2]