Research on Hot Melt Extrusion Processing for Drug Formulation and Drug Delivery

Dear Colleagues,

The pharmaceutical industry has shown increased interest in hot-melt extrusion (HME) technology, as evidenced by a rise in patents and publications. HME is becoming popular in pharmaceutical applications to develop various drug delivery systems due to its eco-friendly approach to continuous manufacturing without solvents. HME has proven very efficient in enhancing the solubility and dissolution of poorly water-soluble drugs via the development of amorphous solid dispersions. During the process, the active pharmaceutical ingredient is mixed at a molecular level with thermoplastic binders and/or polymers while passing through high-temperature counter-rotating or corotating screw elements. This molecular mixing process transforms the active pharmaceutical ingredient into an amorphous form and improves the dissolution rate. Additionally, it is an essential tool for producing innovative pharmaceutical products. HME is being investigated as an alternative technology for preparing multicomponent systems such as co-crystals and co-amorphous techniques. Twin-screw granulation has drawn increased attention in preparing granules via twin-screw melt or dry granulation.

We welcome submissions from researchers exploring hot-melt extrusion processing for drug formulation and delivery.

The purpose of this Special Issue, "Research on Hot Melt Extrusion Processing for Drug Formulation and Drug Delivery" is to gather original research articles and reviews on the formulation and in-vitro/in-vivo characterization of various drug delivery systems such as amorphous solid dispersions, co-crystals, SEEDS, and any other fast-dissolving systems using hot-melt extrusion. It also works using modified-release systems such as controlled-release tablets/implants/pellets, colon-specific delivery, gastroretentive systems, and mucoadhesive systems via the application of hot-melt extrusion. Works aimed at increasing the application of HME knowledge to improve dissolution rates or bioavailability in order to enhance overall therapeutic efficacy are welcome.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Sateesh Kumar Vemula
Prof. Dr. Michael A. Repka
Dr. Naveen Chella
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.