The role of force control agents in high-dose dry powder inhaler formulations

The aim of this study was to determine the aerosolisation and aerodynamic properties of model inhalation particles (salbutamol sulphate and budesonide) upon coprocessing with force control agents (FCAs)—leucine, lecithin and magnesium stearate. Coprocessing of the drug particles with FCAs (5%, w/w) was conducted using mechanofusion—a novel dry mechanical fusion process. The influence of mechanofused FCAs on the entrainment and deaggregation behaviour of the drug-only formulations was investigated using a next generation impactor (NGI) and an in-line Spraytec laser diffraction particle sizer. In vitro measurements of salbutamol sulphate coprocessed with FCAs indicated a significant ( p < 0.001) improvement of the fine particle fraction (FPF). The coprocessing of salbutamol sulphate with magnesium stearate produced the highest FPF , with an increase from 29. 18% to 79. 42% of the emitted dose. Coprocessing of budesonide particles only led to a small increase in fine particle delivery but a greater reduction in device retention . Aerosolisation analysis of the aerosolised powders indicated more effective aerosolisation and a considerable time reduction in powder bed fluidisation and entrainment upon coprocessing of the APIs with FCAs . From these data, it can be postulated that processing of drug actives with FCAs using mechanofusion is an effective means of improving the deagglomeration and aerosolisation properties of cohesive powders in DPI systems .