title: Co-processed excipients: a patent review.
abstract: The introduction of high speed tableting machines and the preference of direct compression as a method of tableting have increased the demands on the functionality of excipients mainly in terms of flowability and compressibility. Co-processed excipients, where in, excipients are combined by virtue of sub-particle level interaction have provided an attractive tool for developing high functionality excipients. The multifold advantages offered by co-processed excipients such as production of synergism in functionality of individual components, reduction of company's regulatory concern because of absence of chemical change during co-processing and improvement in physico-chemical properties have expanded their use in the pharmaceutical industry. In the recent years, there has been a spurt in the number of patents filed on co-processed excipients. Hence, the present review focuses on co-processed excipients and their application in pharmaceutical industry. The worldwide databases of European patent office (http://ep.espacenet.com) and United States patent office (www.uspto.gov) were employed to collect the patents and patent applications. The advantages, limitations, basis for the selection of excipients to be co-processed, methods of co-processing and regulatory perspective of co-processed excipients are also briefly discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, M.D. University, Rohtak, India.
authors.forename: Nidhi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: Harish
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dureja
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kaushik
mesh_terms: D004345:Drug Industry; D005079:Excipients; D010330:Patents as Topic; D013607:Tablets; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical
chemical_list: D005079:Excipients; D013607:Tablets