Dear Reader: Innovations across the entire package - Pharma ...

Excipients & Actives for Pharma
No. 26, 2011
HOT MELT EXTRUSION
ExActMelt - improving drug efficiency with hot-melt extrusion
Cecil Tung
More than 70 pharmaceutical customers and
R&D professionals gathered in Singapore for the
two-day ExActMelt workshop to explore the innovative
hot-melt extrusion technology. Contributing
to the development of the talent pool for the
pharmaceutical industry, workshop participants
also witnessed BASF extend its “Joint RP-BASF
Pharmaceutical Technology Lab Program” with
Republic Polytechnic.
BASF and high-tech pharmaceutical equipment
supplier ThermoFisher teamed up again for a
closer look at Hot-Melt Extrusion (HME), an innovative
technology for processing poorly soluble
active pharmaceutical ingredients. The highly
interactive two-day workshop at Republic Polytechnic
in Singapore provided a much needed
opportunity for intensive knowledge exchange
between innovative excipient designers and manufacturers
– a must for any new technology.
Pharmaceutical customers from more than 10
Asian countries participated in the workshop to
learn more about this state-of-the-art technology
that dramatically improves the bioavailability of
active pharmaceutical ingredients. Providing a
detailed insight into how the technology works
and how it can help pharmaceutical processing,
the workshop demonstrated that, combined with
Thermo Fisher’s HME machine, BASF’s solubilizers
such as Soluplus ® offer superior performance
in forming solid solutions during the HME process.
The combination of
theoretical lectures
and practical, hands-on
demonstrations allowed
customers to explore
hot-melt extrusion in
depth.
“The combination of theoretical lectures and practical,
hands-on demonstrations allowed customers
to explore hot-melt extrusion in depth and
make them aware of the potential to improve bioavailability
and patient compliance. Additionally,
the workshop was a great opportunity for customers
and R&D professionals to meet and discuss
burning issues in the pharmaceutical industry,”
said Thomas Pilgram, Regional Head of BASF
Pharma Ingredients & Services in Asia Pacific.
During the workshop, BASF also officially renewed
the “Joint RP-BASF Pharmaceutical Technology
Lab Program” with Republic Polytechnic, continuing
to foster students’ interest in pharmaceutical
technology and research. Through the program,
pharmaceutical technologists and scientists will
be trained and made aware of BASF’s innovative
excipient development pipeline, underlining the
company's commitment to building up the talent
pool for the industry.
BASF will continue to explore opportunities for
cooperating with universities and institutions
similar to Republic Polytechnic. In addition, the
company will continue to establish its links with
research centers and science institutes as well
as leading pharmaceutical companies.
The panel discussion was a great opportunity for pharmaceutical professionals to discuss
burning issues within the industry.
“Joint RP-BASF Pharmaceutical Technology Lab Program” Memorandum Of Understanding
signing ceremony demonstrates BASF’s commitment to sustainable development with the goal
of increasing collective expertise, experience and resources for the pharmaceutical industry.
Page 13