Rheology Guided Rational Selection of Processing Temperature To Prepare Copovidone–Nifedipine Amorphous Solid Dispersions via Hot Melt Extrusion (HME)

The production of amorphous solid dispersions via hot melt extrusion (HME) relies on elevated temperature and prolonged residence time, which can result in potential degradation and decomposition of thermally sensitive components. Herein, the rheological properties of a physical mixture of polymer and an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) were utilized to guide the selection of appropriate HME processing temperature. In the currently studied copovidone–nifedipine system, a critical temperature, which is substantially lower (∼13 °C) than the melting point of crystalline API, was captured during a temperature ramp examination and regarded as the critical point at which the API could molecularly dissolve into the polymer. Based on the identification of this critical point, various solid dispersions were prepared by HME processing below, at, and above the critical temperature (both below and above the melting temperature (T m) of crystalline API). In addition, the resultant extrudates along with two control solid dispersions prepared by physical mixing and cryogenic milling were assessed by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, hot stage microscopy, rheology, and solid-state NMR. Physicochemical properties of resultant solid dispersions indicated that the identified critical temperature is sufficient for the polymer–API system to reach a molecular-level mixing, manifested by the transparent and smooth appearance of extrudates, the absence of API crystalline diffraction and melting peaks, dramatically decreased rheological properties, and significantly improved polymer-API miscibility. Once the critical temperature has been achieved, further raising the processing temperature only results in limited improvement of API dispersion, reflected by slightly reduced storage modulus and complex viscosity and limited improvement in miscibility.