Biorelevant in vitro dissolution testing of products containing micronized or nanosized fenofibrate with a view to predicting plasma profiles.

The ability of in vitro biorelevant dissolution tests to predict the in vivo performance of nanosized fenofibrate (Lipidil 145 ONE®) and microsized fenofibrate (Lipidil - Ter®) was evaluated in this study. In vitro dissolution was carried out using USP apparatus 2 (paddle method) with updated biorelevant media to simulate the pre- and postprandial states. Membrane filters with different pore sizes were evaluated for their ability to hold back undissolved, nanosized drug particles. It was shown that filters with pore sizes of 0.1 μm and 0.02 μm were able to separate molecularly dissolved drug from colloidal and undissolved particles. In vitro results obtained with a suitable filter were used to generate simulated plasma profiles in combination with two different models using STELLA® software: (a) under the assumption of no permeability restrictions to absorption and (b) under the assumption of a permeability restriction. The simulated plasma profiles were compared to in vivo data for the nanosized and the microsized formulation in the fasted and fed states. The first model approach resulted in good correlation for the microsized fenofibrate formulation, but the plasma profile of the formulation containing nanosized fenofibrate was overpredicted in the fasted state. The second model successfully correlated with in vivo data for both formulations, regardless of prandial state. Comparison of simulations with the two models indicates that in the fasted state, absorption of fenofibrate from the nanosized formulation is at least partly permeability-limited, while for the microsized formulation the dissolution of fenofibrate appears to be rate-determining.