Importance of excipient wettability on tablet characteristics prepared by moisture activated dry granulation (MADG).

For moisture activated dry granulation (MADG), microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) or silicon dioxide is recommended for the moisture absorption stage. The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of alternative excipients as moisture absorbents with regard to the disintegration mechanism of resulting lactose based placebo formulations. Beside high and low moisture MCC grades, the additions of magnesium aluminometasilicate (MAMS), pregelatinized starch (S1500), crospovidone (Kollidon CL) and carmellose calcium (ECG 505) were evaluated. High shear granulation (HSG) was conducted as a reference process. The overall disintegration time of all tablets produced by MADG was significantly faster whereas hardness yield and mass-variability were equal or superior compared to the HSG process. Powder wettability of the different moisture absorbents was identified to be a key driver for rapid disintegration, whereas tablet porosity had only a minor influence on the target hardness of the tablets.