Inhibition of the spontaneous polymorphic transition of pyrazinamide γ form at room temperature by co-spray drying with 1,3-dimethylurea.

The present study focuses on the ability of excipients to induce the crystallization of a specific polymorphic form of pyrazinamide (PZA) and more interestingly, to block the irreversible solid-solid transition of the metastable forms of the PZA to the stable form at room temperature. We outline an experimental protocol for the production of a structurally pure γ form of PZA by means of spray drying. Without any particular treatment, phase transition to δ form was detected after 14 days of storage under ambient conditions. In order to prevent this irreversible phase transition, different excipients were co-spray dried with PZA. By co-spray drying 5% in mass of 1,3-dimethylurea (DMU) with PZA, we noticed its ability in preventing phase transitions and thus to maintain PZA under its γ form up to 12 months of storage at room temperature. Raman spectroscopy evidenced how DMU crystals surround particles of γ PZA which suggest that DMU might interact with the surface of PZA particles, thus blocking the phase transition. On the other hand, the co-spray drying of PZA with the polymerpolyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) resulted in the crystallization of δ form of PZA. The physical mixture was intact over 12 months of storage at room temperature.