Confined crystallization of drug in directionally freeze-dried water-soluble template

The applicability of confined crystallization is limited by the use of extra template materials unsuitable for oral dosage forms. In consideration of this limitation, mannitol was processed into a template with well controlled pores. This template was used for the subsequent confined crystallization of a model drug, resulting in drug/mannitol composite powders processable into the common operations of oral solid dosage forms. The confined crystallization produced a significant melting point depression, caused by a significant particle size reduction, but did not alter the crystal polymorphism. The in vitro release of drug was significantly improved by the confined crystallization. (C) 2014 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.