Twin-screw extrusion - hot melt extrusion

Hot melt extrusion is a commonly applied continuous technology to fabricate amorphous solid dispersions of poorly soluble drugs to enhance the dissolution and the bioavailability. The API and the polymer are getting molten due to the high shear forces and elevated temperature followed by complete homogenization of the components. When the extrudate exits the die attached to the equipment, it solidifies suddenly providing no chance for the API to crystallize. Afterward, the extrudate can be forwarded for milling e.g. with a conveying belt. With continuous extrusion, you can minimize your material cost by reducing the amount of API needed for feasibility studies.