Hovione developed wet polishing as a solution for generating 100% stable crystalline material which is recovered utilizing a spray drying process.

Wet polishing is a process that combines two integrated technologies: one to attain a small particle size (either a bottom-up technique such as controlled crystallization or nanocrystallization or top down technique such as high shear mixing or high pressure homogenization); and two to isolate the particles (for example spray drying or filtration followed by a drying process). This combination can be used to fine tune particle size and morphology in order to meet specific drug delivery requirements.

Applications

Powders for inhalation

Powders with very tight particle size distributions

Micronized powders for oral delivery

Micro- and nanoparticles used to overcome solubility limitations of BCS class 2 and 4 drugs

Strengths

• Optimal control over Particle Size Distribution (PSD), which is reproducible
• Extremely narrow PSD spans
• Particle customization; including surface area and surface charge
• Easily scalable
• Reduced amorphization

Limitations

• Requires an appropriate anti-solvent
• Requires an isolation step
• Challenging for thermally unstable compounds