Tablets are a common form of medication in a solid compressed form. Tablets are a popular choice for drug delivery because of their convenience, ease of handling, and stability. They can be easily swallowed with water or other liquids and are often designed to release drugs slowly or rapidly, depending on the desired therapeutic effect.

Protheragen-ING specializes in providing comprehensive tablet development services to pharmaceutical companies, research institutes, and healthcare organizations. With our expertise and cutting-edge technology, we are committed to supporting the development and manufacturing of high-quality tablets that meet the highest industry standards to ensure stability, efficacy and desired release characteristics. Our services cover every stage of tablet development, from formulation design to commercial production, ensuring efficient and reliable solutions for our customers.

Components of Tablets

Tablets are made by combining an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) with various excipients such as fillers, binders, and disintegrants. These ingredients are mixed and then pressed into tablet form.

The following are the key ingredients involved in tablet formulation:

• Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) - The main therapeutic ingredient that provides the desired pharmacological action.
• Excipients - used to aid the manufacturing process, enhance stability, improve bioavailability, and modify the release of the API.
• Release Modifiers - Depending on the desired drug release profile, additional release modifiers can be included in the tablet formulation. These modifiers can control the rate of drug releases, such as an extended-release matrix or coating.

Protheragen-ING's Tablet Development Capabilities

We can offer a wide range of tablet options to meet your needs. Each tablet is designed for a specific route of administration. Below are some of our most popular tablet types:

• Coated tablets
• Chewable tablets
• Buccal tablets
• Sublingual tablets
• Effervescent tablets
• Dispersion tablets
• Multilayer tablets
• Vaginal tablets
• Sustained release tablets

Our Manufacture of The Tablets

Tablets are produced using a variety of manufacturing techniques. The choice of manufacturing technology depends on the physicochemical properties of the API and excipients, as well as the desired tablet characteristics.

• Direct Compression

In this process, the API and excipients are blended together, and the resulting mixture is directly compressed into tablets using a tablet press. It is ideal for formulations with good flow properties and compressibility.

• Wet Granulation

It involves several steps, including blending the API and excipients, adding a granulating agent (usually a liquid binder), wet massing the mixture, drying the granules, and finally compressing them into tablets. This method is suitable for formulations that are not easily compressible or exhibit poor flow properties. Wet granulation enhances powder flow, improves compressibility, and provides uniform drug distribution.

Fig. 1 Mechanism of granule formation in wet granulation, (A) Solid particle size >liquid droplet. (B) Liquid droplet > solid particle. (Singh M, et al. 2022)

Fig. 2 Tablet preparation of hydralazine powder mixture by high shear wet granulation. (Macho O, et al. 2023)

• Dry Granulation

Dry granulation, also known as slugging or roller compaction, is used when the API or excipients are sensitive to moisture or heat. In this method, the powders are compressed into large tablets or slugs, which are then broken down into granules. The granules are subsequently compressed into tablets. Dry granulation avoids the use of liquid binders and drying steps, making it a preferred method for moisture-sensitive formulations.

• Hot Melt Extrusion

Hot melt extrusion involves melting the API and excipients together and forcing the molten mixture through a die to form continuous strands. The strands are then cooled and milled into granules, which can be directly compressed into tablets. Hot melt extrusion is particularly suitable for poorly soluble drugs, controlled-release formulations, and improving bioavailability.

• Spray Drying

Spray drying is used to produce tablets from liquid or semi-solid formulations. In this method, the formulation is atomized into fine droplets and dried rapidly using hot air. The dried powder is then compressed into tablets. Spray drying is advantageous for heat-sensitive drugs and formulations where the API is dissolved or suspended in a liquid.

• Compression-Coating

Compression-coating is a method used for the production of layered tablets. It involves compressing a core tablet containing the API and subsequently compressing a coating layer around the core tablet. Compression-coating is often utilized for controlled-release formulations, where the coating layer provides a barrier for drug release.

Contact us to unlock the full potential of your tablet development project and bring innovative pharmaceutical products to market.