PROLONGED RELEASE MATRIX PELLETS PREPARED BY MELT PELLETIZATION .2. HYDROPHOBIC SUBSTANCES AS MELTABLE BINDERS

12 meltable substances were studied with respect to their ability to f orm prolonged release pellets in a melt pelletization process using a laboratory scale high shear mixer. It was found that few substances we re able to pelletize a formulation with 12.5% m/m paracetamol and 87.5 % m/m calcium hydrogen phosphate. Favourable technical features of gly ceryl monostearate were combined with release prolonging features of m ore hydrophobic substances. Pellets prepared with combinations of glyc eryl monostearate and microcrystalline wax demonstrated the slowest re lease. The release of drug could be varied within wide limits by varyi ng the composition of the binder phase.