One of the preferred drug applications is oral drug administration. As per the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (an FDA system that differentiates drugs on the basis of their solubility and permeability)1, the number of poorly soluble drugs has increased in recent years and only a few of the new drug molecules are characterised with having both solubility and permeability. To achieve the desired pharmacological effect, however, bioavailability and hence the solubility of the drug is of prime importance. According to the Noyes-Whitney equation* the dissolution rate can be significantly increased by particle size reduction. Reduced particle size is also a crucial factor for the success of inhalation therapies.
Only a few techniques can break down particles to within the desired size range, one of which is controlled micronisation. Spiral jet mill micronisation of solid materials in either standard, contained or aseptic format is an area of expertise of Dec, a producer of powder handling, isolation and containment systems.