Eudragit® : a versatile family of polymers for hot melt extrusion and 3D printing processes in pharmaceutics

Eudragit® polymers are polymethacrylates highly used in pharmaceutics for the development of modified drug delivery systems. They are widely known due to their versatility with regards to chemical composition, solubility, and swelling properties. Moreover, Eudragit polymers are thermoplastic, and their use has been boosted in some production processes, such as hot melt extrusion (HME) and fused deposition modelling 3D printing, among other 3D printing techniques. Therefore, this review covers the studies using Eudragit polymers in the development of drug delivery systems produced by HME and 3D printing techniques over the last 10 years. Eudragit E has been the most used among them, mostly to formulate immediate release systems or as a taste-masker agent. On the other hand, Eudragit RS and Eudragit L100-55 have mainly been used to produce controlled and delayed release systems, respectively. The use of Eudragit polymers in these processes has frequently been devoted to producing solid dispersions and/or to prepare filaments to be 3D printed in different dosage forms. In this review, we highlight the countless possibilities offered by Eudragit polymers in HME and 3D printing, whether alone or in blends, discussing their prominence in the development of innovative modified drug release systems

Ivermectin-Loaded Mesoporous Silica and Polymeric Nanocapsules: Impact on Drug Loading, In Vitro Solubility Enhancement, and Release Performance

Ivermectin (IVM), a widely used drug for parasitic infections, faces formulation and application challenges due to its poor water solubility and limited bioavailability. Pondering the impact of IVM’s high partition coefficient value (log P) on its drug release performance, it is relevant to explore whether IVM nanoencapsulation in organic or inorganic nanoparticles would afford comparable enhanced aqueous solubility. To date, the use of inorganic nanoparticles remains an unexplored approach for delivering IVM. Therefore, here we loaded IVM in mesoporous silica particles (IVM-MCM), as inorganic nanomaterial, and in well-known poly(ε-caprolactone) nanocapsules (IVM-NC). IVM-MCM had a well-organized hexagonal mesoporous structure, reduced surface area, and high drug loading of 10% w/w. IVM-NC had a nanometric mean size (196 nm), high encapsulation efficiency (100%), physicochemical stability as an aqueous dispersion, and drug loading of 0.1% w/w. Despite differing characteristics, both nanoencapsulated forms enhance IVM’s aqueous intrinsic solubility compared to a crystalline IVM: after 72 h, IVM-MCM and IVM-NC achieve 72% and 78% releases through a dialysis bag, whereas crystalline IVM dispersion achieves only 40% drug diffusion. These results show distinct controlled release profiles, where IVM-NC provides a deeper sustained controlled release over the whole experiment compared to the inorganic nanomaterial (IVM-MCM). Discussing differences, including drug loading and release kinetics, is crucial for optimizing IVM’s therapeutic performance. The study design, combined with administration route plans and safety considerations for humans and animals, may expedite the rational optimization of IVM nanoformulations for swift clinical translation