(143d) Agglomeration of Pharmaceutical Microparticles, the Origin and Implications

The majority of drugs are administrated in solid form so that the last step of API production is crystallization. This process has direct impact on bulk properties of the crystals, which affect the handling of powder and flowability during formulation and tableting. The chemical nature of the API and its degree of hygroscopicity also affect the powder agglomeration and flowability. This contribution, studies the origins of the powder agglomeration in pharmaceutical powders. A case study will be presented showing how water adsorption affects the drug agglomeration and flowability during formulation.