Tablet technology combines coating with compression

NPTAB technology, developed by French company Nppharm, is an innovative formulation that combines pellet coating technology with direct compression. It has been designed to allow a very low dosage of the active drug in tablet form with guaranteed homogeneity and reproducibility, and has the benefit of a greatly simplified process avoiding the need for granulation entirely. The active drug is sprayed onto a carrier consisting of sugar spheres, which are homogeneous in particle size and texture. These layered spheres are then directly compressed into tablets. NPTAB particles are available in four sizes: 200, 250, 300 and 35µm.

Besides its compression properties, the excipient is said to offer good flow and to generate little or no dust. And because little or no lubricant is required, together with the reduced number of manufacturing steps, the process is highly cost-effective, said Virgile Duclos, international business development.