New Software Tool to Estimate the Lubricant Sensitivity of Powder Blends

Tablet manufacturing requires the addition of a lubricant to reduce both the ejection and stripping force. Without proper lubrication, the process robustness suffers, leading to a high risk of tablet defects. However, the added lubricant should not reduce the tensile strength or prolong the disintegration time of the tablets. To help the formulator select the most suitable lubricant, we have developed a new software tool that estimates the lubricant sensitivity of diluents. To this end, several hundreds of lubricated powder blends were compressed into tablets and analyzed regarding their tensile strength. A mathematical model was derived; the model describes the effect of lubricant addition on the tabletability of diluents. Our tool allows the comparison of different lubricants; it supports a more scientific and quality-oriented approach to developing drug products.