The taste masking of bitter APIs is a major challenge especially for pediatric formulations. Various reported approaches include, fluidized-bed coating, complexing agents, Pro-drug formation, etc. However, there is an enormous need for more robust, cost effective and easy to scale-up taste masking technologies.
Roquette
Hot Melt Extrusion (HME) is a continuous, one step process which has also been introduced for taste masking purposes of bitter APIs by involving the use of taste masking polymers that create solid dispersions to prevent bitter drugs from coming in contact with the patient’s taste buds. The main objective of this study was to investigate the potential of KLEPTOSE® Linecaps DE17 (a pea maltodextrin with a DE range of 15 – 20) in masking the bitter taste of Caffeine Anhydrous (CA) by Hot Melt Extrusion (HME) and to evaluate its efficiency in a taste panel.