Advantia™ Prime Coating Systems from International Specialty Products (ISP)

Film coating systems are applied to immediate–release dosage forms for a number of purposes including improved tablet appearance, brand identity, product and/or dose identification, taste/odor masking, elimination of dust, improved flow and improved stability. Thus, the film coating is an essential part of the final product.

Simply, a film coating for an immediate–release tablet is comprised of polymer, plasticizer, and optionally pigment/opacifier. ISP provides these ingredients as Advantia™ Prime Coating Systems, pre–blended, ready–to–use powders that are readily dispersed in water and applied to the substrate. Advantia™ Prime Coating Systems are available pigmented or unpigmented and are based on existing pharmaceutically–acceptable polymers, for example hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC), hydroxyproypyl cellulose (HPC) and ethyl cellulose (EC). These polymers are used alone or in combinations to provide optimal results.

The selection of ingredients and ingredient levels for a formulation is a critical factor in obtaining the target appearance and performance on the tablet core and in minimizing processing problems. Optimizing a film coating formulation requires balancing critical properties, such as film strength, film adhesion, film flexibility and opacity. ISP has utilized a scientific approach for characterizing the nature of the relationships between components and their use levels in coating formulations. As a result, each Advantia™ Prime Coating System is custom formulated and selected to provide the optimum performance on each substrate.