The pharmaceutical industry is at a critical juncture. With little remnants of the “Golden Age of the Pharmaceuticals” and applied pressure from large companies experiencing a dissipation of proprietary compounds, trends indicate a transition from a decade of stagnant productivity to one in which high throughput screening technologies and computational chemistry have diversified the discovery of new chemical entities (NCE). Despite these advances, drug discovery has been challenged by chemical entities that present delivery limitations due to the properties of their molecular structure. A recent evaluation of development pipelines indicated that approximately 70% of drug candidates exhibit poor aqueous solubility; thereby, resulting in erratic dissolution and insufficient bioavailability. Due to intrinsic physical properties, these compounds are known by the biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) as class II compounds and are amendable to solubility and bioavailability enhancement platforms. Approaches such as pH adjustment, micronization, nanosuspensions, co-solvent solubilization, cyclodextrin inclusion complexation, salt formation, emulsified drug formulations and amorphous solid dispersions (ASD) are commonly utilized to maximize bioavailability and enrich in vivo absorption by prolonging exposure to high concentrations of dissolved drug in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Single-phase amorphous systems, such as solid dispersions, have been the focal point of the aforementioned practices as a result of their ability to promote a state of drug supersaturation over an extended duration of time. Within the structure of this dissertation, the application of concentration enhancing polymers for bioavailability enhancement of low solubility compounds was evaluated using solvent and fusion-based solid dispersion technologies. Exploiting a variety of analytical methodologies and tools, formulations produced by spray drying and hot melt extrusion (HME) techniques were investigated for sufficient dissolution enhancement. Studies revealed the selected formulation approaches provided a viable platform for manufacturing solid dispersions by illustrating systems that offered rapid and prolonged periods of supersaturation. While of the applications of single-phase amorphous solid dispersions are continuously expanding, their dissolution behavior is not as well understood. The overarching objective of dissolution testing during formulation development is to achieve biological relevance and predict in vivo performance. Proper in vitro dissolution testing can convey the influence of key in vivo performance parameters and be implemented for assessment and comparison of ASD formulations. Studies suggest that existing research fails to accurately address the intricacies associated with the supersaturated state. Upon solvation and during transit in the GIT, several high-energy drug-containing species are present in addition to free drug. Although these species are not absorbed in vivo, they play a pivotal role in generating and maintaining the supersaturation of a drug substance and function to replenish the supply of free drug as it permeates across the gastrointestinal membrane. Established dissolution apparatuses and methodologies in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) focus on evaluation of total dissolved drug and may not be physiologically relevant for determining the amount of drug absorbed in vivo. Within the framework of this dissertation, a dissolution methodology was designed to reflect the physiochemical, physiological and hydrodynamic conditions that transpire throughout dissolution and absorption of an ASD during transit in the GIT. The apparatus and model present the ability to understand the kinetics and mechanisms of dissolution, supersaturation and nucleation. To support this hypothesis, analytical methods including high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection were developed and fully validated. In parallel, a novel plasma membrane treatment was established to fabricate biomimetic membranes that possessed a hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface. The treated membranes are comprised of applied surface chemistries that emulate the unstirred aqueous layer created by microvilli protruding from the intestinal epithelial membrane as well as lipophilic constituents corresponding to the epithelial lipid membrane. Calculated in vitro similarity (f2) and difference (f1) factors support the hypotheses that plasma treated microporous polymer membranes exhibit biorelevant properties and demonstrate adequate biorelevance for in vitro dissolution studies. The described dissolution methodology has been applied as a tool for selection of candidates to move forward to pharmacokinetic studies. In a culminating study, in vitro – in vivo correlations (IVIVC) were performed employing the universal membrane-permeation non-sink dissolution method for formulations of Carbamazepine. To demonstrate the utility of the methodology, multiple level C correlations were established. The membrane-permeation model enables quantitative assessment of drug dissolution and absorption and offers a means to predict the relative in vivo performance of amorphous solid dispersions for BCS class II drug substances. / Chemistry

Amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) is a popular method to increase drug solubility and consequently poor drug bioavailability. Cellulose ω-carboxyesters were designed and synthesized specifically for ASD preparations in Edgar lab that can meet the ASD expectations such as high Tg, recrystallization prevention and pH-triggered release due to the free -COOH groups. Rifampicin (Rif), Ritonavir (Rit), Efavirenz (Efa), Etravirine (Etra) and Quercetin (Que) cellulose ester ASDs were investigated in order to increase drug solubility, prevent release at low pH and controlled release of the drug at small intestine pH that can improve drug bioavailability, decrease needed drug content and medication price to make it affordable in third world countries, and extent pill efficiency period to improve patient quality of life and adherence to the treatment schedule. The studies were compared with cellulose based commercial polymers to prove the impact of the investigation and potential for the application. Furthermore, the in vitro results obtained were further supported by in vivo studies to prove the significant increase in bioavailability and show the extended release. The need of new cellulose derivatives for ASD applications extended the research area, the design and synthesis of a new class of polymers, alkyl cellulose ω-carboxyesters for ASD formulations investigated and the efficiency of the polymers were summarized to show that they have the anticipated properties. The polymers were synthesized by the reaction of commercial cellulose alkyl ethers with benzyl ester protected, monofunctional hydrocarbon chain acid chlorides, followed by removal of protecting group using palladium hydroxide catalyzed hydrogenolysis to form the alkyl cellulose wcarboxyalkanoate. Having been tested for ASD preparation, it was proven that the polymers were efficient in maintaining the drug in amorphous solid state, release the drug at neutral pH and prevent the recrystallization for hours, as predicted. / Ph. D.

Highly-exact structural characterization is the crucial step in the development and manufacturing process of pharmaceutical materials. Their structural composition is, however, often very complex and hardly identifiable. The eligible way for obtaining definite structural interpretation of these systems appears the high-resolution solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy. For this purpose the reliable tool - the ssNMR toolbox for comprehensive characterization of various pharmaceutical solids is described. The rigorous optimization of ssNMR techniques is carried out on enormous number of measured samples containing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) with systems ranging from APIs formulated in solid dispersions to pure forms revealing extensive molecular disorder. In this study the influence of polymeric matrix on the creation of solid dispersion type susceptible for finely tuned controlled drug release is likewise discussed. The distinction between variable structural alignments of API molecules in 3D dimension of complicated pharmaceutical solids is allowed via simple strategy - factor analysis applied to hardly describable ssNMR spectra (13 C CP/MAS NMR and 19 F MAS NMR). The results of this ssNMR investigation contribute to better understanding of solid dispersion...

O nimodipino é um bloqueador de canais de cálcio usado principalmente na terapia da hemorragia subaracnóidea e no tratamento de distúrbios cognitivos. É praticamente insolúvel em água e, pelo Sistema de Classificação Biofarmacêutica (SCB), é qualificado como classe II e, portanto, sua dissolução é etapa limitante da absorção, podendo apresentar problemas de biodisponibilidade. Assim, o objetivo do trabalho foi desenvolver e caracterizar dispersões sólidas de nimodipino, obtidas com os carreadores PEG 6000 ou Poloxamer 407 e compará-las quanto à melhoria na solubilidade e na dissolução do nimodipino. As dispersões sólidas foram obtidas pelos métodos de fusão e de evaporação do solvente e foram caracterizadas pelas técnicas de calorimetria exploratória diferencial (DSC), espectroscopia de absorção na região do infravermelho (FT-IR) e difração de raios-X, cujos resultados comprovaram a obtenção das dispersões sólidas. As características de solubilidade e de dissolução do nimodipino nas dispersões sólidas e em misturas físicas foram comparadas. As dispersões sólidas contendo poloxamer 407 apresentaram maior eficiência em melhorar a solubilidade e a velocidade de dissolução do nimodipino, o que pode ser explicado pelo seu efeito tensoativo. O aumento da solubilidade das dispersões sólidas preparadas com PEG (DSPEG-10 = 13,2 g.mL-1) foi significativamente maior que aquele devido às misturas físicas de mesma composição (MFPEG-10 = 3,21 g.mL-1) que, por sua vez, apresentaram solubilidade maior que a do fármaco (2,19 g.mL-1). O mesmo ocorreu com a eficiência de dissolução dessas preparações (DSPEG-10 = 69,11% , MFPEG-10 = 15,61% e nimodipino = 11,68%). Maior incremento da solubilidade foi obtido com a dispersão sólida produzida pelo método de evaporação do solvente contendo poloxamer 407 como carreador (SOLVP407-10 = 75,61 g.mL-1). / Nimodipine is a calcium blocker, used in prevention and treatment of ischaemic neurological deficits after aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage and cognitive deficit. It exhibits a low solubility in water and it is classified as class two in the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS), thereby dissolution is the ratelimiting step in absorption, which impact on bioavailability. Consequently, the objective of this study was to develop and characterize solid dispersions of nimodipine, prepared with PEG 6000 or Poloxamer 407 and to compare them in terms of nimodipine solubility and dissolution. Solid dispersions were obtained by fusion and solvent methods and they were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infra red spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction, where results confirmed the formation of solid dispersions. Solubility and dissolution characteristics of nimodipine in solid dispersions and physical mixtures were compared. Solid dispersions containing poloxamer 407 showed better efficiency than PEG in increasing solubility and dissolution rate of nimodipine, and it can be explained due to its surfactant activity. The solubility results obtained with solid dispersions prepared with PEG 6000 (DSPEG-10 = 13,2 g.mL-1) were better than physical mixtures with the same composition (MFPEG-10 = 3,21 g.mL-1) which, in turn, showed increased solubility compared with nimodipine (2,19 g.mL-1). Similar results were observed for dissolution efficiency (DSPEG-10 = 69,11% , MFPEG-10 = 15,61% and nimodipine = 11,68%). The best solubility result was obtained by the formulation prepared by the solvent method with poloxamer 407 as carrier (SOLVP407-10 = 75,61 g.mL-1).

O nimodipino é um bloqueador de canais de cálcio usado principalmente na terapia da hemorragia subaracnóidea e no tratamento de distúrbios cognitivos. É praticamente insolúvel em água e, pelo Sistema de Classificação Biofarmacêutica (SCB), é qualificado como classe II e, portanto, sua dissolução é etapa limitante da absorção, podendo apresentar problemas de biodisponibilidade. Assim, o objetivo do trabalho foi desenvolver e caracterizar dispersões sólidas de nimodipino, obtidas com os carreadores PEG 6000 ou Poloxamer 407 e compará-las quanto à melhoria na solubilidade e na dissolução do nimodipino. As dispersões sólidas foram obtidas pelos métodos de fusão e de evaporação do solvente e foram caracterizadas pelas técnicas de calorimetria exploratória diferencial (DSC), espectroscopia de absorção na região do infravermelho (FT-IR) e difração de raios-X, cujos resultados comprovaram a obtenção das dispersões sólidas. As características de solubilidade e de dissolução do nimodipino nas dispersões sólidas e em misturas físicas foram comparadas. As dispersões sólidas contendo poloxamer 407 apresentaram maior eficiência em melhorar a solubilidade e a velocidade de dissolução do nimodipino, o que pode ser explicado pelo seu efeito tensoativo. O aumento da solubilidade das dispersões sólidas preparadas com PEG (DSPEG-10 = 13,2 g.mL-1) foi significativamente maior que aquele devido às misturas físicas de mesma composição (MFPEG-10 = 3,21 g.mL-1) que, por sua vez, apresentaram solubilidade maior que a do fármaco (2,19 g.mL-1). O mesmo ocorreu com a eficiência de dissolução dessas preparações (DSPEG-10 = 69,11% , MFPEG-10 = 15,61% e nimodipino = 11,68%). Maior incremento da solubilidade foi obtido com a dispersão sólida produzida pelo método de evaporação do solvente contendo poloxamer 407 como carreador (SOLVP407-10 = 75,61 g.mL-1). / Nimodipine is a calcium blocker, used in prevention and treatment of ischaemic neurological deficits after aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage and cognitive deficit. It exhibits a low solubility in water and it is classified as class two in the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS), thereby dissolution is the ratelimiting step in absorption, which impact on bioavailability. Consequently, the objective of this study was to develop and characterize solid dispersions of nimodipine, prepared with PEG 6000 or Poloxamer 407 and to compare them in terms of nimodipine solubility and dissolution. Solid dispersions were obtained by fusion and solvent methods and they were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infra red spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction, where results confirmed the formation of solid dispersions. Solubility and dissolution characteristics of nimodipine in solid dispersions and physical mixtures were compared. Solid dispersions containing poloxamer 407 showed better efficiency than PEG in increasing solubility and dissolution rate of nimodipine, and it can be explained due to its surfactant activity. The solubility results obtained with solid dispersions prepared with PEG 6000 (DSPEG-10 = 13,2 g.mL-1) were better than physical mixtures with the same composition (MFPEG-10 = 3,21 g.mL-1) which, in turn, showed increased solubility compared with nimodipine (2,19 g.mL-1). Similar results were observed for dissolution efficiency (DSPEG-10 = 69,11% , MFPEG-10 = 15,61% and nimodipine = 11,68%). The best solubility result was obtained by the formulation prepared by the solvent method with poloxamer 407 as carrier (SOLVP407-10 = 75,61 g.mL-1).

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:25:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MaraRWV_TESE.pdf: 3541177 bytes, checksum: 2415c9163a59f9b397912f22608eefbc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-05-29 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / This thesis aimed to assess the increase in solubility of simvastatin (SINV) with solid dispersions using techniques such as kneading (MA), co-solvent evaporation (ES), melting carrier (FC) and spray dryer (SD). Soluplus (SOL), PEG 6000 (PEG), PVP K-30 (PVP) e sodium lauryl sulphate (LSS) were used as carriers. The solid dispersions containing PEG [PEG-2(SD)], Soluplus [SOL-2(MA)] and sodium lauryl sulphate [LSS-2(ES)] were presented with a greater increase in solubility (5.02, 5.60 and 5.43 times respectively); analyses by ANOVA between the three groups did not present significant difference (p<0.05). In the phase solubility study, the calculation of the Gibbs free energy (&#916;G) revealed that the spontaneity of solubilisation of SINV occurred in the order SOL>PEG >PVP 75%>LSS, always 80%. The phase diagrams of PEG and LSS presented solubilization stoichiometry of type 1:1 (type AL). The diagrams with PVP and SOL tend to 1:2 stoichiometry (type AL + AP). The stability coefficients (Ks) of the phase diagrams revealed that the most stable reactions occurred with LSS and PVP. The solid dispersions were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), particle size distribution (PSD), near-infrared spectroscopy imaging (NIR-CI) and X-ray diffraction of the powder using the Topas software (PDRX-TOPAS). The solid dispersion PEG-2(SD) presented the greatest homogeneity and the lowest degree of crystallinity (18.2%). The accelerated stability study revealed that the solid dispersions are less stable than SINV, with PEG-2(SD) being the least stable, confirmed by FTIR and DSC. The analyses by PDRX-TOPAS revealed the amorphous character of the dispersions and the mechanism of increasing solubility / Esta tese teve como objetivo avaliar o aumento de solubilidade da sinvastatina (SINV) atrav?s de dispers?es s?lidas utilizando as t?cnicas de malaxagem (MA), evapora??o com co- solvente (ES), fus?o com carreador (FC) e secagem por spray dryer (SD). Foram utilizados os carreadores Soluplus (SOL), PEG 6000 (PEG), PVP K-30 (PVP) e lauril sulfato de s?dio (LSS). As dispers?es s?lidas contendo PEG [PEG-2(SD)], Soluplus [SOL-2(MA)] e lauril sulfato de s?dio [LSS-2(ES)] apresentaram maior aumento de solubilidade (5,02; 5,60 e 5,43 vezes, respectivamente); a an?lise por ANOVA entre os tr?s grupos n?o demonstrou diferen?a significativa (p<0,05). No estudo de solubilidade de fases, o c?lculo da energia livre de Gibbs (&#916;G) revelou que a espontaneidade de solubiliza??o da SINV ocorreu na ordem SOL>PEG >PVP 75%>LSS, sempre a 80%. Os diagramas de fases de PEG e LSS apresentaram estequiometria de solubiliza??o 1:1 (tipo AL). Os diagramas de PVP e SOL possuem uma tend?ncia a estequiometria 1:2 (tipo AL + AP). Os valores de coeficiente de estabilidade (Ks) dos diagramas de fases revelaram que as rea??es mais est?veis ocorreram com LSS e PVP. As dispers?es s?lidas foram caracterizadas atrav?s de infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (FTIR), calorimetria explorat?ria diferencial (DSC), microscopia eletr?nica de varredura (MEV), distribui??o de tamanho de part?cula (DTP), espectroscopia de imagem no infravermelho pr?ximo (NIR-CI) e difratometria de raios X do P? utilizando o software Topas (PDRX-TOPAS). A dispers?o s?lida PEG-2(SD) apresentou a maior homogeneidade e o menor grau de cristalinidade (18,2%). O estudo de estabilidade revelou que as dispers?es s?lidas s?o menos est?veis que SINV, sendo PEG-2(SD) a de menor estabilidade, confirmada por FTIR e DSC. As an?lises por PDRX-TOPAS revelaram a cristalinidade das dispers?es e o mecanismo de aumento de solubilidade

Lors de cette dernière décennie, le développement de formes pharmaceutiques innovantes permettant d'améliorer l'efficacité, la sécurité et l'acceptabilité des médicaments pédiatriques est en pleine croissance. Les films orodispersibles (ODF) appartiennent à ces nouvelles formes galéniques améliorant la compliance des patients. Ils sont constitués d'une matrice de polymère hydrophile dans laquelle un ou des principe(s) actif(s) (PA) sont dissous ou dispersés. Après dépôt de l'ODF sur la langue ou dans la cavité buccale, la matrice se désagrège libérant le PA pour une action locale ou systémique. Dans cette étude, la mise au point d'ODF, par la méthode de coulée/évaporation de solvant a été explorée afin d'administrer un PA d'intérêt en pédiatrie, la tétrabénazine (TBZ). Les caractérisations physicochimiques et biopharmaceutiques des ODF ont mis en évidence une augmentation de la vitesse et du taux de dissolution de la TBZ induit par son état amorphe. Le système constitué d'un support polymère et d'un PA sous forme amorphe peut être assimilé aux dispersions solides amorphes (SD). Les études réalisées démontrent l'importance de la nature du polymère utilisé pour maintenir les propriétés initiales du système dans le temps. La formation de liaisons hydrogène entre la PA étudié et le polymère est un facteur essentiel pour assurer la stabilité des SD. De plus, l'incorporation de cyclodextrines (CD) prolonge l'état amorphe du PA en générant des liaisons hydrogène avec la TBZ et en l'entourant d'une barrière chimique. Cette association favorise la libération du PA par effet synergique améliorant la biodisponibilité. Cette forme innovante représente un intérêt majeur dans l'amélioration de l'observance dans le cadre d'un traitement pédiatrique / During the last decade, various strategies to develop innovating oral dosage forms for pediatric population were investigated in order to improve treatment efficiency, safety and acceptability. Among these new delivery systems, orodispersible films (ODF) present a great potential to enhance patient compliance. In ODF, drug is dissolved or dispersed in a hydrophilic film-forming polymer. Once the ODF is in the mouth, polymeric matrix disintegrates releasing the drug for local or systemic action. In this study, ODF, produced with the solvent casting/evaporation method, were developed to administer a drug of interest for pediatric population, the tetrabetazine (TBZ). Physicochemical and biopharmaceutic characterizations showed that ODF allowed a major improvement of TBZ dissolution profile in simulated saliva, mainly due to the amorphous state of the drug in ODF. ODF were identified as amorphous solid dispersion (SD) composed of both amorphous TBZ and polymer matrix. We demonstrated that the choice of the polymer plays an important role to maintain initial properties of the system and amorphous state stability over the time. H-bonding formation between TBZ and polymer is essential to assure the preservation of TBZ amorphous state. Moreover, the incorporation of cyclodextrins (CD), by generating H-bonding with TBZ, has extended its stability. By synergic effect, this association produces an improvement of drug release leading to promote bioavailability. As they are easy to swallow and allow enhancing treatment efficiency, ODF appear as suitable delivery forms for pediatric patients

Poor aqueous solubility persists as a significant challenge in the pharmaceutical industry.Ongoing research aims to enhance the solubility of drugs to deliver them more effectively. Amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) is a widely used solubility enhancement technique. The absence of a specific model to predict compound solubility from ASDs resulted in a trial-and- error approach to studying solubility enhancement and makes it a laborious and time-consuming process. Predictive models could streamline this process and accelerate the development of oral drugs with improved aqueous solubilities. This study aimed to develop a predictive model to estimate the solubility of a compound from the polymer matrices in ASDs. For this purpose, five BCS Class IV drugs (acetazolamide, chlorothiazide, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, sulfamethoxazole), four hydrophilic polymers (PVP, PVPVA, HPMC E5, Soluplus), and a surfactant (TPGS) were chosen as the models for drug, polymers, and surfactant, respectively. ASDs of model drugs were prepared using hotmelt process. The prepared ASDs were characterized using DSC, FTIR, and XRD. The aqueous solubility of the model drugs was determined using the shake-flask method. Multiple linear regression was used to develop a predictive model to determine aqueous solubility using the molecular descriptors of the drug and polymer as predictor variables. The model was validated using Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation. The ASDs’ drug components were identified as amorphous via DSC and XRD Studies.There were no significant chemical interactions between the model drugs and the polymers based on FTIR studies. Compared with pure drugs, their ASDs showed a significant (p

<p dir="ltr">This thesis focusses on developing novel data driven oral drug formulation analysis methods by employing technologies such as Fourier transform analysis and generative adversarial learning. Data driven measurements have been addressing challenges in advanced manufacturing and analysis for pharmaceutical development for the last two decade. Data science combined with analytical chemistry holds the future to solving key problems in the next wave of industrial research and development. Data acquisition is expensive in the realm of pharmaceutical development, and how to leverage the capability of data science to extract information in data deprived circumstances is a key aspect for improving such data driven measurements. Among multiple measurement techniques, chemical imaging is an informative tool for analyzing oral drug formulations. However, chemical imaging can often fall into data deprived situations, where data could be limited from the time-consuming sample preparation or related chemical synthesis. An integrated imaging approach, which folds data science techniques into chemical measurements, could lead to a future of informative and cost-effective data driven measurements. In this thesis, the development of data driven chemical imaging techniques for the analysis of oral drug formulations via Fourier transformation and generative adversarial learning are elaborated. Chapter 1 begins with a brief introduction of current techniques commonly implemented within the pharmaceutical industry, their limitations, and how the limitations are being addressed. Chapter 2 discusses how Fourier transform fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FT-FRAP) technique can be used for monitoring the phase separated drug-polymer aggregation. Chapter 3 follows the innovation presented in Chapter 1 and illustrates how analysis can be improved by incorporating diffractive optical elements in the patterned illumination. While previous chapters discuss dynamic analysis aspects of drug product formulation, Chapter 4 elaborates on the innovation in composition analysis of oral drug products via use of novel generative adversarial learning methods for linear analyses.</p>

<p>Supersaturating drug delivery systems are an attractive solubility enabling formulation strategy for poorly soluble drugs due to their potential to significantly enhance solubility and hence, bioavailability. Compendial dissolution testing is commonly used a surrogate for assessing the bioavailability of enabling formulations. However, it increasingly fails to accurately predict <i>in vivo</i> performance due its closed-compartment characteristics and the lack of absorptive sink conditions. <i>In vivo</i>, drug is continually removed due to absorption across the gastrointestinal membrane, which impacts the luminal concentration profile, which in turn affects the dissolution kinetics of any undissolved material, as well as crystallization kinetics from supersaturated solutions. Thus, it is critical to develop an improved methodology that better mimics <i>in vivo</i> conditions. An enhanced approach integrates dissolution and absorption measurements. However, currently-used two-compartment absorptive apparatuses, employing a flat-sheet membrane are limited, in particular by the small membrane surface area that restricts the mass transfer, resulting in unrealistic experimental timeframes. This greatly impacts the suitability of such systems as a formulation development tool. The goal of this research is two-fold. First, to develop and test a high surface area, flow-through, absorptive dissolution testing apparatus, designed to provide <i>in vivo</i> relevant information about formulation performance in biologically relevant time frames. Second, to use this apparatus to obtain mechanistic insight into physical phenomenon occurring during formulation dissolution. Herein, the design and construction of a coupled dissolution-absorption apparatus using a hollow fiber membrane module to simulate the absorption process is described. The hollow fiber membrane offers a large membrane surface area, improving the mass transfer rates significantly. Following the development of a robust apparatus, its application as a formulation development tool was evaluated in subsequent studies. The dissolution-absorption studies were carried out for supersaturated solutions generated via anti-solvent addition, pH-shift and by dissolution of amorphous formulations. The research demonstrates the potential of the apparatus to capture subtle differences between formulations, providing insight into the role of physical processes such as supersaturation, crystallization kinetics and liquid-liquid phase separation on the absorption kinetics. The study also explores dissolution-absorption performance of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) and the influence of resultant solution phase behavior on the absorption profile. Residual crystalline content in ASDs is a great concern from a physical stability and dissolution performance perspective as it can promote secondary nucleation or seed crystal growth. Therefore, the risk of drug crystallization during dissolution of ASDs containing some residual crystals was assessed using absorptive dissolution measurements and compared to outcomes observed using closed-compartment dissolution testing. Mesoporous silica-based formulations are another type of amorphous formulations that are gaining increased interest due to higher physical stability and rapid release of the amorphous drug. However, their application may be limited by incomplete drug release resulting from the adsorption tendency of the drug onto the silica surface. Thus, the performance of mesoporous silica-based formulations was also evaluated in the absorptive dissolution testing apparatus to determine the impact of physiological conditions such as gastrointestinal pH and simultaneous membrane absorption on the adsorption kinetics during formulation dissolution. Overall, the aim of this research was to demonstrate the potential of the novel <i>in vitro</i> methodology and highlight the significance of a dynamic absorptive dissolution environment to enable better assessment of complex enabling formulations. <i>In vivo</i>, there are multiple physical processes occurring in the gastrointestinal lumen and the kinetics of these processes strongly depend on the absorption kinetics and <i>vice-a-versa</i>. Thus, using this novel tool, the interplay between solution phase behavior and the likely impacts on bioavailability of supersaturating drug delivery systems can be better elucidated. This approach and apparatus is anticipated to be of great utility to the pharmaceutical industry to make informed decisions with respect to formulation optimization.</p>