Using DOE to Achieve Reliable Drug Administration:  A Case Study

Design of experiments (DOE), a statistical tool, and mathematical modeling techniques are established and proven methodologies for process and product improvements in the pharmaceutical industry. This contribution presents a case study where an unsatisfactory dissolution capacity for the drug Roquinimex was overcome by investigating the process parameters with the help of an experimental design. By elucidating the detailed effects of temperature, dosing time, and dilution, conformity in the particle size distribution of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) from batch to batch in full-scale manufacturing could be ensured. As a direct result the manufactured drug met its specified dissolution capacity, which was a prerequisite for obtaining the desired bioavailability of the pharmaceutical oral formulation. This work demonstrates how the use of DOE in chemical process development adds value by allowing efficient and reliable improvements of a given synthetic step.