Caffeine is frequently added to common painkillers, such as acetaminophen, to increase their pain-relieving effect. Used primarily for mild to moderate pain, the acetaminophen plus caffeine combination is mostly produced in tablet form. Because of the extremely bitter taste of these APIs, formulation into other dosage forms that are not to be swallowed whole can be challenging. This case study shows how hot melt coating (HMC) was used to develop orally disintegrating granules (ODGs) of acetaminophen and caffeine; this dosage form has been specifically designed to be easier to swallow.
This case study was written by Dr. Detlev Haack, Head of R&D and Dr. Martin Köberle, Head of Analytical Development & Stability Testing, both HERMES PHARMA. It was published in Pharmaceutical Technology (Volume 40, Issue 12, pg 26–29) and can be accessed via this link