Accordion Pill®: Laminated, folded, encapsulated
So much for capsules can only be filled with powders, pellets, microtablets or liquids! The Accordion Pill® by Intec Pharma Ltd. is a drug delivery system that uses active ingredient containing polymeric films, which are folded into an undulated shape. This system combines an efficient gastric retention and specific release mechanism. The manufacturing technology for this innovative product was developed in close cooperation with Harro Höfliger.
It is a problem that affects millions of patients around the world: After the intake of drugs, the level of active substances rises in the blood, reaches a peak and then subsides. To ensure that the level of active ingredient in the body is always within the appropriate concentration range, it is necessary to take the medication at regular intervals. For many patients, however, this poses an enormous challenge in coping with their daily routines, and reduces their quality of life. Due to the fluctuation range, the optimal level of active substances is often available for a limited period only. The Israeli enterprise Intec Pharma has addressed these issues by developing the Accordion Pill® platform.
The Accordion Pill® looks like a normal capsule, however, its interior contains a small folded GRDF, short for “Gastro Retentive Dosage Form”, which consists of several layers of biodegradable polymeric films and the active substance. The Accordion Pill® is named after the characteristic folding of the GRDF, which is reminiscent of the musical instrument. After taking an Accordion Pill®, the capsule dissolves in the stomach, the GRDF unfolds and releases the active ingredient continuously over a period of eight to twelve hours. This also applies to substances lasting usually for only two to three hours when taken orally.
The Accordion‘s production is as complex as the innovative nature of this dosage form. “Depending on the type of application, different web materials must be laminated and welded, followed by punching and folding of the GRDF before it is encapsulated,” explains Ronny Reinberg, Vice President of Technology Affairs at Intec Pharma.
The Accordion Pill® is a unique delivery platform based on folded multilayer films. It provides a better treatment by improving the pharmacokinetics of drugs with narrow absorption windows or poor solubility. Furthermore, it allows fixed-dose combinations. Safety and efficacy have been tested in more than 30 clinical studies, with tens of thousands of administrations. Continue reading here