Ana Alejandra Barrera Jimenez

BIOMATH, Model-based analysis and optimisation of (bio)processes
Department of Mathematical Modelling, Statistics and Bioinformatics

Coupure Links 653
B-9000 Gent (Belgium)
Tel.: +32-9-264.59.37
E-mail: AnaAlejandra.BarreraJimenez@UGent.be

Developing PBM models for the twin-screw wet granulation (TSWG) continuous process in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Wet granulation is a process that seeks convert fine powder particles into larger particles by spraying a liquid binder onto fine particles, agglomerating to form granules of desired characteristics. This process has numerous applications widely used in a range of industries that include the manufacture of pharmaceutical products. Combination of process engineering (modelling) and pharmaceutical sciences (measurements) disciplines have allowed developing knowledge regarding rate processes, their interaction and quantification by measurement tools, and development of models to improve the prediction of the process state in the continuous system. Population balance models (PBMs) can be used to predict experimental results, being useful based on the highly-regulated pharmaceutical industry.

Despite that recently the pharmaceutical industry has increased the use of twin screw wet granulation in the manufacturing of solid dosage, there are gaps in understanding of the physical process inside of the TSWG to achieve the prediction of the characteristics of the product. This work is focused on reaching a predictive PBM for TSWG with high accuracy.