Evaluation and modeling of the eutectic composition of various drug-polyethylene glycol solid dispersions

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of which factors contribute to the eutectic composition of drug-polyethylene glycol (PEG) blends and to compare experimental values with predictions from the semi-empirical model developed by Lacoulonche et al. Eutectic compositions of various drug-PEG 3350 solid dispersions were predicted, assuming athermal mixing, and compared to experimentally determined eutectic points. The presence or absence of specific interactions between the drug and PEG 3350 were investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The eutectic composition for haloperidol-PEG and loratadine-PEG solid dispersions was accurately predicted using the model, while predictions for aceclofenac-PEG and chlorpropamide-PEG were very different from those experimentally observed. Deviations in the model prediction from ideal behavior for the systems evaluated were confirmed to be due to the presence of specific interactions between the drug and polymer, as demonstrated by IR spectroscopy. Detailed analysis showed that the eutectic composition prediction from the model is interdependent on the crystal lattice energy of the drug compound (evaluated from the melting temperature and the heat of fusion) as well as the nature of the drug-polymer interactions. In conclusion, for compounds with melting points less than 200°C, the model is ideally suited for predicting the eutectic composition of systems where there is an absence of drug-polymer interactions.