Improving the solubility of dexlansoprazole by cocrystallization with isonicotinamide

Cocrystallization of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) with a cocrystal former (co-former) is widely used to tailor the physicochemical properties of parent APIs. For proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), the isolation of cocrystals has not been widely investigated. Here, a 1:1 cocrystal of a PPI molecule, dexlansoprazole (DLS), was obtained by solvent crystallization with isonicotinamide (INM). The product was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), solid-state and liquid NMR, as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. A two-point R2(2)(9) hetero-synthon was proposed to exist in the cocrystal, where intermolecular hydrogen bonding occurs between NH, SO groups of DLS and amide of INM. The dissolution profiles of DLS and DLS-INM in water were also collected, and the results demonstrate the cocrystal exhibits superior apparent maximum solubility relative to the pure drug.