pharm-a-spheres


PHARM-A-SPHERES

Sugar Spheres USP/NF, EP

 

Pharm-a-spheres are non-pareil seeds/neutral pellets of spherical form, composed of sucrose and corn starch. They are primarily used as inert cores in capsule and tablet formulations, particularly multi-particulate sustained-release formulations. They form the base upon which a drug is coated, usually followed by a release-modifying polymer coating.
 
Pharm-a-spheres offer great mechanical strength, low friability and good flowability.  Their high sphericity with a narrow particle size distribution allow for precise calculation of drug loading quantity. Pharm-a-spheres’ range cover the whole spectrum of diameters from 100 – 2000 µm. Customized sizes of this product, to meet specific formulation needs, are also possible.

Particle size range
(Mesh ASTM)		Particle size range (μm)
Applications

120 – 140

106 – 125

Used as drug‐free cores for multi-particulate sustained-release formulations.

100 – 120125 – 150
80 – 100150 – 180
70 – 80180 – 212
60 – 70212 – 250
50 – 60250 – 300
45 – 50300 – 355
45 – 60250 – 355
40 – 60250 – 425
40 – 50300 – 425
40 – 45355 – 425
35 – 50300 – 500
35 – 45355 – 500
35 – 40425 – 500
30 – 35500 – 600
25 – 30 600 – 710
20 – 25710 – 850
18 – 20850 – 1000
16 – 20 850 – 1180
16 – 181000 – 1180
14 – 161180 – 1400
12 – 161180 – 1700
12 – 141400 – 1700
10 – 121700 – 2000
* Special sizes and mixtures are also possible.