Understanding Ion Resin Technology

Ion exchange resins have been in use for many years in pharmaceutical formulations. Their uses have ranged from simple excipients for tablet disintegration to the rate controlling function in extended release formulations. However, efficient drug utilization has been less than ideal historically in the formation of drug-resin complexes to be used in pharmaceutical products.

To get a primer on ion resin technology and its role in pharmaceutical manufacturing, we reached out to Scott Madsen of Coating Place, Inc., a CMO that develops and manufactures modified release oral dosage products and specializes in Wurster fluid bed microencapsulation. Madsen's focus is on pharmaceutical controlled release formulations using ion exchange technology. He has led teams in ion exchange product development, process design and optimization, technology transfer, FDA regulatory filings, and commercial manufacturing. In January 2011, he was awarded a U.S. patent entitled "Ion Exchange Resin Treated to Control Swelling."

In this interview, Madsen gives us an introduction to ion resin technology and explains why pharmaceutical manufacturers might consider integrating it into their process. He also explains how his new patented process solves one of the biggest challenges related to using ion resin technology.