BENEO-Palatinit, member of the Südzucker Group, presents its multifunctional excipient galenIQ™ for dry blending formulations at this year’s AAPS Annual Meeting and Exposition on 14-18 November in New Orleans, US (booth #754). While galenIQ is known for its excellent compactibility, flowability and very low hygroscopicity, the combination of its other characteristics make the filler-binder suitable especially for direct compression and powder mixture applications such as sachets or orally dispersible powders.

Due to cost-effectiveness and time savings dry blending of all ingredients is nowadays the most favoured way of drug formulation preparation. This is also proven by a growing number of line extensions into the direction of sachets for direct oral application and stick pack packaging. However, especially bulk excipients need to fulfil certain requirements such as dilution potential, flowability, content uniformity, low hygroscopicity, physical and chemical stability, etc.

The unique morphology of agglomerated galenIQ grades 720 and 721 eases especially in direct oral powder blends the formulation with different API particle sizes at the same time. The large specific surface area enables the incorporation of high concentrations of active ingredients on the one hand without compromising the flow properties of the final mixture. On the other hand, the surface structure prevents segregation even in very low dose blends during the whole process, thus ensuring the homogeneity of the mixture and subsequently the required content uniformity.

Moreover, these grades exhibit high agglomerate stability during the mixing process and are very low hygroscopic. As a result the excipient protects even moisture-sensitive APIs. Also, it does not react with other components and thus proves its chemical stability.

The excellent compactability makes the grades suitable for tablets, showing a smooth surface that can easily be coated with film or pan.

Derived from pure beet sugar, galenIQ gives a pleasant sugar-like taste. This sweet, well balanced taste is a decisive advantage for dry blend products for direct oral application as well as for chewable or lozenge tablets. However, in contrast to sucrose, it has a very low glycemic response and does not promote tooth decay, which makes galenIQ superior for the use in these kind of dosage forms.

galenIQ is a white, odourless, water soluble, crystalline substance of non-animal origin, derived from sucrose. Chemically, galenIQ is isomalt, a disaccharide alcohol, which has been widely used as a bulk sweetener in sugar-free confectionery and nutraceutical products for some 20 years.