This study aimed to develop enteric-coated pellets of tofacitinib citrate, a therapeutic agent for ulcerative colitis, using a hot-melt extrusion (HME)-based continuous manufacturing approach. The formulation was designed to shift the drug’s site of...
This study aimed to develop enteric-coated pellets of tofacitinib citrate, a therapeutic agent for ulcerative colitis, using a hot-melt extrusion (HME)-based continuous manufacturing approach. The formulation was designed to shift the drug’s site of action from systemic to local delivery, achieving targeted release at specific intestinal regions (pH ≥ 6.8). Pellets produced via HME exhibited consistent quality throughout the continuous manufacturing process. The prepared pellets were evaluated through drug content uniformity, dissolution testing, and physicochemical characterization using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). TGA results confirmed the thermal stability of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and excipients during processing, while XRD and FT-IR analyses demonstrated the physical and chemical stability between the drug and polymer matrix following HME. Drug content analysis indicated uniform drug distribution at target concentrations, and dissolution testing verified the enteric performance with drug release initiated at pH ≥ 6.8. Additionally, in vivo studies showed a delayed time to reach maximum plasma concentration (Tmax), further supporting the enteric characteristics of the developed pellets. Overall, this study successfully developed enteric-coated tofacitinib citrate pellets via HME-based continuous manufacturing, demonstrating their potential as a locally acting formulation for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.