Ivabradine hydrochloride (S)-mandelic acid co-crystal: In situ preparation during formulation

Abstract

The pharmaceutical salt ivabradine hydrochloride is indicated for the symptomatic treatment of chronic stable angina pectoris and chronic heart failure. It exhibits extensive polymorphism and co-crystallization, which could be a way to provide an alternative solid form. We conducted a co-crystal screen, from which two hits were identified: with (S)-mandelic and (R)-mandelic acid. Both structures were determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data as co-crystals. The co-crystals were further characterized by common solid-state techniques, such as X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), solid-state NMR, IR and Raman spectroscopy, and dynamic vapor sorption (DVS). The co-crystal with (S)-mandelic acid was selected for further development; its physical and chemical stability was compared with two different polymorphs of the hydrochloride salt. The co-crystal exhibited a similar stability with the polymorph used in the original drug product and was, therefore, selected for formulation into the drug product. During the pre-formulation experiments, the in situ formation of the co-crystal was achieved during the wet granulation process. The following formulation experiments showed no influence of in situ prepared co-crystal on the overall stability of the bulk, when compared with pre-prepared co-crystal formulation.