Formulation Strategies for Controlled Drug Release Using MUPS Tablets: Advances and Challenges

ABSTRACT: The multi-unit pellet system tablets, employing coated pellets for regulated drug release, functions as an efficacious therapeutic substitute for conventional immediate-release dosage forms. The principal advantages of multi-unit pellet system tablets are a) the convenience of administration and b) the capacity to be partitioned without compromising the drug release characteristics of the individual units. Multi-Unit Pellet System tablets can be manufactured more economically than pellet-filled capsules owing to the substantially greater production rate of the tableting process. Studying the literature one can find that despite the advantages of multi-unit pellet system tablets, its implementation has been hindered by manufacturing issues, including impaired integrity of coated pellets and inadequate content consistency. This paper presents a revised review of research concerning the compaction of multi-unit pellet system tablets, derived from both scholarly literature and patents. Essential elements for the effective development of these tablets are outlined, including model drug attributes, potential cushioning agents, and novel techniques to protect pellets from degradation. It aims to facilitate the future advancement of manufacturable multi-unit pellet system tablets that demonstrate drug release properties similar to those of the original coated pellets.