Elucidation of the mechanism of amorphization and dissolution of bad glass former as a function of drug-polymer interaction and preparation method

The project will study the impact of polymer and solvent properties (solubility parameters, interaction with drugs, molecular weight, rheological properties, and glass transition temperature) on the stability of high drug-loaded ASD solids, thermodynamic and kinetic stabilization. The effect of manufacturing methods (liquid layer coating and electrospinning), process parameter settings on the obtained ASD solids and their physical stability, as well as a comparison of both methods, will be investigated. The impact of ASD composition (polymer type and drug load), manufacturing method, and polymer dissolution rate on the in vitro dissolution profile of the drug under simulated gastric and intestinal conditions, drug and polymer release, as well as critical parameters such as the congruence limit, will be examined. Algorithms will be proposed to tailor the main properties of the manufactured ASD, including the dissolution profile. 

The project is interdisciplinary. It includes the following research areas: pharmacy, materials engineering, polymer chemistry, and physics. The project results will include three publications, three conference theses, and a Latvian patent. 

Expected results

• Original scientific articles published in the Q1 or Q2 high-level journals – 3
• Intellectual property registered in Latvia – 1
• Project proposal submitted in a Latvian call for research and development projects – 1
• Other project results (e. g., datasets, etc.) – 4
• Participation in international scientific conferences – 2
• Participation in national scientific conferences

Notable events

• 2026 – Collaboration with Prof. Antonio Di Stefano (Università degli Studi “G. D’Annunzio” Chieti-Pescara, Italy); scientific exchange activities were carried out within the Erasmus+ programme, followed by a six-month research visit of two Italian PhD students to Rīga Stradiņš University. 
• April 2026 – Guest lecture at Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design and Lviv Polytechnic National University on modern approaches to dosage form development and recent advances in pharmaceutical technology research
• April 2026 – participation in the 84th International Scientific Conference of the University of Latvia/ section "Sustainable Chemistry and Materials for Environmentally Friendly Technologies"/ (Riga, Latvia) with oral presentations.
• April 2026 – participation in the “Making Pharmaceuticals” exhibition-conference (Coventry, United Kingdom) with oral and poster presentations.
• March 2026 – participation in the 15th World Meeting on Pharmaceutics, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology (Prague, Czech Republic) with poster presentations
• October 2025: Visiting 5th Conference on Innovation in Drug Delivery (Turin, Italy) wit h poster presentation
• 2025 – Collaboration initiated with Prof. Tomasz Osmałek (Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland); within the framework of this collaboration, master's and PhD students from Poland were involved in research activities at Rīga Stradiņš University, and the obtained results contributed to the preparation of a joint scientific publication
• June 2025 – Visit of the recognised European scientist Dr Andriy Dashevskiy (Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany); Dr. Dashevskiy is one of the leading experts in pharmaceutical polymers and drug delivery technologies
• June 2025: Visiting a worldwide-respected professor, Gabriele Sadowski (the Laboratory of Thermodynamics, Faculty of Bio- and Chemical Engineering, Technische Universität Dortmund), who is a key opinion leader in the fundamental science behind of the topic of our project
• April 2025 – Participation of the project team in the specialised training course “Hansen Solubility Parameters in Practice (HSPiP)”, strengthening expertise in predicting drug-polymer-solvent compatibility
• March 2025 – Participation in the 5th European Conference on Pharmaceutics (Porto, Portugal) with the oral presentation“Physical Stability of Ibuprofen-HPMCAS Solid Dispersion as Function of Solvent Type”, addressing factors affecting the stability of pharmaceutical formulations
• March 2025 – Participation in the RSU International Student Conference in Health and Social Sciences (ISC 2025) with two poster presentations:“Physical Stability of Ibuprofen–HPMCAS Solid Dispersion as Function of Solvent Type” (Liene Raciborska) and“Quantification of Polymers (Soluplus and HPMCAS) and Drug (Itraconazole) in Dissolution Media” (Katarina Gurkina)
  Conference abstract book

Scientific publications

• Gurkina K, Horváth ZM, Kačanovs R, Mohylyuk V. Poster. Combined pre-formulation approach for the selection of naproxen-polymer-solvent candidates for the preparation of amorphous solid dispersion.  15th World Meeting on Pharmaceutics, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology (PBP); Prague, Czech Republic; (23-26 March 2026)  
• Horváth ZM, Gurkina K, Kačanovs R, Bērziņš A, Viter R, Mohylyuk V. Poster. Polymer and solvent candidate selection for the preparation of ASD with naproxen (a bad glass-forming drug). Making Pharmaceuticals; Coventry, United Kingdom: Step Exhibitions (21–22 April 2026)
• Horváth ZM, Gurkina K, Bērziņš A, Viter R, Mohylyuk V. Poster. Ternary phase diagrams of naproxen with Soluplus® and chloroform or ethyl acetate. 15th World Meeting on Pharmaceutics, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology (PBP); Prague, Czech Republic (23–26 March 2026)
• Kolisnyk T, Mohylyuk V. Mechanistic insight into dissolution of highly drug-loaded amorphous solid dispersions of a fast-crystallizing drug. Eur J Pharm Biopharm. July 2026, vol. 224, article 115079 
• Mohylyuk V. Stand-UP. Suitability of sugar alcohols as binders in twin-screw melt granulation for preparation of high-drug-loaded immediate-release tablets with superior mechanical properties. Making Pharmaceuticals; Coventry, United Kingdom: Step Exhibitions (21-22 April 2026)
• Mohylyuk V, Viter R, Bērziņš A. Stand-UP: Elucidation of the mechanism of amorphization and dissolution of bad glass formers as a function of drug-polymer interaction and preparation method: Toward sustainable technologies. 84th International Scientific Conference of the University of Latvia (section "Sustainable Chemistry and Materials for Environmentally Friendly Technologies"); Riga, Latvia: University of Latvia (16 April 2026)
• Raciborska L, Buczkowska EM, Kukuls K, Pētersone L, Mohylyuk V. Active tablet coating with the amorphous solid dispersion of ibuprofen-HPMCAS from organic solution. Pharmaceutics 17(12):1514, November 2025. 
• Raciborska L, Buczkowska EM, Kukuls K, Mohylyuk V. Poster. Amorphous solid dispersion tablet active coating in a perforated pan coater: proof of concept. 5th Conference on Innovation in Drug Delivery; Turin, Italy (1–3 October 2025)

Datasets

• Gurkina K., Kačanovs R., Horváth Z. M. and Mohylyuk V. Precipitation Profiles of Naproxen in Dissolution Media. Institutional Repository Dataverse, December 2025. DOI: 10.48510/FK2/NQENJO
• Gurkina K., Kačanovs R., Horváth Z. M. and Mohylyuk V. Turbidity Test of Polymers in Organic Solvents. Institutional Repository Dataverse, December 2025. DOI: 10.48510/FK2/NMXLH2
• Horváth Z. M., Gurkina K. and Mohylyuk V. Naproxen Solubility in Polymers – Solubility Parameters. Institutional Repository Dataverse, November 2025. DOI: 10.48510/FK2/RM4LKE

Project-related student theses

• Gurkina K. Quantification of Polymer and Drug in Dissolution Media with Appropriate Analytical Methods. Master's thesis, Rīga Stradiņš University (April 2025) 
• Raciborska L. Physical Stability of Ibuprofen–HPMC-AS-L Solid Dispersion as Function of Solvent Type. Master's thesis, Rīga Stradiņš University (April 2025)

Team

• Zoltan Mark Horvath, ZoltanMark[pnkts]Horvathrsu[pnkts]lv
• Katarīna Gurkina, Katarina[pnkts]Gurkinarsu[pnkts]lv
• Marta Žogota, Marta[pnkts]Zogotarsu[pnkts]lv
• Alīna Jaroslava Frolova, AlinaJaroslava[pnkts]Frolovarsu[pnkts]lv
• Kirils Kukuls, Kirils[pnkts]Kukulsrsu[pnkts]lv
• Valentyn Mohylyuk, Valentyn[pnkts]Mohylyukrsu[pnkts]lv
• Arta Pētersone, Arta[pnkts]Petersonersu[pnkts]lv