NERDG 2026
Poster 39 Abstract
Making Disintegration Measurable: A Computer Vision-Enabled Disintegration Device for Mechanistic Insight
Efren Alvidrez, James Hyunhong Min, Patrick Daugherity
Pfizer, Groton, CT
Presenting Author: Efren Alvidrez
Tablet disintegration is a critical determinant of oral solid dosage form performance, directly influencing both the onset and mechanism of drug dissolution and, ultimately, in vivo drug release. Despite its importance, conventional disintegration testing is limited to reporting a single endpoint time, providing little insight into the dynamic processes governing tablet disintegration. This lack of mechanistic resolution constrains formulation understanding and limits the ability to rationally compare formulations and process variability.
To address these limitations, a computer vision-enabled disintegration device was developed to enable quantitative characterization of tablet disintegration. The system integrates controlled temperature and flow with continuous imaging, allowing monitoring of tablet morphological changes throughout the disintegration process. The image analysis tracks changes in tablet size, generating detailed disintegration profiles that capture key dynamic features such as swelling behavior, erosion, fragmentation, and overall disintegration rate.
Unlike traditional endpoint measurements, these disintegration profiles provide mechanistic metrics that enable direct comparison across formulation, process parameters, and supports formulation optimization. This approach advances disintegration testing from a pass/fail assessment to a mechanistic tool for formulation development and performance understanding.
Poster 39 Abstract
Making Disintegration Measurable: A Computer Vision-Enabled Disintegration Device for Mechanistic Insight
Efren Alvidrez, James Hyunhong Min, Patrick Daugherity
Pfizer, Groton, CT
Presenting Author: Efren Alvidrez
Tablet disintegration is a critical determinant of oral solid dosage form performance, directly influencing both the onset and mechanism of drug dissolution and, ultimately, in vivo drug release. Despite its importance, conventional disintegration testing is limited to reporting a single endpoint time, providing little insight into the dynamic processes governing tablet disintegration. This lack of mechanistic resolution constrains formulation understanding and limits the ability to rationally compare formulations and process variability.
To address these limitations, a computer vision-enabled disintegration device was developed to enable quantitative characterization of tablet disintegration. The system integrates controlled temperature and flow with continuous imaging, allowing monitoring of tablet morphological changes throughout the disintegration process. The image analysis tracks changes in tablet size, generating detailed disintegration profiles that capture key dynamic features such as swelling behavior, erosion, fragmentation, and overall disintegration rate.
Unlike traditional endpoint measurements, these disintegration profiles provide mechanistic metrics that enable direct comparison across formulation, process parameters, and supports formulation optimization. This approach advances disintegration testing from a pass/fail assessment to a mechanistic tool for formulation development and performance understanding.
