Development and in vitro/in vivo evaluation of taste-masked orodispersible films of dapoxetine hydrochloride using ion exchange resins

Dapoxetine hydrochloride tablets are the most commonly used drug for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE). However, the tablets must be taken with water 1-3 h before sexual activity, which makes the medication intake conspicuous and inconvenient. This study aimed to develop taste-masked orodispersible films (ODFs) of dapoxetine hydrochloride using ion exchange resins. It was found that the based-Kyron T-134 resin complex achieved a high drug loading of 75.9 ± 1.4%, establishing the mass ratio of dapoxetine hydrochloride to Kyron T-134 at 2:1, and adjusting the solution pH to 5.4 ± 0.05. The effect of pH on the drug loading of the resin was initially characterized by SEM, while the binding mechanism between dapoxetine hydrochloride and the resin was investigated by XRD, DSC, and FTIR. The ODFs exhibited favorable mechanical properties and palatability. Meanwhile, the drug release in both the ODFs and commercially available tablets Priligy^® could reach 100.8% of the drug over 15 min in a simulated gastric fluid with pH 1.2 HCl. Furthermore, pharmacokinetic studies conducted in healthy volunteers demonstrated that the ODFs were bioequivalent to Priligy^®. Therefore, this ODFs, characterized by its pleasant taste and water-free administration, offer a novel and convenient oral formulation for patients with PE, thereby enhancing patient compliance.