Pellets are a type of solid dosage form designed and manufactured as spherical or near-spherical particles with relatively uniform sizes. They can be produced by various well-known methods; selecting the appropriate method depends on the physicochemical properties of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), its processability, and the desired drug-release profile. At the knowledge-based company Behansar, pellet production is carried out using the extrusion–spheronization process.

Extruder machine for pellet production

The extruder plays a key role in the production of pharmaceutical pellets. Pellets are spherical or near-spherical particles manufactured to improve dose control and enable targeted drug release. In this process, the prepared blend of drug powders and excipients is fed into the extruder and forced under pressure through a die to form strands of a defined diameter (corresponding to the mesh size of the selected extruder screen). Pellets can be formulated as Immediate Release (IR), Controlled Release (CR), or Sustained Release (SR) systems. For example, sustained-release pellets are designed to release the active pharmaceutical ingredient gradually over time, whereas immediate-release pellets rapidly deliver the drug.

Spheronizer machine for pellet production

After extrusion, the spheronizer is used to convert the extruded strands into more spherical, higher-quality pellets. Using a rapidly rotating friction plate—engineered with grooves at specific angles—the machine shapes the strands into uniform spheres. Tuning the spheronizer’s rotational speed is a key factor in controlling pellet size, shape, and uniformity. An appropriate speed yields ideally spherical pellets with desirable mechanical strength, whereas an improper speed can produce irregular shapes or a broad size distribution. Therefore, precise control of process parameters such as rotational speed is essential to ensure final pellet quality. The spherical geometry increases the pellets’ surface-area-to-volume ratio, which facilitates more uniform and precise coating and ultimately supports an appropriate drug-release profile.

Behansar Knowledge-Based Company With long-standing experience in the formulation and production of a wide range of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical pellets, Behansar is equipped to manufacture pilot and industrial-scale batches—either under its own IRCs or to the specifications of partner pharmaceutical and supplement companies. Comprehensive analytical documentation, valid certificates, and the corresponding CTD dossier are available upon request. Behansar is your reliable partner throughout the supply chain for all types of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical pellets.