FORMULATION DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF TRANSDERMAL PATCH OF APIXABAN

Abstract

The present study focuses on the formulation and evaluation of Apixaban transdermal patches to provide sustained drug release and improve patient compliance. Apixaban, an oral anticoagulant with limited bioavailability due to first-pass metabolism, was incorporated into transdermal patches using the solvent evaporation technique. Various formulations (F1–F6) were prepared by varying polymer concentrations. The patches were evaluated for physicochemical parameters such as thickness, folding endurance, moisture content, tensile strength, drug content, and in-vitro drug release. Among all, formulation F5 demonstrated optimum physical properties and sustained drug release up to 12 hours (98.65%). The drug release followed Higuchi kinetics (R² = 0.9874) and Korsmeyer-Peppas model (R² = 0.9838), suggesting diffusion-controlled release. Thus, the developed Apixaban transdermal patch offers a promising approach for effective anticoagulant therapy through transdermal delivery.