Key Benefits & Why Formulators Choose NBE CAPCEL™ — Microcrystalline Cellulose Spheres
Sugar-Free & Starch-Free:
Contains no sugar, lactose, or starch — suitable for diabetic patients, lactose-intolerant individuals, and clean-label supplement formulations.
Sphericity >90%:
Average sphericity degree above 90% ensures uniform film coating, predictable drug layering, and consistent dissolution profiles.
High Mechanical Strength:
Withstands the mechanical stress of fluidised-bed and Wurster coating processes without fracturing or deforming.
Very Low Friability:
Minimal particle breakage during coating and capsule filling — reducing waste, improving yield, and maintaining dose accuracy.
Controlled Water Absorption:
Absorbs water during coating and processing, reducing agglomeration at high spray rates for smoother coating operations.
High Payload Capacity:
Allows high drug-loading levels, enabling smaller capsule sizes and improved patient compliance.
Improved Formulation Stability:
Low chemical reactivity enables safe use with moisture-sensitive, high-potency, and chemically labile APIs.
Controlled GI Drug Delivery:
Multi-particulate design reduces gastric emptying variability, minimises localised high drug concentrations, and lowers the risk of dose dumping.
High Abrasion Resistance:
Improves and simplifies the coating process — reducing coating defects and improving coating efficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are MCC spheres used for in pharmaceuticals?
Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) spheres are used as inert, neutral pellet carriers in multi-particulate pharmaceutical formulations. APIs are layered onto the MCC sphere surface, which is then coated with functional films to control the rate, site, and timing of drug release. Common applications include sustained-release, controlled-release, enteric-coated, and taste-masked oral dosage forms.
What is the difference between CAPCEL™ MCC Spheres and sugar spheres?
CAPCEL™ MCC Spheres are manufactured entirely from Microcrystalline Cellulose — they contain no sugar, lactose, or starch. Sugar spheres are made from sucrose and starch, making them unsuitable for diabetic formulations and products requiring sugar-free or low-glycaemic claims. CAPCEL™ also offers superior mechanical strength and lower friability compared to sugar spheres, resulting in better coating process performance and higher yield.
What sphericity degree do CAPCEL™ MCC Spheres achieve?
CAPCEL™ MCC Spheres achieve an average sphericity degree greater than 90%. High sphericity ensures uniform film thickness during coating, consistent drug layering, and predictable dissolution profiles — all critical for the reproducibility of modified-release formulations.
Are CAPCEL™ MCC Spheres suitable for Wurster coating?
Yes. CAPCEL™ MCC Spheres are specifically engineered to withstand the mechanical and thermal demands of Wurster fluidised-bed coating processes. Their high mechanical strength, low friability, and high abrasion resistance make them ideal for Wurster coating — enabling high coating efficiency with minimal particle fracture or agglomeration, even at elevated spray rates.
