Hi, I will be posting on this shortly. Here’s a short video of the professionals doing it. Although they have nice machines there are simple versions where you put the 1/2 capsules in, then add the medication. Then fill up any remaining space with filler. Then tip it all out, have a good mix and repeat the process. Put the caps on and you’re done.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlkkcMNNsPI[/video]

If you look here: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/29129

You will see this list of excipients (other stuff in the tablet that is not Daclatasvir)

6.1 List of excipients
Tablet core
Anhydrous lactose
Microcrystalline cellulose
Croscarmellose sodium
Silicon dioxide (E551)
Magnesium stearate

So given that BMS mix it with lactose I would use that as your filler.

You can get lactose from the supermarket/chemist baby formula section and use that as your filler. It’s just milk sugar.

You want a brand with a fine grind (about the same as the active) so it’s easy to mix the two parts evenly.

You can grind something too coarse into a fine powder with an ordinary mortar and pestle if needs be.

“The Capsule Machine” would be ideal for the task. About $25 on ebay. Here is a great video showing how to use it:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo92dGCt1Rc[/video]

1135my concern is the coating. you look like you are using gel caps. My understanding is that when drugs are trialled all components of the product are included as part of the “test” ie therefore if you are trying to replicate a product the filler you use needs to be consistent with the original product (ie benign regarding drug-drug interactions and most importantly approximate any effects on bioavailability of the active ingredient – because if this is altered then there are implications for dosing adjustments). Additionally if the original product has a coating – then the coating affects where in the gut the active ingredient is ultimately delivered and this again may have implications for where and therefore how much of the active ingredient gets absorbed into the system – and again for dosing adjustments. We seem to be advocating gel caps here – is BMS Daclatasvir in gel caps or coated.

Im not saying that any of these factors will have a significant effect on our “generic” approximations, – it might in this case make bugger all difference. But we don’t know so I think we need the advice of a chemist who can not only mechanically put the bits together – but one who has sufficiently advanced chemistry acumen to be able to look at the BMS Daclatasvir Analytic Profile and assure us as to what excipients and coatings (or whether gel caps are ok) to use. Im maybe too cautious but I need to get this right – Im end stage 4 and don’t need any resistance issues but Im unlikely to get a second shot at this if I proceed. regards all Archer

Hi Archer,

I spent weeks and weeks researching this because I was having all the same worries and doubts that you are. I found the (highly informative) report I’ve attached. Section 2.2.3 set me on the right path.

I researched all the excipients, and the only one that concerned me was Croscarmellose Sodium, which is a ‘superdisintigrant’. I suspected that it’s only use was to ensure the hard Daklinza pills broke up quickly and became bioavailable in the stomach.But if you’re using an API in a gelatin capsule, that’s going to happen anyway.

I had been corresponding with a HepC infected Doctor here in the UK who was basically saying all the things you are. He wanted to send his APIs to Aus to get them compounded, but I thought that was a bad idea. He contacted compounding chemists in Aus and told me this:

“I’ve spoken to Oz pharmacists as well and they confirmed what you say. Just put the stuff into capsule and swallow. My sof/dac is winging over here. Will start when I get it and hope for the best.”

Anyway, I’m on Indian Sof pills and Mesochem Dac API I put straight into gelatin caps. The Sof doesn’t work on it’s own, and after 15 days I’m virus undetected.

It’s an immediate release medicine, and all the excipients are bog-standard ones that don’t do anything more than get the pill into one’s stomach and help it to break up there (you can google each one with the word ‘excipient’ added to find out more).

You can just load the API straight into a pharmaceutical grade gelatin capsule. It’ll do the same job as branded or generic Sovaldi.