At present, the most prevalent pharmaceutical dosage forms, the oral-delivery tablets and capsules, are granular solids. The problem with such solids is their microstructure, properties, and processing are not predictable from physical models. As a consequence, product development and manufacture are resource-intensive and time-consuming, and quality control is by statistical testing rather than by design. Furthermore, the disintegration and drug release rates of the granular forms are inconsistent, which induces variations in the concentration-time profile of drug in the blood and may result in reduced efficacy or safety of a specific therapy. Presented herein, is an apparatus including an internally hollow housing defining an extrusion channel, a conveying element for extruding a plasticized matrix in the extrusion channel through an exit port to form at least one plasticized fiber, and a unit for structuring said at least one plasticized fiber to at least a fraction of a fibrous dosage form.
