Pharmaceutical analysis apparatus and method

1. A dissolution device to analyze the release of an active agent from a dosage form in a GI tract, the device comprising:

a vessel having an open end, said vessel containing a medium; and

a force application system having a chamber and a force imparting mechanism,

said chamber supporting the dosage form and being in fluid communication with said medium, wherein said force imparting mechanism applies compression to the dosage form to simulate conditions in the GI tract.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said force application system is connected to said open end thereby being positioned in said medium.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said chamber is a cylinder, said force imparting mechanism comprises a piston, and said piston is operably connected to a power source.

4. The device of claim 3 , further comprising a controller operably connected to said piston to control at least one of a frequency, a duration or an amount of said compression that is applied to the dosage form.

5. The device of claim 3 , further comprising an impeller that circulates said medium.

6. The device of claim 5 , further comprising a sampler that obtains a sample of said medium for analysis.

7. The device of claim 3 , wherein said cylinder has one or more slots that allow for flow of said medium into and through said cylinder.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein said cylinder has a mesh screen along a bottom of said cylinder.

9. The device of claim 3 , wherein said cylinder has a first mesh screen along a bottom of said cylinder and a second mesh screen above said first mesh screen that sandwiches the dosage form in place.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein said force application system has padding positioned between the dosage form and said force imparting mechanism.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein said padding is silicon.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein said force application system is made at least in part from electropolished stainless steel.