Excipient Companies Bank On R & D to Enhance Solubility Level in Drugs

Over the past few years, need for functional excipients in various formulations to improve drug delivery by ensuring formulation flexibility, has increased. Formulation flexibility is important in five major areas including stability, taste masking, solubility, controlled release and abuse deterrence. From offering stability to pharmaceutical preparations to boost solubility and even disintegration, key market player favor expertise as an important medium to handle excipient needs. 

 

Research analysts at Allied Market Research reveal that close to 45% of the drugs marketed today, fall into low solubility categories. However, if the entities of the drug under discovery is considered the number rises over 70% says a spokesperson of the research firm.  This clearly indicates that the trend towards low solubility would create greater opportunities for excipients that boosts drug solubility between the forecast period 2014 – 2020.  

Today, different techniques are being used to increase solubility of drug compounds by taking into account the capability of the formulator, cost effectiveness of various strategies and active pharmaceutical ingredients (or API). Among all the advanced technologies used for enhancing solubility, the most popular ones include lipid solubilization as well as solid dispersions.  In fact, the lipid excipients form a major category owing to increasing application and ability to enhance solubility level of lipophilic active ingredients. 

Recently, Amorphous solid-dispersion technology has exhibited greater potential when it comes to enhancing absorption for active pharmaceutical ingredients with low solubility. Over past few decades, Ashland has invested generously for understanding and building this technology. Commenting on their ongoing research Dr. Bi said “Ashland provides know-how on polymer selection and expertise to support R&D programs focused on improving solubility. In our Wilmington, Delaware, Center of Excellence, resources are available to conduct proof-of-concept studies to assess solid dispersions and determine if solid dispersion is the right approach for increasing API solubility and bioavailability.”

In another discovery Full Health Science, Inc. has developed unique excipients that can overcome several new challenges. Due to many bioavailability and solubility challenges several formulators are moving away from conventional binders. But a new lipid – based delivery system including SMEDDS promises hope. They would boost bioavailability of low water soluble drugs adds Xi Han, technical sales & support in Full Health Science, Inc. 

Pfanstiehl recently shot to fame for its parenteral – grade excipients including maltose, sucrose, treehouse, mannitol and sorbitol mainly for lyophilized and liquid applications. There is a greater demand for high quality cGMP-manufactured components are needed. Trehalose build by the company works as an effective stabilizer for complicated cells under extremely high stress. Most formulations endure such stabilizers. 

Earlier, to tackle solubility issues pharmaceutical companies had to put their projects on hold. However, tightening pipelines that created a demand for expertise has solved the problem to a greater extent. Therefore, it’s important for a buyer to look to a right supplier. Buyers need to understand that suppliers who can offer expertise in identifying the right excipient that complements a drugs active pharmaceutical ingredients are a right fit. Moreover, these suppliers should have the ability to provide research and development support to solve different formulation challenges that often arises after the launch of a new excipient. 

Eyeing the concerns over poor solubility level in pharmaceutical drugs, Allied Market Research has published a report titled “World Excipient Market - Opportunities and Forecast, 2014 – 2020”. As per the study the industry is believed to reach about 728.4 kilo tons between 2014 – 2020. The sector would garner revenue of $6.4 billion during the forecast period. Key business imperatives such as market share and size, consumption volume, adoption rate and technology advancements among others are also covered during the research. 

 

 

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