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World Pharmaceutical Frontiers 2023 Vol. 1


Editorial Editor Peter Littlejohns peter.littlejohns@progressivemediainternational.com Sub-editor Liam Murphy Production manager Dave Stanford Group art director Henrik Williams Designer Martin Faulkner Head of content Jake Sharp


Commercial Sales manager Nathan Park


nathan.park@progressivemediainternational.com Client services executive Derek Deschamps Managing director William Crocker


World Pharmaceutical Frontiers is published by Progressive Media International.


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ISSN 1742-3791 © 2023


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he active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is always in the spotlight when it comes to developing a new drug. It carries the highest cost because of its role in treating disease, with the supporting cast, excipients, coming in comparably much cheaper. But in the hands of skilled formulation scientists, excipients are worth their weight in gold due to their ability to modulate the behaviour of a drug once it’s administered – enhancing the bioavailability or slowing the release of the API to give just two examples. There’s complexity in this process though, and an excipient can just as easily degrade an API beyond use. On page 32, Monica Karpinski investigates the chemical and physical reactions that can occur between excipients and APIs, and the techniques employed to ensure the final product is stable and effective. The battle doesn’t end with a successful formulation though; temperature excursions during the journey to patients can jeopardise all of that hard work in the lab, especially for cell and gene therapy (CGT) products. On page 24, Sonia Ben Hamida, head of special cargo at the International Air Transport Association, explains how standards and certifications help companies avoid the risks that come with transporting drug products by air. As a risk-averse industry, the idea of having eyes on all aspects of the supply chain is an enticing one. Why, then, are the technologies employed to make this a reality not utilised in every pharma company? It turns out there are good reasons, as I find out from the research director of Deloitte’s Centre for Health Solutions on page 28. One use case where having end-to-end visibility is vital is CGT products, but beyond this, even the biggest players in the market are still getting to grips with the best ways to manufacture them. On page 38, Andrea Valentino explores why companies are choosing to collaborate in this highly- competitive industry. Other topics explored in this issue include the future of long-acting injectables; shuttling drugs past the blood-brain barrier; and the methods used in quality control during CGT manufacturing.


Peter Littlejohns, editor


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