Chemicals
Chemicals & raw materials
shaping pharma Excipient evolution
innovation
Innovative excipients are transforming pharmaceutical formulations by improving bioavailability and stability. By enhancing drug solubility, absorption, and shelf life through advanced carriers like lipids and polymers, these developments enable more effective and patient- friendly medications. Abi Millar talks to Vaios Barlas, head of health care at Clariant, about what kind of difference novel excipients can make.
hen it comes to drug performance, excipients are an overlooked piece of the puzzle. In some cases, a drug might be treated as synonymous with its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), as though that particular molecule were the only thing that determined the product’s efficacy. Excipient development receives a fraction of the funding devoted to novel drug development. Though the market is growing – from $9.2bn in 2023 to $12.4bn in 2029, according to BCC Research – it pales in comparison to the market for APIs, which currently stands at around $210bn. Indeed, most people outside the pharmaceutical industry are unlikely even to have heard the term ‘excipient’. It’s clear, though, that excipients are far more than just inactive ingredients. Almost all drug products contain excipients – and lots of them. They can play a vast array of roles, ranging from solvents to stabilisers, emulsifiers to antimicrobials. By weight, they typically make up the bulk of the drug: more than 50% for solid dosage forms, and over 90% for liquid dosage forms. As Vaios Barlas, head of health care at Clariant, explains, they are essential enablers that can make or break a drug’s formulation success. “The right excipient can dramatically improve drug solubility, enhance bioavailability and stability, ensure proper API distribution, and enable controlled release profiles,” he says. “The right excipient choice early in development can also prevent costly reformulation later, highlighting their strategic importance in drug development.” A related consideration is drug shelf life. If an excipient can improve the drug’s stability and purity, it will last longer, reducing disposal needs. “Sustainability benefits are realised through more
W 46 World Pharmaceutical Frontiers /
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