Company insight Enhancing bioavailability
Excipients are no longer just supporting actors in pharmaceutical formulations – they play a strategic role in enhancing drug absorption and bioavailability. Colorcon’s advanced excipient technologies, from HPMC polymers and starch derivatives to functional film coatings, help formulators optimise solubility, stability and therapeutic performance in solid oral dosage forms.
I
n the world of pharmaceutical formulation, excipients are often cast as supporting actors – mere carriers for the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). Yet, their role is far more dynamic and influential. These unsung heroes can dramatically enhance bioavailability, the proportion of a drug that successfully enters systemic circulation and reaches its intended target. For APIs with solubility or permeability challenges, the right excipient can mean the difference between success and failure. Colorcon, a global pioneer in solid oral dose innovation, has elevated excipient technology into a strategic art form. Its portfolio doesn’t just support formulation stability and manufacturability, it also enhances drug absorption. Leading its portfolio are three excipients renowned for improving bioavailability: HPMC, starch and advanced film coatings.
both immediate and modified release formulations. The AnyCoat range, which includes HPMC and HPMC-P (hypromellose phthalate), not only enhances solubility but also meets rigorous regulatory and safety standards.
Starch: a trusted ingredient for more than 100 years Starch 1500, a partially pregelatinised maize starch, is more than a manufacturing aid. For more than a century, starch excipients have been a cornerstone of solid oral dosage forms. What sets Starch 1500 apart is its partial pregelatinisation, which enhances water solubility and performance. In addition to improving flow properties and compressibility – key attributes for efficient tablet production – it plays a pivotal role in accelerating disintegration. This rapid breakdown ensures swift API
“Colorcon has elevated excipient technology into a strategic art form. Its portfolio doesn’t just support formulation stability and manufacturability, it also enhances drug absorption.”
HPMC: a polymer with purpose Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), or hypromellose, is a semi-synthetic polymer derived from cellulose and has been used in pharmaceutical formulations for decades. In solid dispersions, it helps maintain APIs in an amorphous, more soluble state – especially vital for Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) Class II and IV drugs. Its hydrophilic nature allows it to form gel matrices upon hydration, enabling controlled drug release over time. This property is a game-changer in matrix tablets, where HPMC drives the gradual diffusion of the API. Its pH stability, non-toxicity and broad compatibility make it a go-to choice for
76
release in the gastrointestinal tract, a critical advantage for immediate-release formulations where speed is essential.
Film coatings: function meets flair Film coatings often get attention for their ability to improve a tablet’s appearance, but their true value lies in the way they can transform bioavailability and therapeutic performance. Far beyond aesthetics, coatings are tools that can directly influence how, when and where a drug is released in the body. Colorcon’s Opadry systems illustrate this dual role. In addition to providing a smooth, elegant finish, they offer critical functional benefits such as moisture protection, taste masking and
swallowability enhancement, which together improve patient compliance and safeguard drug stability. From a bioavailability perspective they can act as protective barriers – shielding moisture-sensitive APIs from degradation – or as facilitators that control dissolution rates for optimal absorption. This control helps ensure a consistent therapeutic window and reduces variability between patients. In modified-release formulations, coatings play an even more strategic role. Barrier membrane coatings can deliver sustained or extended release, improving convenience with once-daily dosing and maintaining steady plasma concentrations. Meanwhile, pH-sensitive coatings such as Acryl-EZE enable targeted drug release to the small intestine or colon. This not only enhances absorption for drugs with regional permeability challenges but minimises side effects by avoiding unnecessary exposure in non-target areas. Ultimately, film coatings act as both guardians and gatekeepers – protecting the API while dictating how it engages with the gastrointestinal tract. Excipients are no longer silent partners in drug formulation – they are strategic enablers of therapeutic success. Through thoughtful selection with scientific rationale and innovative application, they can transform the bioavailability of even the most challenging APIs. Colorcon’s excipient technologies exemplify how science and strategy converge to deliver not just manufacturability, but also meaningful therapeutic impact. As the pharmaceutical landscape evolves, excipients will continue to rise in prominence, shaping the future of patient-friendly, effective medicines. ●
www.colorcon.com
www.worldpharmaceuticals.net
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85
