Pharmaceutical development isn’t just about finding the right API for your product. One of the most important steps is deciding what dosage form your medicinal product will take. There are many forms such as tablets, capsules, extended release and injection.
Choosing the right dosage form can help improve the stability of your product, make it easier to manufacture, improve ease of use for patients and help improve the quality of your product.
As innovation evolves, understanding the different dosage forms can help improve your business when bringing new products to market.
What Are Drug Dosage Forms?
Drug dosage forms are how your medicine is manufactured and administered. It ensures your medicinal product is in the right form to deliver the correct ingredients.
Depending on the properties of the medication, you may need to use different dosage forms to administer your medication. Common dosage forms include:
Tablets & Capsules
Tablets & capsules are some of the most common dosage forms. They are easy to administer, accurate and have practical packaging. They are often used across various therapeutic areas such as cardiology, diabetology, nephrology and gastro.
Soft Gelatin
Soft gelatin dosage forms help deliver liquid and semi-solid drugs in a gelatin capsule. Useful if the ingredient can be delivered more easily in this form.
Bilayer Tablets
Bilayer tablets have two layers. This can help deliver a combination of compatible ingredients.
Extended Release Tablets
Extended release dosage forms have been designed to deliver the active ingredients over a longer timeframe. This needs to be carefully considered.
Liquids & Injections
Liquids can be used as an alternative to solid dosage forms. Injections can also be used. Both dry powder and liquid injections have been designed to be administered via the correct clinical pathway. These need to have specific manufacturing processes.
Understanding the requirements of your product will help choose the right dosage form.
Factors To Consider When Choosing A Dosage Form ,Choosing a dosage form should be a strategic decision.
Consider the following factors:
A. Active Ingredient Properties
The physical and chemical properties of your API can affect the type of dosage form you can use. Consider solubility, stability and compatibility.
B. Stability
Your drug needs to remain at the correct quality throughout its shelf life. Consider moisture, temperature and packaging.
C. Patient Use
Consider who your patient group is and what pathway the medication needs to be administered via. Consider ease of use.
D. Manufacturing
Not all facilities will be able to manufacture all types of dosage forms. Consider what technical capabilities your manufacturing partner has, what they can manufacture and their quality systems.
E. Regulatory & Quality
All pharmaceutical products need to meet regulations. Consider how your dosage form will be manufactured, tested and documented.
Why It Matters To Choose The Right Manufacturing Partner
Even if you have an exciting dosage form, you will still need to have the correct manufacturing capabilities to deliver a consistent product.
This is where working with an experienced third-party manufacturer in India can be beneficial.
Your manufacturing partner should have the technical capabilities to manufacture your dosage form, good quality control systems and the infrastructure to deliver a reliable product.
Bioaltus Pharmaceuticals specialises in contract manufacturing for a range of therapeutic areas and dosage forms. We have specialist manufacturing capabilities to deliver a wide range of dosage forms using our approved cGMP-WHO manufacturing facility, iMickro & iMickro Nano technologies.
We have a diverse range of products including cardiology, diabetology, nephrology, urology, gastrology, respiratory, multivitamins and critical care. This means you can consider different dosage form requirements.
How Can Contract Manufacturing Help Your Business?
Creating and manufacturing pharmaceutical products can be complex. Working with a third-party pharma manufacturing service can help you expand your product range. As they will have the manufacturing capabilities.
Working with the right partner can help you:
Explore different dosage forms
Have access to specialist manufacturing facilities
Coordinate formulation & packaging requirements
Plan manufacture according to product requirements
Expand your pharmaceutical product range.
However, consider if they have the right credentials, can manufacture your product, have the correct documentation and quality.
The Future Of Pharmaceutical Dosage Form Development
Pharmaceutical manufacturing is constantly evolving. With new formulation technologies, manufacturing facilities and quality management systems.
With more specialist dosage forms and modified release forms, pharmaceutical companies can create more advanced formulations.
There is more of a focus on ensuring products are consistent, stable, precise and meet regulations.
Investing in the right formulation and working with a capable manufacturing partner can help lay the foundations for your long term pharmaceutical development.
Conclusion
Choosing the right dosage form is an important step when developing a successful pharmaceutical product. Whether you are using traditional tablets & capsules, or more specialist forms & injections, you will need to consider the properties of your product, stability, patient requirements and manufacturing capabilities.
Working with an experienced third-party manufacturer can help you expand your product range. Bioaltus Pharmaceuticals has manufacturing capabilities, a range of dosage forms & technology driven processes.
