What's happening?

In recent years, there has been increasing concerns around drug supply shortages and discussions around the potential benefits of relocating medicine production back to the EU.

Featured in a roundtable with On Drug Delivery, Recipharm’s Senior Director, Technology and Strategic Investments, Torkel Gren, speaks about the different dosage forms and administration routes available to drug developers, referencing some of the key trends in the sector.

In recent years there has been a change in focus for drug formulators as it becomes more critical that the needs of the patient are considered when developing new drug products. The focus on the overall patient experience is a priority now, particularly as specific dosage forms can have a different impact on the user and their ability to take medications effectively or correctly. 

The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a mixture of effects on the injection delivery market. For example, some patients have delayed their care for fear of going into healthcare settings for treatment and potentially contracting the disease. 

Companies working in the drug development space are under increasing pressure to provide more innovative solutions for medications. Working with an end-to-end CDMO can help to reduce complexity and timelines, and ultimately ensure smoother progress to market.

Many recognised drug development challenges are impacting oral solid dose (OSD) manufacturing. Most notably, the ever more complex nature of new molecules that are frequently affected by difficulties related to their bioavailability, formulation, stability, manufacturability, and scalability.

The analytical market has changed considerably over the years, and this has impacted the way that drug development teams approach analytical testing. As a result, the speed at which a product then reaches market has also been improved. 

By delivering therapeutic concentrations directly to the site of treatment, inhaled medicines can provide a fast onset of action while limiting systemic exposure.

The pharmaceutical industry is under immense pressure to reduce timelines and any associated costs when it comes to oral solid dosage (OSD) drug development and manufacturing. Many drug developers are choosing to unload some of this responsibility by outsourcing to contract development and manufacturing organisations (CDMOs).