Solid dosage processing involves a variety of technologies in order to take an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and potentially combine it with excipients to create a finished dosage, such as a capsule or tablet. Once that solid dosage is in its final form, it must be properly packaged for distribution. Generally speaking, oral solid dosage forms are the most commonly used pharmaceuticals to treat diseases and conditions.

An important part of solid dosage processing and packaging is the pharmaceutical quality by design (QbD) initiative, which focuses on establishing a quality plan early in the product development process. QbD also has a focus on patient safety by aiding drug manufacturers in developing a risk-based approach to the development and production process.

According to Future Market Insights, the global oral solid dosage pharmaceutical formulation market is expected to grow from $493.2 billion in 2017 to $926.3 billion by the end of 2027.1 Facilitated by a global increase in the geriatric population, particularly across leading economies such as Japan and the U.S., coupled with the development of functional excipients that exhibit superior properties such as flow ability, the global pharma excipients market is expected to create impressive opportunities for manufacturers to capitalize on in the near future.2

Solid Dosage Packaging

For pharmaceutical oral solid dosage forms, packaging in the U.S. is still predominantly done in bottles. In Europe, blisterpackaging of solid dosage products has been the norm. For both types of packaging the goal is to protect the product from moisture, sunlight, heat and damage during transportation. For manufacturers, distributors and retailers, proper packaging is of upmost importance in order to extend the shelf-life of medications.

Packaging has also been tasked with thwarting the increase in global product counterfeiting and product diversion. Spurred by the increasing demand for anti-counterfeit drug packaging technologies, data collected by Transparency Market Research (TMR) forecasts the global packaging labelling services market to surge at a CAGR of 5.3% between 2015 and 2023. The market is expected to reach $136.27 billion by 2023.

In Conclusion

Oral solid dosage forms are the most commonly used pharmaceuticals. They are cost-effective and easy to manufacture compared to other pharmaceutical forms. Additionally, they are often the preferred choice for patients as solid dosage forms do not require dose measurement by a patient and can even have flavors added to make it easier for children to take their medicine.

Recent advances in drug delivery are enabling oral solid dosage manufacturers to achieve significant bioavailability by adopting novel drug delivery technology platforms. For example, targeted drug delivery and sustained release of dosage forms in oral solid dosage formulations enhance the bioavailability of the drugs and reduce the frequent administration of drugs, thereby contributing to significant growth of oral solid dosage forms.4

Citations

1. Future Market Insights. Oral Solid Dosage Pharmaceutical Formulation Market: Emerging Markets of Latin America, APEJ and MEA to Collectively Hold over 45% Market Value Share: Global Industry Analysis 2012 - 2016 and Opportunity Assessment 2017 - 2027, 18 Jul. 2017, https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/oral-solid-dosage-pharmaceutical-formulation-market.

2. Find Market Research. Oral solid dosage forms (OSDF) market will Register a CAGR of 6.3% through 2012 – 2018, 14 Dec. 2017, http://www.findmarketresearch.org/2017/12/oral-solid-dosage-forms-osdf-market-will-register-a-cagr-of-6-3-through-2012-2018/.

3. FDA Guidance for Industry, Container Closure Systems for Packaging Human Drugs and Biologics, Section III G “Solid Oral Dosage Forms and Powders for Reconstitution” page 33, May 1999.