Pharmaceutical Suspensions

Book excerpt: The suspension dosage form has long been used for poorly soluble active ingre- ents for various therapeutic indications. Development of stable suspensions over the shelf life of the drug product continues to be a challenge on many fronts. A good understanding of the fundamentals of disperse systems is essential in the development of a suitable pharmaceutical suspension. The development of a s- pension dosage form follows a very complicated path. The selection of the proper excipients (surfactants, viscosity imparting agents etc.) is important. The particle size distribution in the finished drug product dosage form is a critical parameter that significantly impacts the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of the product. Appropriate analytical methodologies and instruments (chromatographs, visco- ters, particle size analyzers, etc.) must be utilized to properly characterize the s- pension formulation. The development process continues with a successful scale-up of the manufacturing process. Regulatory agencies around the world require cli- cal trials to establish the safety and efficacy of the drug product. All of this devel- ment work should culminate into a regulatory filing in accordance with the regulatory guidelines. Pharmaceutical Suspensions, From Formulation Development to Manufacturing, in its organization, follows the development approach used widely in the pharmaceutical industry. The primary focus of this book is on the classical disperse system – poorly soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients s- pended in a suitable vehicle.