Freeze-dry value on the rise

Complex chemical molecules need complex vehicles for accurate targeting in the body. Increasingly, drug developers are turning to lyophilization as a step in achieving their formulation objectives. Freeze-drying is also growing in importance in manufacturing, thanks to more frequent instances of compounds having low solubility.

Low-solubility issues rear their heads after a compound's initial development stages, says PharmTech. One workaround involves freeze-drying techniques that include organic solvents rather than the more common use of co-solvents, which can complicate formulation.

Freeze-drying techniques--for both formulation and manufacturing--are eligible for patenting and may eventually become part of a company's intellectual property.

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