Drugs and medicines come in different forms, shapes, and physical structure. Also, coming up with a vaccine or drug to cure a particular ailment or disease is not an easy task. Most times, it takes up to a decade. During that time a lot of mental, physical, and financial efforts are expended.
Coming up with a drug requires mixing and combining several substances until a desired outcome is achieved. The process of combining these substances is what is referred to as formulation in pharma.
There are different stages of drug development. The first is to identify a useful substance or lead candidate. The second is preclinical trial and research which involves testing the drugs on animals. The last stage of drug development is the clinical trial stage. If a lead candidate doesn’t pass the first or second stage, it cannot make it to the clinical trial stage. When a candidate drug scales through the third huddle, approval is gotten from the appropriate drug and food regulatory body for sale in the market and distribution to the general public.
This lead candidate can either be a drug in its solid state or a pharmaceutical solution. Pharma solutions are liquid drug substances. Usually, they are recommended for use by people who find it hard to swallow or those who are unconscious. Solutions are also given to children and the aged people.
What are the requirements during the formulation of a drug?
During drug formulation, the outcome of the whole process must be stable and must not pose any harm or risks to the patient. Without this, it will not be acceptable. If the drug is meant for oral consumption, it is usually enclosed in a tablet or capsule. Usually, the enclosure contains other substances that are inert and do not affect the efficacy of the drug. As earlier explained, it can also be consumed as a solution.
In addition to this, when formulating a drug, you must ensure the active substance is soluble in an aqueous solution. This means that you have to modify the size of the drug particles and crystal so that dissolution is enhanced. Also, you have to be careful and strike a balance so that dissolution is not too fast. If a drug dissolves too soon in the gastrointestinal tract and digestive system, it could be counterproductive. There are different techniques that can be used to ensure the perfect shape of the drug particles or crystals. An example of such is the spherical crystallization technique.
It is important to state that the active ingredients that make up a drug do not react chemically although they are carefully mixed in an appropriate ratio.
Nobody prays to fall sick or to be ill but every human will experience a deviation from the normal pattern of health at least once in his or her lifetime. In such a situation, it is only a carefully formulated drug or vaccine that can restore health and wellness. That said, the recommendation of the doctors and health experts must be carefully followed and obeyed to avoid disaster. The dosage of these drugs are clearly stated based on the outcome of preclinical and clinical trials and any slight deviation may bring about overreaction or underperformance of the active pharmaceutical ingredient.