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6 Pharmaceutical Technology TRENDS IN MANUFACTURING 2022 eBOOK P h a r mTe c h . c o m Solid Dosage new treatments. This is in part due to their long history, which means the form is well understood and accepted globally. OSDs are also easy to con- sume, provide excellent handling properties, and help improve patient compliance. Although there are always improvements to be made, OSD forms offer a convenient platform from which to de- velop innovative new products that advance pa- tient adherence and treatments even further. This high level of innovation and fine-tuning has led to a wide range of new technologies and materials being developed that suit diverse con- sumer needs, new active ingredients, and var- ied ga lenic forms. The resulting offering is a large variety of options, sizes, and sophisticated manufacturing processes available for universal appeal. Among the possibilities, there are three trends in OSD forms that stand out. Putting patients first. Ensuring patient compli- ance is crucial to a successful treatment plan, yet it remains a widespread challenge. This is why one of the most significant trends in OSD forms con- tinues to be the development of patient-friendly dosage forms. Whether it's making solid orals easy to swallow or masking an unpleasant taste or odor, manufacturers are focused on creating appealing formulations. Much of t he resea rch a nd development is centered around ma k ing medicines easier to swallow for pediatric and geriatric populations, formulating solid orals like sprink le capsules or mini- or micro-tablets. These populations a lso prefer fa st-d issolv i ng , fa st-d ispersi ng , or f a s t-melt i ng for mu l at ion s . O t her me t h- od s of de velopi ng pat ient-f r iend ly dosa ges include segmented easy-to-score tablets, gel- forming easy-to-swallow oral films, and solid dosage pen devices. Combination f ill capsules. The benefits of com- bination therapies have long been recognized, but formu lation cha llenges remain—par ticu- larly with factors like impurity generation and incompatibilities between two APIs. The latest encapsu lations innovations, however, enable manufacturers to use different drugs, as well as combine various dosage forms in a single cap- sule. Plus, combination f ill capsules offer de- velopment options like immediate release with sustained release or delayed release. Using a capsule-in-capsule approach, for ex- ample, helps to avoid drug-drug interactions and incompatibilities. Multiple pellet filling of- fers a degree of uniformity by preventing pellet seg regat ion as wel l as a l low i ng a susta i ned- release drug prof ile. Developments like mini- and micro-tablets can improve t he accurac y OSD forms are a popular choice among pharmaceutical manufacturers and continue to play an important role in developing new treatments. Advances in manufacturing methods are making it easier for manufacturers to meet these trends, with innovations in encapsulation technologies as well as customized solutions retrofitted to existing machines.