Specialty Topical Drug Development
Topical delivery of pharmaceutical products via gels, creams, ointments and patches is an alternative route of administration to oral and injectable drug delivery. The vast majority of topical drug delivery systems rely upon the addition of chemical penetration enhancers to passively improve the transport of drugs through the skin.
The enhancers Acrux have used are FDA approved and do not require the skin to be actively disrupted. Acrux knowhow is applicable to various therapeutic indications including hormonal deficiencies, central nervous system disorders, contraception, pain and dermatological conditions.
Acrux has developed and received marketing approval for a number of products including brands and generic products. The application of Acrux knowhow is suitable for developing generic drugs that are no longer patent protected as well as branded drugs that are differentiated from existing marketed drugs.
Topically applied products may have advantages drugs selected drugs that would be otherwise prevented from commercialisation due to poor properties for oral administration may be candidates for topical application.
The benefit of topical application includes:
The technology has a number of features that provide an improved form of therapy to patients including:
- Control of drug levels within the blood that minimises potentially toxic peaks or ineffective troughs
- Reduction in the frequency of drug administration resulting from the slow release of the drug into the blood stream
- Convenience of use compared with alternate dosage forms
Oral delivery may cause a drug to be deactivated by digestion in the gut or by metabolism in the liver after absorption. Alternatively, the drug may have an unpleasant taste, or must be taken several times a day. There are also groups of patients who are unable to swallow pills, including older people and the very young. In such cases, drugs can be administered by alternative means including transportation through the skin.
New Product Development
If you require support to develop your topical drug product, please click here.
Acrux has teams of dedicated scientists to support your development in the following:
- Formulation Development
- Analytical Development
- Quality Control & Stability
- Container closure systems and sourcing
- Project Management
- Quality Assurance
- Regulatory Affairs