The drug development industry is a booming one; particularly as medical technology advances, the need for advanced preventative and reactive treatments continues to rise. Although innumerable drugs are developed during R&D, very few see the light of manufacturing. So when you develop a product that actually does make it out of clinical trials and to the consumer shelf, it is critical that your manufacturing technique yields a high-quality product; many drug companies elect to use homogenization for the manufacturing stage because of just that. But what specifically can a homogenizer, particularly industrial (manufacturing) machines contribute that other mixing methods can’t?
Effortless Scaling from R&D and Clinical Trials
As indicated above, the many difficulties associated with drug development results in a small proportion of products going beyond R&D. For these products that do make it to clinical trials and further, their success largely depends on the scalability of their synthesis technique. While many mixing methods exist, homogenization is comparatively more scalable and confers increased cost savings, lower time requirements, and higher likelihood of progression to manufacturing.
Enhanced Physical Qualities
Some pharmaceuticals, particularly liquids (e.g. syrups), require a specific treatment to ensure consistency. Although at least one thickening agent is usually present, these agents carry the risk of agglomeration, which can pose a significant hurdle to appealing physical appearance. While conventional mixing machines aren’t quite fit to disperse clumps, homogenizers combine force and mechanical pressure to overcome it by providing chemical stability. This quality also plays a significant role in determining shelf life, as pharmaceutical products are comprised of emulsions so separation is a risk. However, putting a potential product through homogenization during its manufacture can greatly lengthen its shelf life. (1)
Improved Mechanism of Action
Homogenizers are renowned for their ability to decrease particle size, as smaller droplets are easier for the digestive system to process. This increases bioavailability by promoting effective delivery of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). APIs contained in pharmaceutical products can be damaged by changes like heat and pH, so must be treated sensitively. Mixing processes using heat should therefore be avoided; however, because mechanical homogenizers use force as opposed to heat, their APIs are preserved and so have increased bioavailability. (2)
BEE International: High-Quality Pharmaceutical Homogenizers
As your potential product moves through the drug development process, it will need to prove its value in both safety and effectiveness to even get to the manufacturing stage of drug development; this can be accomplished by utilizing high quality equipment in the R&D phase, clinical trials, and again in the manufacturing phase.
BEE International Technology produces homogenizers that can yield a variety of relevant products, such as emulsions, suspensions, dispersions and lipids. Importantly, these products go on to make up the injectables, inhalants, anesthetics, and vaccinations that attain FDA approval for manufacturing. In addition, BEEI has extensive experience assisting its product users as they transition through the drug development process.
Visit BEEI here to learn more about how their homogenizers can optimize your drug’s chances of success. If you're interested in more information on how BEE's homogenizers can improve your pharmaceutical products, download our FREE eBook "Advantages of BEE Homogenizer for the Pharmaceutical Industry":
