Dr Andrew Naylor, research and development director, Upperton Pharma Solutions, explains why spray drying might be the preferred method for biotherapeutics.
Drying
Biologics. Biotherapeutics. Biotech drugs. Biotechnologically produced proteins. Whichever your preferred name, it is clear that an increasing number of these modern therapeutics are entering drug development pipelines, with a growing number launched to market each year. Biotherapeutics are an important part of modern medicine as they can be designed to specifically target almost any disease mechanism, offering efficacious treatment with reduced side effects.
Biotherapeutics are produced by, or involve, living cells, with a high level of control over their manufacture to ensure quality, safety and efficacy. To date, therapeutic areas include vaccines, protein therapies and antibodies. Given the high sophistication and cost of manufacture and the sensitivity of the molecules, alongside the all too common failure of new therapeutic candidates in clinic, effective formulation development is vital.