Bioavailability, enhanced drug-dosage forms

Use of these semisolid and solid approaches can potentially alleviate the chemical stability problems sometimes observed for liquid-Llled formulations, and may eventually offer the possibility of development of a tablet dosage form using conventional equipment. Liquid lipid-based formulations, however, generally afford the greatest enhancement of bioavailability for water-insoluble drugs, as well as affording more rapid development for First-in-Human studies. Any decisions on the best formulation route would have to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 

In a recent review, Shan and Zaworotko have discussed cocrystals having pharmaceutical interest, and presented several case studies that they used to demonstrate how one could enhance the solubility, bioavailability, and/or stability of drug substances [23]. The systems considered were the cocrystals of fluoxetine hydrochloride with carboxylic acids, itraconazole with dicarboxylic acids, sidenafil with acetylsalicylic acid, and melamine with cyanuric acid. One main conclusion advanced by the authors was that the use of cocrystal systems in pharmaceutical dosage forms was inevitable, and that the main questions were who would benefit and how drastic the influence on development would ultimately turn out to be. 

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