Dosage Forms & Drug Delivery

Tablets and capsules have long been the standard method for patients to take medication. But depending on their size, shape and surface texture, many people find them uncomfortable or even painful to swallow. This can present a problem – even for those who do not ordinarily find swallowing difficult.

User-friendly dosage forms are orally administered alternatives to conventional solid tablets and capsules. They are:

Easy to swallow – for everybody

Convenient to take & easy to integrate into daily routines

Specially formulated to have a pleasant taste

User-friendly dosage forms are not only a smart solution for people who dislike or simply cannot swallow tablets. Whilst creating a convenient and enjoyable experience for the patient, they support pharma and healthcare companies to revitalize ageing products, boost brand loyalty and differentiate products from the competition.

Swallowing Difficulties

In a recent survey of 2,000 people in the US and Germany, over half had experienced difficulties swallowing conventional tablets and capsules. Why? Usually because they were too big to swallow, became stuck in the throat, or had an unpleasant taste/odor. These findings were not restricted to any specific age group. In short, people do not like taking tablets.

Consequently, many people do not take their medicines as they should. Crushing and dissolving tablets in water or chewing them can alter the API release profile and affect bioavailability. And, worryingly, some people simply will not take them at all.

Medication non-compliance reduces efficacy and treatment success – and has a serious impact on the healthcare system as a whole. Annual costs of non-adherence are estimated at US$ 100 to US$ 290 billion in the USA, and EUR 1.25 billion in Europe.

The survey also showed that people want medicines and supplements that are easy to swallow, with a pleasant taste and odor. Ideally, they should be convenient and simple to dose, and easy to integrate into daily lives – whether that is via a pleasant drink or a dosage form that’s easy to consume ‚on the go‘.

User-friendly packaging is another important consideration with 33% of participants stating that packaging should be easy to open and integrate into their daily routine. People are used to having choice and convenience throughout their lives and have come to expect the same from their medicines and food/dietary supplements.

User-Friendly Dosage Forms

User-friendly dosage forms are designed to suit modern patients and consumers, offering ease of swallowing, choice and convenience, plus a selection of flavors. For pharmaceutical companies, they are an effective way of building brand loyalty and revitalizing ageing products. By developing products in different forms and a range of flavors, you can better meet the needs of your customers. This is particularly important in the over-the-counter (OTC) marketplace, where patients and consumers vote with their wallets and commonly stick with brands they know, trust and like. In addition, reformulating current medicines into new user-friendly forms provides an effective way to differentiate your products and protect patents.

The pharma industry turns to a tablet formulation almost automatically – but there are numerous reasons why alternative dosage forms could be more beneficial to both pharma and patients:

Can be poured directly into the mouth and immediately swallowed. Designed to be taken on the go.

Are very easy to take as chewing is a natural process. Ideal for converting poorly soluble APIs into a user-friendly form.

Dissolve in water for a pleasant tasting drink that can deliver large quantities or multiple APIs in a single dose.

Dissolve in water for a pleasant tasting drink that can deliver large quantities or multiple APIs in a single dose.

Dissolve slowly in the mouth for a prolonged or localized effect. Ideal for cough & cold indications.

For more than 40 years, we have been working with healthcare companies around the globe to develop pharmaceuticals and supplements that meet the needs and preferences of patients and consumers. User-friendly drug delivery systems offer greater success for your API/nutrient and boost market share and patient compliance.

your route to new products

We have a proven record of success in expanding our customers’ product lines and growing their business. From co-developing new products, to out-licensing and contract manufacturing, we have different models to support you on your way to market success. Everything we do is geared towards developing and manufacturing user-friendly dosage forms. Companies working with us can reduce costs and remain flexible by limiting their required investment in new technologies, experts, and skills.

At HERMES PHARMA, we have a sustainable approach to business and value our customers. That’s why our relationships with customers extend over many years and, in some cases, even decades. Partnering with us ultimately means protection of your investment.

Through our world-class manufacturing facilities, patented technologies, and extremely committed team, we produce high-quality products that deliver value. As a result, 10 of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies and the world’s four leading generic companies choose to partner with HERMES PHARMA.

We can work with you to co-develop new products in user-friendly dosage forms. You may have a fairly concrete idea, an indication of a product you would like to develop, or an existing API/nutrient that needs formulating as a user-friendly dosage form.

We can support from product design, through to formulation development, analytical testing, manufacturing, regulatory issues, and market launch. We will deliver your high-quality product as efficiently, cost-effectively, and rapidly as possible.

  • Overcome technological barriers through our expertise and go to market faster
  • Access our proven technologies and know-how without needing to invest in new technologies, people, or skills yourself
  • Work with our expert scientists to formulate and manufacture high-quality, stable products in user-friendly dosage forms
  • Ensure greater convenience for patients and consumers
  • Create additional revenue streams
  • Drive innovation and expand patents through new dosage forms

We have a wide range of medicinal products, medical devices, and food/dietary supplements ready for in-licensing. Some already have a proven track record under the HERMES ARZNEIMITTEL brand name; in other cases, the API has never been available in the dosage form before.

Full or partial documentation is provided for some products, while others are early innovative prototypes. Customers can choose to adopt our products as they are, or we can modify them to suit their specific needs.

  • Extend your product lines with user-friendly products and new dosage forms
  • Drive new revenue through line extensions
  • Go to market faster with established, market-ready products
  • Reduce risk of market failure with products that are already registered and successful in other geographical regions
  • Accelerate market access with products that are available for immediate filing
  • Promote products as your own branded or generic product
  • Up-to-date common technical documents (CTD) files provided for various APIs and nutrients, plus the different doses and dosage forms in which they are available

HERMES PHARMA can also be your partner when it comes to contract manufacturing – be it a new product or a transfer from another site. We have more than 40 years of experience in manufacturing in accordance with GMP for medicinal products, HACCP and US-CFR for food safety, and ISO 13485 for medical devices. Our standards are regularly verified through audits and inspections.

Outsourcing frees up manufacturing capacity and gives you access to our specialized technology and experience. Many of our customers also take this opportunity to work with our experts on optimizing their existing formulations.

  • Access our production facilities specialized in the manufacture of user-friendly dosage forms
  • Leverage our expertise in formulation and manufacturing
  • Reduce your expenditure on plants, technologies, and people
  • Free up manufacturing capacity
  • Focus on your core competencies
  • Avoid unnecessary investments and reduce risk of product failures
  • Increase your flexibility