Ralf Fink from BASF told in-Pharmatechnologist.com about the plan at CPhI 2011 in Frankfurt, explaining that low bioavailablity is a common problem for many drugs currently being developed.
“New APIs tend to have lower solubility and hence lower bioavailability…so we continue to develop new excipients specifically designed to address these issues.”
Fink also spoke about developments in BASF’s wider excipient business, including the portfolio expansion provided by last year’s acquisition of Cognis and the German firm’s new collaboration with Colorcon.
He also forecast that raw materials costs – which BASF cited as key to its decision to raise prices earlier this year – are likely to remain at their current high level and be a factor in the growth of the drug excipients sector for the next few years.