Lipid Formulation Development: Why Softgels Are The Technology Of Choice

By Kaspar van den dries, Sr. Director, Science and Innovation, Softgels; and De Dipanwita, Sr. Manager, Formulation, Sofgels

Low bioavailability is a recognized driver of preclinical attrition, affecting roughly 80% of APIs, yet many pharmaceutical developers continue to default to conventional tablets and capsules. Familiarity, perceived cost, and an early-phase focus on proof of concept all reinforce this tendency, even when standard OSD forms may not be the best fit for a molecule's solubility profile.

Authored by Kaspar van den Dries, Sr. Director of Science and Innovation for Softgels, and De Dipanwita, Sr. Manager of Formulation, this paper makes the case for reconsidering lipid formulations, particularly softgels, earlier in development. Beyond their well-established bioavailability advantages, softgels offer efficient use of limited API quantities during screening, a semi-continuous manufacturing process that scales from lab to commercial production, and consistent applicability across the full development cycle.

Case study data illustrating the relationship between in-vitro lipolysis results and in-vivo performance adds practical weight to the argument. Explore the full analysis to see how the evidence stacks up.