The Importance of Solid Form Screening in Drug Development

Solid form screening of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is a vital part of the pre-clinical (and sometimes post) development work of candidate drug molecules. The identification of novel polymorphs, hydrates or solvates can significantly improve a number of key physicochemcal properties of an API as well as mitigate potential risks in further development, thus reduce the cost and time taken for a drug to hit the market. Here we introduce Cambrex as a leader in the development of the solid form of drug molecules in the pharmaceutical industry. We introduce the solid form in the context of the pharmaceutical industry and demonstrate why we are concerned with it. The importance of finding the optimal solid form for further development is highlighted by case studies wherein Cambrex’s approach to polymorph screening is showcased in a challenging system containing multiple hydrated and anhydrous forms of a drug candidate.