CPHI Frankfurt 2025: New Trends Deliver Promise in OSDs from Core to Coating to Functional Packaging
Innovation is driving OSD into new frontiers, from orally delivered biologics and enhanced solubility to sustainable manufacturing and AI-driven formulation development, asserts Shahrzad Missaghi from Colorcon.
Oral solid dosage (OSD) forms remain the most popular choice for finished drug products thanks to several factors, such as cost-effectiveness, ease of administration, and shelf-life stability. While OSDs have been a mainstay for the pharmaceutical industry, various innovations are presenting new opportunities for drug developers to consider. “There are several trends that have been impacting our industry and will continue to do so for some time,” reveals Shahrzad Missaghi, Director of Strategic Technical Solutions and Business Development at Colorcon.
Oral delivery of macromolecules, including biologics, is advancing through multiple innovative platforms, such as ingestible devices. These approaches are gaining momentum within the OSD space, offering new possibilities for patient-friendly delivery of complex therapeutics, Missaghi specifies. “Enhancement of solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs has been and will continue to be an area of focus, with novel technologies that are coming out to address unmet needs in this area,” she adds.
Other innovation trends include continuous manufacturing, precision medicine, and patient-centric dosage design, Missaghi remarks. “There is a lot of emphasis on sustainable manufacturing practices, so that we can reduce our environmental impact,” she says. “And, then, of course, increased adoption of digitalization and data-driven approaches, including artificial intelligence (AI) for drug discovery, for formulation development, manufacturing, and in clinical trials.”
All of the trends have the same ultimate goal of accelerating drug development, Missaghi explains. “When it comes to Colorcon, we are deeply engaged in supporting the advancements in pharmaceutical technologies [offering solutions] that enable our customers to overcome formulation challenges, while maintaining manufacturability, scalability, and, of course, patient acceptability,” she states.
Focusing on digital tools and their importance, Missaghi reveals that it is early-stage formulation where the greatest impact is being seen for OSD forms. “Self-service digital platforms, such as HyperStart C2C from Colorcon, are helping customers streamline the development of their OSD formulations,” she says. “From core to coating, the whole dosage form is really covered through these platforms.”
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Colorcon can be found in Hall 8.0 Booth #Q60 at CPHI Frankfurt.
About the Speaker
Shahrzad Missaghi, PhD, serves as Director of Strategic Technical Solutions and Business Development at Colorcon, where she leads cross-functional initiatives that align scientific innovation with strategic growth and market needs. She focuses on identifying and cultivating partnerships with both emerging and established companies to advance pharmaceutical and nutraceutical development in a more sustainable and patient-centric manner, supporting more efficient development processes and delivering meaningful health outcomes across diverse global markets.
Prior to this role, Shahrzad held various positions within Colorcon’s Product Development team, where she contributed to global initiatives in formulation platforms and drug delivery technologies for solid oral dosage forms. She also led digitalization efforts, integrating data and technology to enhance product performance and streamline development.
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