Sustainability in Pharmaceutical Formulation and Processing: Case Studies on Eco-Friendly Micronisation and Nanonisation Approaches

Hien V. Nguyen ( Faculty of Pharmacy, Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam )

Thuy Thi-Nhu Huynh ( Faculty of Pharmacy, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam )

Linh Nguyen-Ngoc Pham ( Tien Giang General Hospital, Tien Giang 860000, Vietnam )

Tung Minh Ta ( Tien Giang General Hospital, Tien Giang 860000, Vietnam )

https://doi.org/10.37155/2972-483X-SI-1

This Article Belongs To The Special Issue: Sustainable Process Engineering: Collaborations between Industry and Academia

Abstract

The pharmaceutical industry faces growing pressure to adopt sustainable practices throughout the entire product lifecycle, encompassing the design and synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), manufacturing, distribution, usage, and disposal of pharmaceutical products. Addressing these challenges demands innovative strategies that balance environmental responsibility with economic and operational feasibility. This paper examines key approaches to achieving sustainability in pharmaceutical formulation and processing, including the use of biodegradable materials, minimizing organic solvent consumption, and implementing energy-efficient continuous manufacturing technologies. Through detailed case studies from our research group, we demonstrate the successful application of these principles to develop eco-friendly formulations and optimize manufacturing processes for pharmaceutical micronisation and nanonisation. This work aims to guide further advancements in sustainable pharmaceutical development.

Keywords

Sustainability; Pharmaceuticals; Formulation; Processes; Micronisation; Nanonisation.

Full Text

PDF

References

[1] M. Sen et al., "Flowsheet optimization of an integrated continuous purification-processing pharmaceutical manufacturing operation," Chemical Engineering Science, 2013(102), 56-66.
[2] L. Belkhir and A. Elmeligi, "Carbon footprint of the global pharmaceutical industry and relative impact of its major players," Journal of Cleaner Production, 2019(214), 185-194.
[3] C. Jiménez-González, C. S. Ponder, R. E. Hannah, and J. R. Hagan, "Green Engineering in the Pharmaceutical Industry," in Green Techniques for Organic Synthesis and Medicinal Chemistry, 2012, 701-714.
[4] B. W. Cue and J. Zhang, "Green process chemistry in the pharmaceutical industry," Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 2009(2), 193-211.
[5] S. O. Essien, B. Young, and S. Baroutian, "Recent advances in subcritical water and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of bioactive compounds from plant materials," Trends in Food Science & Technology, 2020(97), 156-169.
[6] R. L. Matos, T. Lu, G. Leeke, V. Prosapio, C. McConville, and A. Ingram, "Single-step coprecipitation and coating to prepare curcumin formulations by supercritical fluid technology," The Journal of Supercritical Fluids, 2020(159).
[7] V. Vanhoorne and C. Vervaet, "Recent progress in continuous manufacturing of oral solid dosage forms," International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2020(579), 119194.
[8] R. A. Ilyas et al., "Renewable Sources for Packaging Materials," in Bio‐based Packaging, 2021, 353-370.
[9] M. Rodriguez-Aller, D. Guillarme, J.-L. Veuthey, and R. Gurny, "Strategies for formulating and delivering poorly water-soluble drugs," Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 2015(30), 342-351.
[10] H. V. Nguyen, C. Park, E. Oh, and B.-J. Lee, "Improving the dissolution rate of a poorly water-soluble drug via adsorption onto pharmaceutical diluents," Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 2016(35), 146-154.
[11] N. Baek et al., "Reprecipitation of poorly water-soluble cilostazol crystals using adsorbing carriers for enhanced dissolution and physicochemical modification," Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 2018(43), 477-486.
[12] S. Huang and G. Huang, "Design and application of dextran carrier," Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 2020(55), 101392.
[13] H. V. Nguyen, K. Campbell, G. F. Painter, S. L. Young, and G. F. Walker, "Nanoparticle System Based on Amino-Dextran as a Drug Delivery Vehicle: Immune-Stimulatory CpG-Oligonucleotide Loading and Delivery," Pharmaceutics, 2020(12), 1150.
[14] H. V. Nguyen, K. Campbell, G. F. Painter, S. L. Young, and G. F. Walker, "Redox-responsive CpG-dextran conjugate enhances anti-tumour immunity following intratumoral administration," International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2024(664), 124621.
[15] H. V. Nguyen, K. Campbell, G. F. Painter, S. L. Young, and G. F. Walker, "Effect of carrier molecular weight on physicochemical properties and the in vitro immune-stimulatory activity of the CpG-dextran conjugates," International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2022(627), 122236.

Copyright © 2025 Hien V. Nguyen, Thuy Thi-Nhu Huynh, Linh Nguyen-Ngoc Pham, Tung Minh Ta Creative Commons License Publishing time:2025-02-10
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License