Cocrystal Applications in Drug Delivery

Abstract

Pharmaceutical cocrystals are multicomponent crystals in which at least one component is an active pharmaceutical ingredient. Cocrystallisation has long been recognised as a promising approach to modify the physicochemical properties of a drug without making chemical modifications to the drug molecule itself. The literature on cocrystals is constantly growing, and the small number of FDA approved cocrystals is increasing. Cocrystal formation is an attractive strategy to improve the bioavailability of a poorly soluble drug, i.e., to enhance the effectiveness of the drug becoming available at the target site. So far, many studies have focussed on the application of crystal engineering principles to rationally design cocrystals, the identification of supramolecular synthons, and the relationship between coformer selection and dissolution enhancement. On the other hand, there are several aspects of cocrystals that are understudied or still present significant challenges, such as the prediction of cocrystal formation, their formulation, large-scale production and process design. This Special Issue aims to highlight the potential of cocrystals in drug delivery, and we invite contributions on all aspects of the topic, both from fundamental research and practical applications.