Pharma Bio World: A New Approach to Oral Drug Delivery System

Recently, oral dispersible films are gaining interest as an alternative of orally dispersible tablets and other conventional orals. The films are designed to dissolve upon contact with a wet surface, such as the tongue, within a few seconds, meaning the consumer can take the product without need for additional liquid. This convenience provides both a marketing advantage and increased patient compliance. Dr Anwar Daud, Managing Director, Zim Laboratories Limited, in an exclusive interaction with Mahesh Kallayil, talks about market for Thin Film Drugs in India, its advantage over traditional dosage forms and much more.

As a leading player in Thin Film Drug manufacturing, how do you see Indian market for Thin Film Drugs maturing? How do you compare it with other international markets?  The opportunity for oral dispersible films as a simple replacement for orally   dispersible tablets and other conventional orals is by itself a huge opportunity   considering that about  35,000 Cr of the present Indian pharmaceutical market   consists of oral products with single dose less than 100mg. The simple advantage of   differentiation in a crowded branded generics market facing pricing pressures coupled   with "greater convenience" to the patient is likely to lead to the rapid growth of this   dosage form for the next 6-9 years. The intermediate to long term acceleration in   growth would come from more sophisticated applications such as sub-   lingual / transmucosal absorption. We have projected a rapid growth phase of the oral   thin film market. Original Article