With these impressions, we would like to thank everyone for the great fair. Around 1,800+ exhibitors and probably well over 52,000 visitors attended this year’s CPhI in Barcelona. The inspiring conversations, exchange with existing and new partners, and the great interest in our booth and products made this trade fair a successful event. Many thanks to our international sales team for the many productive meetings and interesting exchanges about trends and opportunities in phospholipid-based excipients. We are already looking forward to the next edition in Milan.
CPhI Worldwide 2023, Barcelona
Phospholipids for Advanced OTC Formulations
Phospholipids are amphiphilic, endogenous molecules with excellent biocompatibility and tolerability. Therefore, they are an ideal choice for various “over-the-counter” (OTC) products, including formulations for sensitive tissue such as the ocular surface. Phospholipids can serve as active principle, as excipients to modulate tissue interaction, and as building blocks to form lipid particles such as emulsions and liposomes (Fig. 1).
Application in topical OTC products
Phospholipids are essential components of all mucosal surfaces. On the ocular surface, phospholipids stabilize the outer non-polar lipid layer that prevents evaporation and thereby keeps the eye mucosa moisturized. In the nasal and oral cavity, a surfactant film covers the air-mucus interface, which contains mainly saturated and unsaturated phospholipids (Fig. 2). Topical phospholipid-based products restore and moisturize mucosal surfaces in a natural way. For this purpose, phospholipids often serve as active principle but may also be combined with additional actives.
Further applications
Also, in a broad variety of other OTC formulations phospholipids are used. In dermal topicals, phospholipids can modulate intrinsic metabolism pathways, restore the skin barrier properties, or enhance skin interaction of co-formulated actives. In oral dosage forms, phospholipids function as emulsifiers and building blocks for colloidal species or serve as an active, typically in products for liver protection.
In addition, phospholipids are used as technical excipients, e.g., in suppositories. The highly versatile use as technical and functional components underscores the suitability of phospholipids for a wide variety of OTC formulations.
Phosphatidylcholine – Natural Support for a Healthy Liver
Fig. 1: Fatty liver disease is characterized by an increasing storage of fat in hepatocytes.
The Liver – Central Organ of Lipid Metabolism
A healthy liver is essential for a well-functioning fat metabolism.
A disturbance can lead to the accumulation of fats and result in fatty liver disease. Especially the non-alcoholic form (NAFLD) is very common in industrial countries due to the Western Style Diet and a lack of physical activity. The prevalence for NAFLD is increasing but, fortunately, the storage of fat is reversible. Therefore, choosing nutrients with hepatoprotective properties becomes more and more important.
The Importance of Phosphatidylcholine
Dietary and supplemented PC supports liver function in a natural way by regulating the fat metabolisms. In addition, polyunsaturated phospholipids (PPL) are very popular for liver protection. In several clinical studies their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties could be shown.
PC is also a safe and natural source of the vitamin-like substance choline. The EFSA-approved health claims illustrate the importance of the nutrient.
Lipoid offers a wide range of products enriched in polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine. Various forms of application, like capsules or innovative liquid solutions, are possible. Due to the emulsifying properties of phospholipids the formulations are mixable with any kind of beverages. To find a suitable application for liver protecting PC just ask for our support and guidance.
PPL with high phosphatidylcholine content are the natural solution for a healthy liver.
PhytoSolve® Astaxanthin – Boosting the Performance of Natural Supplements
The most important natural source of astaxanthin is the alga Haematococcus pluvialis.
Astaxanthin – Nature’s Powerful Antioxidant
Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that is naturally produced by aquatic organisms like algae. In comparison to other antioxidant nutrients, it exhibits higher capacity to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS).
During vigorous physical exercise, ROS are associated with soreness, fatigue, and muscle damage. Intake of astaxanthin contributes to higher endurance, reduced muscle soreness and faster recovery, making it an ideal supplement for sports nutrition.
PhytoSolve® Astaxanthin
Lipophilic nutrients like astaxanthin require solubilization to be absorbed in the human body and exert their beneficial effects. In PhytoSolve®, highly purified phospholipids enclose small oil droplets, forming an emulsion. This vehicle effectively enhances the uptake of lipophilic nutrients in a natural way.
Moreover, the formulation contains glycerol and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). Both ingredients offer additional benefits for sports nutrition. Glycerol is used for pre-exercise hyperhydration to minimize the risk of dehydration. MCT can be used as energy source due to their rapid metabolism.
PhytoSolve® Astaxanthin is a self-preserving formulation, can be mixed with any kind of beverage, and has a very pleasant taste and smooth mouthfeel.
PhytoSolve® Astaxanthin is the smart way to formulate astaxanthin.
Schematic depiction of an emulsion droplet and its components.
CPhI China 2023, Shanghai
With over 55,000 visitors on more than 200,000 square meters and over 3,300 exhibitors, the world’s largest pharmaceutical exhibition, CPhI China, ended last week in Shanghai. The setting provided an excellent opportunity to showcase our products and meet friends and customers again. Many thanks to our international sales team for the many productive meetings and interesting exchanges about trends and opportunities in phospholipid-based excipients.
Lipoid at Vitafoods Europe 2023 in Geneva – the largest trade fair for nutrition in Europe
720 exhibitors and over 15,000 visitors made the Vitafoods trade fair from 09 – 11 May 2023 to a successful and, above all, very well-attended event all about food supplements. The setting provided an excellent opportunity to present the new products PhytoSolve® Astaxanthin and PhytoSolve® ADEK. Many thanks for the numerous contacts and interesting discussions.
We invest in Quality – Lipoid at the CPhI 2022 in Frankfurt
With almost 50,000 visitors from the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, CPhI is an excellent platform to meet customers and to discuss new trends and opportunities. Thank you to our international Product Management and Sales Team for me many fruitful meetings and interesting exchange of ideas.
Phospholipid-Based Delivery Systems: Injectable Depot Formulations
Because many drugs have a short biological half-life, multiple administrations are needed to achieve a therapeutic effect. In addition, drugs may not be suitable for oral administration because of degradation in the gastrointestinal tract and poor absorption. These include high molecular weight proteins and peptides. For such drugs, extended-release depot injectables for local or systemic applications enable a more patient-friendly, low frequency therapy, leading to a better compliance.
Extended drug release can be achieved by various formulation strategies. For intermediate release periods (days up to several weeks), lipid-based and especially phospholipid-based formulations are an interesting and innovative depot-injectable approach (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1: Overview of categories of phospholipid-based depot technologies: (A) drug suspension, (B) multivesicular liposomes, (C) in situ formed depots at injection site.
Compared to polymer depots, phospholipid depots exhibit favorable degradation profiles related to the formation of less acidic products. All this together makes phospholipids highly interesting excipients for depot injectables.
Phospholipids are nowadays successfully used in numerous approved and marketed depot formulations and are being investigated in ongoing research and development projects using various technologies.
Lipoid offers a wide range of large-scale available natural and synthetic phospholipids of pharmaceutical quality to formulate innovative depot injectables with optimized drug release profiles.
„Good Morning Meeting“ in Copenhagen
At the „Good Morning Meeting“ in Copenhagen
Lipoid presented on natural and synthetic phospholipids for innovative drug delivery systems, covering vaccines, pulmonary applications and depot formulations. Thanks a lot to all attendees, the exceptional interest in our materials – cGMP phospholipids for your products from R&D to commercialization – and the fruitful discussions.
Participation in the 18th „Annual Skin Forum 2022“ in Malmö – we would be pleased to meet with you
The Skin Forum brings together internationally recognised experts from all over the world to advance skin research through knowledge and information exchange.
Each year, the Skin Forum organises an annual meeting with distinguished keynote speakers as well as students, clinicians, scientists and industrial stakeholders to present and discuss the latest research outcomes and regulatory developments.