Press Room
October 4, 2007
CPhI 2007: Cognis enhances its offering of pharmaceutical excipients that comply with strict standards
At the recent CPhI Worldwide 2007 in Milan, Italy, Cognis’ Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare
business exhibited its current range of natural-source raw materials, excipients and
drug delivery agents, all designed to meet the demanding requirements of today’s
pharmaceutical industry. These included: Chitopharm®, a naturally derived cationic
polymer; Speziol® DS (sodium docusate), a versatile and effective anionic surfactant;
and the PharmaLineTM range of high-quality excipients.
One product showcased at CPhI was Chitopharm®, a natural cationic polymer that is non-toxic and biodegradable. Cognis’ Chitopharm® shows very low endotoxin values and a low heavy metal content. Thus the product is suitable for a wide range of medical applications, including dermatological treatments, drug delivery, tissue engineering, cell culture and wound dressings. Recent clinical tests have proved that in addition to its moisturizing and wound-healing properties, the product can also significantly reduce itching, even in low concentrations. As a result, Chitopharm® offers a natural and mild alternative for use in lotions and creams to treat irritated, itchy and aging skin.
Among the products on display at the Cognis booth was also sodium docusate (Speziol® DS). It is an excellent solubilizing, wetting, dispersing and emulsifying agent, making it ideal as a formulating aid in oral dosage forms. Speziol® DS is also a suitable ingredient for laxatives and stool softeners. It works by stimulating nerve endings in the gut wall, so that the intestinal muscles contract more forcefully and more often. These contractions move the contents of the gut along faster, relieving constipation. The product manufacturing process complies with the IPEC-PQG GMP standard and the pharmaceutical monographs, including a very low unsulfated-matter content. The product can be delivered in tablet or enema form.
At the show Cognis exhibited a number of products in its PharmaLine range. These included Speziol® CAP, a new blend of cetearyl ethylhexanoate and isopropyl myristate for use as a lipophilic API solvent and penetration enhancer in both human and veterinary drug formulations. Drawing on its knowledge of raw materials and esterification, Cognis is able to manufacture Speziol® CAP in compliance with the IPEC-PQG GMP standard.
Another new product on display was Speziol® GDB Pharma (glycerol dibehenate). Its specifications conform to the EP and USP/NF monograph, and its manufacturing process meets the IPEC-PQG GMP standard. It is used as consistency factor to adjust the viscosity of cream formulations, and as a lubricant and lipid matrix in the manufacture of controlled release tablets. Because of back integration Cognis has a very competitive market position.
All PharmaLine excipients, including fatty alcohols, ethoxylates, stearic acids and castor oil derivatives, comply with the latest pharmacopeia and are subject to stringent controls at every stage of development – from the state of raw materials, up to the delivery. They are used as tableting aids, solubilizers, emulsifiers, emollients, consistency factors, cream bases, suppository masses, moisturizers and surfactants for solid, semi-solid and liquid pharmaceutical dosage forms. Cognis also plans to use its expertise in developing semi-solid formulations to offer similar services for pharmaceutical customers in the future.
Premium-quality solutions to suit all needs
Cognis’s PharmaLineTM range delivers proven performance that is recognized internationally. Since 2004 it successfully passed audits by most major international pharmaceutical manufacturers. In the summer of 2006, Cognis became the world’s first chemical company to obtain IPEC-PQG GMP compliance for pharmaceutical excipients. “We provide customers with comprehensive purity data, and the results of both external audits and self-assessments, reflecting our commitment to complying with all applicable regulations and delivering the best possible service,” says Dr. Thomas Rosen, Global Product Line Manager Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare. “We are proud of the way that our products meet the requirements of both customers and end users in terms of safety, performance and convenience.”
About Cognis
Cognis is a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients, with a particular focus on the areas of wellness and sustainability. The company employs about 8,000 people, and it operates production sites and service centers in 30 countries. Cognis has dedicated its activities to a high level of sustainability and delivers natural source raw materials and ingredients for food, nutrition and healthcare markets, and the cosmetics, detergents and cleaners industries. Another main focus is on products for a number of other industries, such as coatings and inks, lubricants, textiles, as well as agriculture and mining. The subsidiary Pulcra Chemicals offers specialized chemical products and process expertise to customers in the fiber, textile, and leather industries. Cognis also holds a 50-percent stake in the joint venture Cognis Oleochemicals, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of oleochemicals.
Cognis is owned by private equity funds advised by Permira, GS Capital Partners, and SV Life Sciences. In 2006, Cognis recorded sales of 3.37 billion euros and an Adjusted EBITDA (operating result) of 394 million euros.
Contact
Dr. Thomas Rosen, Global Product Line Manager
Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare
Cognis GmbH
Phone: +49-2173-4995-479
E-mail: thomas.rosen@cognis.com
pharmaceuticals@cognis.com
Internet: www.cognis.com
www.pharmaline.com
Viola Stahl, Communications Manager
Cognis GmbH
Phone: +49-2173-4995-221
Email: viola.stahl@cognis.com
Internet: www.cognis.com