Effervescent dosage forms have long been a valuable method of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical delivery. The first brands date back to the 1950s, and soon after, effervescent tablets became a well-established alternative to conventional tablets due to their rapid solubility, ease of intake and ability to provide quick therapeutic action. Due to their longevity, some pharma companies may view them as ‘old fashioned’ and may not think of them as an alternative dosage form.
What’s more, not all effervescent tablets are created equal, and, depending on the manufacturing process used, some may be produced as value-oriented generic products. Therefore, pharma companies may not consider effervescent tablets as a primary choice for high-value and enhanced user experience formulations, which could limit exploration of their potential in premium product lines.
Yet, demand for effervescent tablets is growing. In 2023, the global effervescent tablet market was valued at $356.3 million and is anticipated to reach $570.3 million by 2030, undergoing a compound annual growth rate of 6.8%.
The growing demand for effervescent tablets, combined with recent innovations in manufacturing processes, makes them an increasingly attractive option for pharma companies. New, innovative methods mean that they can be produced quicker and more efficiently, without compromising quality, and while improving flavor and palatability.
Here we explore the reasons behind the ever-growing popularity of effervescent tablets, the benefits of this dosage form, and how manufacturing advancements are setting the stage for a new era of effervescent tablets.
The Growing Demand for Effervescent Tablets
While traditional oral administration of medicines and nutraceuticals in the form of conventional tablets or capsules has long been considered a simple and cost-effective delivery method, recent evidence suggests that these dosage forms are less suitable for a significant portion of the population. For example, studies have revealed that more than 50% of individuals report experiencing difficulties or express a dislike for swallowing tablets. The primary cited issues are tablets or capsules being too big, becoming stuck in the throat, and having an unpleasant taste or odor. Perhaps the most concerning finding is that, due to these difficulties, 8% of people resorted to not taking their medication at all, while 17% tried crushing their tablets and dissolving them in water, underscoring the need to provide alternative dosage forms.
Providing people with alternative dosage forms is likely to become more important than ever as the population continues to age. Diseases that affect people’s ability to swallow, such as Parkinson’s Disease and Motor Neuron Disease, primarily effect older individuals, and their prevalence is expected to increase. For instance, in 2022, 90,000 people were diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in the U.S., representing a 50% increase from previous estimates.
Importantly, difficulty swallowing tablets and capsules is not solely a problem for the elderly. The same study also found that 70% of young people (aged 16–34) reported issues with taking tablets. What’s more, in this segment in particular, there’s a growing demand for convenience, choice and improved taste in medication and supplement delivery. Ultimately, modern consumers are increasingly seeking dosage forms that fit seamlessly into their lifestyles and offer a pleasant sensory experience.
Providing different delivery options that cater to people’s changing needs and preferences improves acceptance and has a positive impact on compliance and therefore, health outcomes. As a result, pharma companies are more proactively exploring user-friendly and appealing dosage forms that meet the shift in consumer expectations. Effervescent tablets cater to consumer preferences by offering a refreshing, pleasant and convenient drinking experience, and are therefore a good option for pharma companies to explore.
Well-Formulated Effervescent Tablets — An Attractive Solution
When effervescent tablets are manufactured using the right technologies and methods, they can offer a myriad of benefits compared to traditional dosage forms.
Ease of intake: One of the primary advantages of effervescent tablets is that they are easy to take. Effervescent tablets dissolve in water, meaning end users don’t need to swallow large tablets or capsules, improving medication adherence and patient acceptance. They also simultaneously address hydration needs, helping to reinforce healthy habits.
Palatability: Unpleasant taste is a significant reason that people struggle to swallow tablets and capsules. Many active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and nutrients, though, have inherently bad tastes. However, when effervescent tablets are manufactured using the right advanced techniques, sugars, and sweeteners, it’s possible to create a palatable product with a pleasant taste. This improves patient acceptability and consumer experience and makes it easier for individuals to consistently take their medicines and supplements.
Rapid dissolution and absorption: The effervescent reaction generates gas, which enhances drug particle dispersion.This process promotes more complete dissolution of active ingredients in the aqueous medium. Consequently, this formulation can lead to faster absorption and potentially quicker onset of therapeutic action compared to traditional tablets.
Easy dosing: Effervescent tablets are typically provided as single doses, eliminating the need for measuring. This simplifies dosing and reduces the risk of confusion or dosage errors, ensuring more accurate and consistent administration.
Stability: With the right manufacturing techniques, effervescent tablets are more stable in the presence of humidity and temperature fluctuations, meaning they can maintain their effectiveness and shelf life for a longer period of time and in climate zones up to ICH IVb, which are hot and high humidity.
The Effervescent Business Case
Expanding product lines to include effervescent tablets could offer pharma companies a strategic advantage in saturated markets. By utilizing advancements in manufacturing techniques to improve flavor and stability, for example, companies can create effervescent products which set themselves apart from others on the market giving them premium positioning.
Effervescent tablets also present valuable opportunities for pharma companies to extend the life cycle of their existing products, reviving product interest and reestablishing relevance in a changing and competitive market. Companies that take the initiative to develop novel effervescent products with new active ingredients could further expand their offerings and better meet evolving customer demands.
New Manufacturing Developments
Although effervescent tablets have been around for a long time, there are continued advancements in the manufacturing process. New techniques, particularly in the process of granulation, mean they can be produced more quickly, efficiently and at a higher quality.
Granulation is one of the most vital stages in the production of effervescent dosage forms, and is used to transform fine powders (such as the active ingredients and excipients) into larger granules to make them easier to process. The quality and consistency of granulation affect the disintegration time of the tablet and solubility characteristics of both the API and excipients, cost-effectiveness of manufacture, and shelf life of the product. It is therefore essential that this process is highly refined.
While difficulties during granulation may have presented challenges in the past, they can now be overcome thanks to advancements such as TOPO granulation. First introduced in 1969, TOPO granulation was a key breakthrough in improving stability and shelf life of effervescent tablets. TOPO consists of a vacuum granulation step and works by modifying the surface of the reactive citric acid by coating it with an alkaline carbonate, which causes less reactive carbonates to develop on the surface as a protective layer. The resulting product dissolves quickly in water, while at the same time being extremely moisture resistant, giving it a long shelf life and making it suitable for use in tropical regions. Furthermore, the vacuum also means manufacturers can use lower drying temperatures and shorter drying times which improves the cost-effectiveness of the production process.
Recently, there has been a further advancement in effervescent manufacturing — a new patented method. This new method uses a horizontally aligned granulator. By setting the rotational speeds of the granulator accordingly, the centrifugal forces create a kind of ‘floating fluidized bed’ from the raw materials fed in. Ensuring gentle product movement despite the high stirring speed results in improved distribution of the granulation liquid, and therefore allows for targeted control of the effervescence reaction after adding the granulating solution.
The result is a faster granulation process that produces a highly stable effervescent granulate with no solvent residues present in the finished product, creating a palatable effervescent tablet drink. Improved temperature management also results in faster drying of granulates, reducing processing time and enhancing energy efficiency. This may also support pharma companies on their way towards reducing carbon emissions. The method further reduces the environmental impact of effervescent tablet manufacture by incorporating an upgraded filter system compared to previous methods, which results in better dust separation.
Ultimately, the transition to new, more advanced effervescent tablet manufacturing processes means high quality tablets can be produced consistently, more quickly and efficiently, while reducing environmental impact. In addition, companies who wish to transition to the new manufacturing technique, and are currently using TOPO technology, can do so without needing to make alterations to their existing manufacturing approval dossiers. As such, companies can smoothly transition to a modernized manufacturing technique, enabling them to preserve the high quality of their effervescent tablets while enhancing operational efficiency.
A further benefit of this patent protected method is that product exclusivity is ensured and prevents imitation, safeguarding the competitive edge of the higher quality effervescent tablets.
The Effervescent Future
Recent advancements in manufacturing technologies mean that effervescent tablets can be manufactured more quickly and efficiently while maintaining quality and ensuring regulatory compliance. This convergence of market demand and improved production capabilities presents a significant opportunity for pharma companies. By expanding their product portfolios to include effervescent formulations, they can meet growing consumer interest, enhance patient outcomes, and gain a competitive edge.
About the Author
Wolfgang Schiemenz joined Hermes Pharma in 2007 as a chemical engineer specializing in pharmaceutical technologies. He gained extensive experience in areas such as quality by design,
chemometric modeling, galenic formulation, production transfers, upscaling, project management, and regulatory affairs. Currently, he serves as Senior Manager Product Design & Process Development and leads a team within the Hermes Pharma R&D department that supports product development through medical science, QbD, IP management, regulatory documentation and bioequivalence studies.
Publication Details
This article appeared in Tablets and Capsules Magazine:
Vol. 22, No. 5
November/December 2024
Pages: 8-10