Dow Wolff Cellulosics (DWC) will intensify its focus on the ingredient formulation and delivery needs of the Pharma market. DWC Pharma will work closely with formulators and manufacturers to not only meet existing needs, but also drive innovation and new technologies that address emerging and future formulation and delivery challenges.

“Our intention is to forge a new level of relationship with drug formulators and manufacturers, to see how they can use our expertise and know-how to address specific challenges around the delivery mechanisms of the future,” said Lucrece Foufopoulos, Global Marketing Director of DWC. “We’re approaching the market very much as a development partner.”

Dow holds, between DWC and other business units, 5 of the top 10 excipient technologies. This means that the business units are the face of excipients.

“We’re changing the way we act, by getting closer to our customers and becoming a true solutions provider, and the way we think, by making end-user benefits a priority in our product development,” said Martin Sonntag, General Manager of DWC.

Dow Chemical’s acquisition of Wolff Walsrode in 2007 led to the formation of DWC, which today consists of a Pharma, a Food and an Industrial Specialties business unit. The acquisition of Wolff Walsrode added the CMC product offering and WALOCEL^TM polymers to its portfolio, and importantly, process technology and scale-up capability that significantly increased DWC’s ability to design new solutions.

Today, DWC produces an outstanding range of pharmaceutical ingredients, helping its customers to improve manufacturing processes and delivery solutions. As part of its continuous innovation process, DWC has developed three optimized solutions for today’s cutting-edge pharmaceutical manufacturing technologies.

1) METHOCEL^TM Premium Direct Compression Grade Hypromellose Polymers - developed to achieve the production economies of Direct Compression (DC) while assuring the multifunctional performance customers expect from this excipient family.

2) DWC excipients (POLYOX^TM water-soluble resins, ETHOCEL^TM ethylcellulose ethers and METHOCEL^TM cellulose ethers) - for Hot Melt Extrusion (HME) processing, which reduces processing time and cost, achieves better content uniformity, improves the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs, and eliminates the need for aqueous processing. With its extensive knowledge base, DWC is able to provide both technological support and guidance on optimal excipient selection and blending to achieve a wide range of performance properties using HME processing.

3) METHOCEL^TM Premium Controlled Release products - specifically tailored to the pharmaceutical market for use in Controlled Release (CR) matrix drug delivery systems that increase treatment success rates and improve cost effectiveness. These products have been manufactured for enhanced lot-to-lot consistency in chemical and physical properties that impact drug release performance, resulting in fast development of robust formulations. By working closely with its customers, DWC is able to develop optimal CR delivery systems to ensure that APIs are released in the right amount, in the right place, and at the right time.

In order to deliver on this promise, DWC formed a CR Alliance with Colorcon in 2007. The Alliance offers tremendous value to the pharmaceutical formulator. Dow provides unequaled supply capability and polymer expertise to the Alliance, and Colorcon complements with formulation and application expertise, systems, and a global technical service network. The companies work jointly in this Alliance on new developments, products, tools, as well as industry supporting initiatives such as QbD.

The continuous development of innovative products arises from DWC’s enormous knowledge base, coupled with Dow’s long history in polymer processing and solvents. This is further supported by DWC’s ongoing investments in the development of new technologies for pharmaceutical processes.

Dow Wolff Cellulosics is a global leader and pioneer in Cellulose Ethers and preferred development partner for manufacturers and suppliers in the food and pharmaceutical markets, and in other specialty industrial applications. It supplies high-performance, cellulose-based products, and formulation know-how to help customers innovate and differentiate in highly regulated markets. Cellulosics and their derivatives are produced from renewable raw materials, mainly wood pulp and cotton, sourced primarily from suppliers that implement certified sustainable forestry practices. Ranging from healthier food ingredients and formulations  to enhanced pharmaceutical delivery, most products containing Cellulosics help to make improvements in the daily lives of billions of people. Dow Wolff Cellulosics is a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, employing 1,200 people across more than 9 sites and 15 assets, with 6 cGMPs, serving customers in around 160 countries.

SOURCE：Web of Drug Delivery Technology