Alpex Pharma is a high-quality formulation development and contract manufacturing company based in Mezzovico (Ticino), Switzerland, with 26 years’ experience developing improved pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceutical products using proprietary technologies and extensive know-how. Its focus is on effervescent and orodispersible formulations.

Alpex Pharma offers its clients:

  • a separate pharmaceutical and nutritional plant (totaling 6,300m3)
  • a high-quality FDA and EMEA-approved facility
  • a strong, diversified client and distributor base
  • an attractive pipeline of pharmaceutical products to drive growth
  • an experienced management team comprising 56 FTEs.

Orally disintegrating tablets (ODT)

Alpex specialises in solving complex drug delivery challenges and offers lifecycle management solutions that extend the life of pharmaceutical products.

Alpex’s patented ODT technology enables doses of just a few micrograms to over 300mg to be administered and permits an immediate release of the drug, with significant advantages for the rapid mitigation of pathologies. The company’s taste-masking technology also offers patients significant taste and compliance benefits.

Disintegration of tablets occurs in seconds, creating a fresh viscous liquid that can be easily ingested by patients with limited swallowing capacity (young or elderly persons) or those whose ingestion is compromised (patients with Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, etc).

The technology is not limited by the physical characteristics of drugs such as water solubility, particle size and lipophilicity, or by their molecular weight (synthetic drugs, peptides, proteins, etc.) Bioequivalence or super-bioequivalence vs commercial products in the form of granular tablets or capsules is supported by several developed projects.

Oral transmucosal or oral delivery

Alpex’s buccal proprietary technology can be applied to drugs that cross the buccal mucosa in order to be rapidly absorbed in the bloodstream, skipping the stomach.

This technology is particularly effective for administering potent painkillers that need to be rapidly adsorbed or for drugs such as peptides that could be damaged in the gastric medium.

Effervescent technology − dissolving solid dosage form

Alpex’s effervescent technology is the result of the company’s significant know-how and expertise in the field, and allows drugs to be administered in a self-dissolving solid dosage form (tablets and granular) when in contact with water. Tablets dissolve rapidly, creating a fizzy, fresh solution.

Sodium bicarbonate (source of CO2) creates a bubbling effect in water, improving patient compliance as well as protecting the gastric mucosa due to the buffer capacity.

In addition, the drug bioavailability can be improved thanks to an increase in the stomach’s pH medium.

This technology is particularly effective for drugs that require water to be administered, such as NSAIDs, mucolitics and pain-killers. When compared with conventional tablets and other dosage forms, taste-masking capability is improved without compromising bioequivalence.

Alpex is also active in contract manufacturing for products that require a high level of quality and a proven record of good manufacturing practice.

Sustained release oral customised technology

Alpex’s oral customised release technology system covers a variety of drugs. A specified pharmacokinetic profile can be achieved in order to enhance the therapeutic quality of the product. The company also utilises monolithic controlled release technology that tailors drug release during a defined period.