Quotient Sciences Taste Masking Services Info Sheet

Developing palatable dosage forms and masking bitter API

Palatability is influenced by multiple factors, including the chemical structure of the drug substance, the finished dosage form, and the excipients used in formulation. Many active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) have aversive attributes, such as a bitter taste, that if left unaddressed, creates challenges in patient compliance.

To achieve therapeutic outcomes across therapeutic areas such as antibiotics and pain management, regulatory agencies including the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommend assessing taste attributes in early clinical development. This evaluation can be performed through adult taste panels or literature review, and findings should guide dosage form selection to optimize patient acceptability.

Find out more about how we incorporate taste-masking strategies and formulation expertise to help you overcome these challenges and deliver effective, patient-friendly medicines.