Abstract :
The development of a commercial product whether it be a relatively simple formulation (eg a capsule, tablet or oral liquid) or a controlled release formulation (eg an implant) is always a time-consuming and complicated process. Generally an initial formulation consisting of one or more drugs mixed with various ingredients (excipients) is prepared, and, as development progresses, the choice of these and their levels as well as the manufacturing process are changed and optimized as a result of intensive, timeconsuming experimentation. These iterations, in turn, result in the generation of large amounts of data, the processing and understanding of which is challenging. In reality, the formulator has to work in a design space that is multi-dimensional and virtually impossible to conceptualize.
