Cognis starts making vitamin E TPGS aimed at pharmaceutical sector

Global specialty chemicals supplier Cognis has started with the production of TPGS (D-alpha Tocopheryl Polyethylene Glycol 1000 Succinate) that meets the market standards in terms of composition and manufacturing technology. The product will be introduced at this year's CPhI tradeshow (September 30-October 2 in Frankfurt, Germany) and will be offered under the trade name Speziol TPGS Pharma.

TPGS is used as an emulsifier, drug solubilizer, absorption enhancer and as a vehicle for lipid-based drug-delivery formulations. It has already been successfully used by international pharmaceutical companies for oral and topical formulations including immunosuppressants, HIV protease inhibitors and anticancer drugs.

Cognis is one of the world's leading manufacturers of natural-source vitamin E, as well as of pharmaceutical-grade excipients. Now the company has additionally developed the technology needed for the commercial manufacturing of TPGS, a water-soluble derivative of vitamin E that can directly enhance the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. It is described in the USP/NF.