BOC Sciences supports oral solid dose (OSD) development for research and product teams that need reliable tablets, capsules, granules, and multiparticulate systems. From early small molecule API development through API synthesis and custom synthesis, we build formulation and process strategies that match the physical and chemical properties of each active ingredient.
Oral solid dose development is the process of turning an active pharmaceutical ingredient into a stable, manufacturable tablet, capsule, granule, or pellet that delivers the intended amount of drug by the oral route. Oral solids remain the most widely used dosage form worldwide because they are stable, convenient, and cost-effective: more than 70% of prescriptions are filled with OSD forms such as tablets and capsules, and over 60% of small-molecule drug products use an oral solid format. Development work spans pre-formulation assessment, excipient selection, formulation design, process development, analytical characterization, and scale-up. The central challenge for many new molecules is that a large share of modern candidates show poor aqueous solubility, so OSD programs frequently combine conventional tableting with enabling technologies such as amorphous solid dispersions, micronization, or lipid-based systems to reach the target dissolution and exposure. Selecting the right route of administration and dosage form early helps avoid rework later in the program.
BOC Sciences develops immediate-release tablets that disintegrate efficiently, release the API consistently, and maintain suitable mechanical properties during handling and storage.
We design modified-release tablets by connecting polymer selection, tablet structure, processing conditions, and dissolution testing with the required release profile.
Our formulation team balances rapid wetting or disintegration with tablet strength, acceptable mouthfeel, moisture resistance, and reliable dose delivery.
BOC Sciences develops capsule products containing powders, granules, pellets, mini-tablets, or compatible nonaqueous fills selected according to API and release requirements.
We develop multiparticulate systems in which the total dose is divided among small units with independently adjustable composition, coating, and release behavior.
BOC Sciences develops free-flowing powders and granules for direct administration, dispersion, solution preparation, or filling into unit-dose packaging.
BOC Sciences helps research teams move from API structure and target product profile to dosage-form selection, formulation design, process development, dissolution profiling, stability planning, and application-ready oral solids.
Formulation composition, process settings, and product performance are evaluated together so that each experimental stage resolves a defined development question.
| Development Area | Variables Evaluated | Typical Outputs |
| API and Material Assessment | Solubility, pKa, particle size, morphology, hygroscopicity, thermal behavior, solid form, flow, density, and excipient compatibility. | Developability risks, material-handling strategy, dosage form recommendation, and focused screening plan. |
| Formulation Screening | Filler, binder, disintegrant, lubricant, surfactant, polymer, coating, and stabilizer type and level. | Ranked prototypes, composition rationale, performance comparison, and candidate selection criteria. |
| Process Development | Mixing, granulation, drying, milling, compression, filling, coating, and environmental conditions. | Process flow, operating ranges, in-process controls, scale-sensitive variables, and reproducibility evidence. |
| Product Performance | Appearance, strength, friability, disintegration, assay, uniformity, dissolution, water content, and solid-state behavior. | Comparative analytical package, release-profile interpretation, and formulation or process adjustment recommendations. |
| Storage and Packaging Fit | Temperature, humidity, light exposure, container configuration, desiccant use, and closure protection. | Stability trends, degradation risks, moisture-protection needs, and packaging-screening recommendation. |
Share your API structure, dose, target product profile, solubility and stability constraints, preferred dosage form, and analytical needs. Our specialists will design a project-specific plan covering pre-formulation, formulation design, process development, scale-up, and tech transfer.
BOC Sciences reviews the target product profile, dose strength, and API attributes — solubility, pKa, stability, particle size, and solid state — to define a practical OSD plan and a ranked list of development risks.
Using formulation design, we screen excipients and build prototypes across immediate-release, modified-release, or multiparticulate routes, optimizing dissolution, stability, and manufacturability before lock.
We select and lock granulation, compression, filling, and coating methods, then expand batch size with process R&D and scale-up studies while tracking critical process parameters and product performance.
Finished batches are confirmed by analytical development and quality control, analytical testing and release, and stability studies, with tech transfer services to manufacturing scale when needed.
A poorly soluble API may dissolve too slowly even when tablet disintegration is rapid. Particle size, crystal form, wettability, local pH, drug loading, excipient interactions, and processing history can all influence the observed profile. BOC Sciences distinguishes these mechanisms through solubility, solid-state, wetting, disintegration, and multi-condition dissolution studies. Depending on the evidence, we may evaluate particle engineering, pH modifiers, surfactants, hydrophilic carriers, amorphous dispersion approaches, or release-enhancing granulation strategies.
Fine, cohesive, low-density, or irregular particles can produce erratic feeding, variable die fill, weak compacts, capping, or high ejection force. Our team evaluates particle size distribution, bulk and tapped density, flow behavior, compactability, lubricant response, and compression sensitivity. We then compare particle engineering, glidant addition, dry or wet granulation, filler-binder systems, mixing sequence, and lubrication time to improve manufacturability without compromising disintegration or release performance.
Low API loading increases sensitivity to particle segregation, agglomeration, electrostatic effects, sampling position, mixing order, and losses to equipment surfaces. BOC Sciences uses structured blending studies, particle-size matching, ordered mixing, carrier selection, pregranulation, and process sampling to identify the dominant source of variability. Targeted dosage form uniformity analysis helps compare blends and finished units, while recovery checks distinguish true heterogeneity from sampling or analytical bias.
Water uptake, polymorphic conversion, loss of amorphous character, hydration, excipient reactions, and coating permeability can change appearance, strength, dissolution, or chemical stability. We combine moisture studies, thermal analysis, microscopy, chromatography, and X-ray powder diffraction when appropriate to identify the change mechanism. The resulting evidence guides excipient replacement, humidity control, protective coating, desiccant selection, and container-closure screening rather than relying on packaging changes alone.
Sticking, picking, capping, lamination, friability, mottling, logo bridging, peeling, and coating cracks may arise from interacting material and process variables. BOC Sciences reviews granule moisture, fines level, binder distribution, lubrication, tooling, compression force, press speed, core temperature, coating solids, atomization, spray rate, and curing. Short experimental matrices are used to separate root causes and identify settings that improve appearance and mechanical quality while protecting the intended release profile.
A laboratory process may change at larger scale because mixing energy, liquid distribution, drying rate, milling history, feeder behavior, dwell time, and coating efficiency do not increase proportionally. Our scientists map scale-sensitive material attributes and process parameters before transfer. Comparative blend, granule, tablet, capsule, and dissolution data are used to determine whether a performance shift comes from the formulation, equipment geometry, operating conditions, or sampling approach, enabling focused corrective work.
Collaborate with BOC Sciences to access oral solid dose formulation, process development, bioavailability enabling technologies, analytical characterization, and scale-ready data packages for research and development programs.
We do not apply one process to every molecule. BOC Sciences compares immediate-release, modified-release, multiparticulate, and enabling-technology routes from the API solubility, stability, and dose, so the selected format fits the molecule rather than forcing the molecule into a fixed protocol.
One team covers formulation, process, and analytics, reducing hand-offs between vendors. Our analytical platform supports orthogonal review of identity, purity, solid state, and dissolution, giving clearer evidence for formulation and release decisions.
We use risk assessment, design of experiments, and in-process monitoring so process understanding — not trial and error — drives scale-up and release decisions. This helps protect dissolution and content uniformity when batch size increases.
From early prototypes to larger batches, BOC Sciences adapts project scope and batch size, and supports scale-up and tech transfer as programs advance, so development stays aligned with your timeline and supply needs.
Client Needs: A formulation group needed a once-daily matrix tablet for a freely soluble small-molecule API. The target was a gradual release profile with adequate tablet strength and limited sensitivity to routine changes in compression force.
Challenges: Early prototypes released the API too rapidly during the first two hours. Increasing polymer content slowed release but produced large tablets and variable late-stage release, while high compression reduced medium penetration into the matrix.
Solution: BOC Sciences screened three HPMC viscosity grades, two filler systems, and polymer levels across 18 matrix prototypes. Dissolution at six time points was paired with hardness, porosity, swelling, and erosion measurements. A blended-polymer system was then optimized through compression-force and lubricant studies, producing a smaller tablet with a smoother release profile and reduced sensitivity to compaction conditions.
Outcome: The illustrative program identified a lead composition, defined the main release-controlling variables, and produced a process range suitable for the next scale-up study.
Client Needs: A product-development team needed to transfer a multivitamin tablet containing low-dose and high-dose components from a small mixer and single-station press to larger blending, compression, and coating equipment.
Challenges: The blend contained components with different particle sizes, densities, moisture sensitivities, and colors. Initial scale-up batches showed segregation during discharge, variable low-dose vitamin distribution, sticking during compression, and uneven film-coat appearance.
Solution: BOC Sciences mapped ingredient particle properties, redesigned the premix sequence, and compared four blend-loading strategies. Three pilot batches were sampled at nine process locations for uniformity. Granule moisture, lubrication time, feeder speed, compression force, and coating spray conditions were then adjusted. The selected workflow reduced segregation, controlled sticking, and generated transferable operating ranges with defined in-process checks.
Outcome: The illustrative project produced a more uniform multivitamin blend, consistent tablet compression, improved coating appearance, and a structured technical transfer package for repeat execution.
Common oral solid dosage forms include immediate-release tablets, modified-release tablets, enteric-coated tablets, orally disintegrating tablets, chewable tablets, dispersible tablets, hard capsules, granules, powders, pellets, and mini-tablet systems. Selection depends on API dose, solubility, stability, particle properties, intended release profile, administration needs, and manufacturing feasibility. An API with suitable flow and compactability may support direct compression, while a cohesive, segregation-prone, or release-sensitive material may require granulation, coating, capsule filling, or a multiparticulate formulation approach.
Oral solid dose development usually begins with an assessment of the API and target product requirements. Relevant properties include solubility, pKa, particle size, solid form, hygroscopicity, thermal behavior, flow, and compactability. Scientists then screen excipients for compatibility and function, prepare prototype formulations, and compare assay, content uniformity, mechanical strength, friability, disintegration, dissolution, and stability. After selecting a candidate, the mixing, granulation, drying, compression, capsule-filling, or coating process is optimized. Scale-sensitive variables are also studied so that product performance remains consistent as equipment and batch size change.
Poor dissolution can result from more than low aqueous solubility. Crystal form, particle size, surface wettability, salt form, local pH, drug loading, disintegration behavior, and API-excipient interactions may all influence the release profile. Processing can also contribute. Excessive lubrication may reduce wetting, high compression force may lower tablet porosity, and unsuitable granulation or drying conditions may change particle structure or solid-state behavior. A useful investigation combines solubility, disintegration, wetting, solid-state analysis, and dissolution testing under multiple conditions before selecting particle-size reduction, pH modification, surfactants, hydrophilic carriers, or amorphous dispersion strategies.
Useful starting information includes the API structure or material profile, target dose, preferred dosage form, intended release profile, available API quantity, known solubility and stability data, and existing analytical methods. If prototypes already exist, clients can also provide formulation composition, preparation steps, batch observations, dissolution profiles, stability trends, and the specific problem they want to solve. BOC Sciences reviews these materials to identify important data gaps and define appropriate preformulation studies, excipient screening, prototype preparation, analytical testing, decision criteria, material requirements, and project outputs for the current development stage.
Yes. BOC Sciences supports troubleshooting, formulation optimization, process scale-up, and technology transfer for existing tablets, capsules, granules, pellets, and other oral solid dosage forms. Projects may address dissolution shifts, poor content uniformity, inadequate powder flow, sticking, capping, coating variability, storage instability, or batch-to-batch differences. Our scientists compare material attributes, formulation composition, mixing sequence, granulation endpoint, drying conditions, lubrication time, compression settings, and coating parameters. Focused experiments help distinguish formulation effects from equipment, process, sampling, or analytical influences and support a practical improvement and transfer strategy.
BOC Sciences helped us convert a poorly soluble compound into a workable tablet using an amorphous solid dispersion approach. Their team explained the spray drying and hot-melt extrusion options clearly and delivered prototypes with much improved dissolution.
— Dr. Martin, Formulation Scientist, Small-Molecule Development
Our multiparticulate program moved from lab to pilot scale without losing release performance. BOC Sciences managed granulation, coating, and capsule filling together and provided a clear tech-transfer package that made hand-off straightforward.
— Wilson, Process Development Lead, CDMO Partner
The analytical reports were detailed and easy to review, covering XRPD, DSC, dissolution, and content uniformity. Having solid-state and release data in one package gave our team real confidence in the formulation.
— Dr. Miller, Analytical Chemistry Manager
BOC Sciences kept us updated at every stage, from pre-formulation through stability planning. The project records, methods, and results were well organized, which made internal review and decision-making much faster.
— Lee, Program Director, Oral Solid Dose
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