Controlled Release: Boost the Effectiveness of Your Pharmaceutical Formulations

In pharmaceutical development, the question is simple: a treatment is only effective if the active ingredient reaches the right concentration, at the right time, and for the right duration. With conventional formulations, this is not always the case: absorption peaks, rapid drop in effect, repeated dosing… all these limitations reduce performance and complicate patients’ lives.

Controlled release completely changes the game. It enables the gradual and consistent diffusion of the active ingredient, leading to more stable results, fewer side effects, and better patient compliance.

This is where Innov’ia, a specialist in the custom formulation and production of functional ingredients, delivers real added value. With its technologies and industrial know-how, the company supports laboratories in designing more effective and competitive solutions.

A drug does not deliver its full potential if its active ingredient is released too quickly or too irregularly. In many cases, a conventional form causes a concentration peak, followed by a rapid decline. The result: fluctuating therapeutic effects, increased side effects, and the need for frequent dosing.
With controlled release, the approach is different. The active ingredient is gradually delivered into the body, in a stable way and over a predefined period. This regulation offers several tangible benefits:

• Consistent efficacy: drug levels in the blood remain within the optimal range without abrupt variations.
• Fewer side effects: steady diffusion limits occasional overdosing.
• Patient comfort: fewer daily doses, better treatment compliance.
• Product differentiation: a controlled-release formulation enhances perceived value and competitiveness on the market.

In practice, this approach is already used to improve treatments for diabetes, chronic pain, and psychiatry. For laboratories, it opens the door to more effective solutions tailored to patient needs.

Controlled release relies on several technological strategies. Each has its own specificities, but all pursue the same goal: ensuring a progressive, steady, and tailored diffusion of the active ingredient. Here are the main solutions, explained simply and with a focus on benefits.

The active ingredient is incorporated into a matrix that dissolves slowly in the body. This structure acts like a “reservoir,” releasing the drug steadily.

• Benefits: prolonged therapeutic effect, more consistent results.
• Typical applications: chronic treatments such as diabetes or pain management.

Here, release does not depend on the digestive system but on precise internal mechanisms (osmotic pressure or interaction with ions in the environment).

• Benefits: reliable, constant release independent of physiological conditions.
• Key advantage: reduces uncertainty and improves treatment safety.

Thanks to ultra-small particles, it is possible to target a specific area of the body and trigger drug release on demand (e.g., ultrasound, magnetic field).

• Benefits: precise targeting, optimized dosage, reduced side effects.
• Outlook: paves the way for innovative and personalized therapies.

Some devices, inserted in the body, release the active ingredient over several weeks or months. Release can be continuous or programmed in stages.

• Benefits: improved adherence, greater comfort for patients requiring strict monitoring.
• Common use: contraceptives, psychiatric treatments, pain management.

The success of a controlled-release formulation depends not only on the scientific concept but also on the reliability of the industrial processes used to manufacture it at scale. For a pharmaceutical laboratory, this means ensuring batch stability, product safety, and regulatory compliance.
At Innov’ia, several processes are mastered to meet these requirements:

• Granulation: homogenizes powders and achieves consistent particle size, essential for predictable controlled release.
• Coating: adds a protective layer around the active ingredient or particle, modulating release speed and enhancing stability.
• Spray drying: transforms a liquid solution into a fine powder, facilitating the production of stable, reproducible formulations.
• Prilling: creates perfectly spherical microbeads, suitable for extended-release dosage forms.

These processes are more than technical tools: they ensure manufacturers achieve homogeneous, safe production that meets international standards (GMP, ISO, FSSC)—essential criteria for developing high-performing pharmaceutical and healthcare formulations. For clients, this means reduced risks, controlled timelines, and a final product that fully meets market and regulatory expectations.

Developing a high-performance formulation requires deep knowledge of raw materials, industrial processes, and regulatory constraints. This is precisely where Innov’ia stands out, with over 30 years of experience in custom formulation and functional ingredient production.

Innov’ia masters a wide range of processes such as microencapsulation, spray drying, and fluidized-bed coating. These technologies are chosen not for their complexity, but for the concrete benefits they bring to your products:

• Enhanced stability of even the most sensitive active ingredients.
• Tailored release according to therapeutic goals (rapid, prolonged, targeted).
• Improved powder handling and solubility.

Every project benefits from personalized guidance, from proof of concept (POC) to industrial production. Innov’ia’s co-development approach turns ideas into viable, competitive solutions, integrating technical, regulatory, and economic considerations at every stage. Choosing Innov’ia brings clients:

• Safety: compliance with strict standards and certifications (GMP, FSSC 22000, etc.).
• Speed: accelerated transition from lab to market.
• Differentiation: unique formulations tailored to both patient needs and prescriber expectations.

In short, Innov’ia does not just provide technologies. The company delivers integrated expertise, capable of transforming technical challenges into lasting competitive advantages.

With over 30 years of experience, a recognized R&D center, and four industrial sites in France, Innov’ia combines scientific expertise with production capacity. The company relies on strict certifications (GMP, FSSC 22000, Halal, Kosher, Organic) and sustainable commitments to ensure safety and performance at every stage. It also guarantees full compliance with ANSM (French Health Authority) requirements, ensuring batch reliability and patient safety.

Beyond technologies, Innov’ia positions itself as a trusted partner, capable of transforming technical constraints into real market opportunities.

Controlled release is no longer an option—it is an essential solution to enhance the effectiveness and value of pharmaceutical treatments. It combines therapeutic stability, patient comfort, and market competitiveness.

By choosing Innov’ia, you gain a partner capable of supporting you from initial concept to industrial production, with proven technologies, solid regulatory expertise, and a true spirit of co-development.

Ready to turn your projects into real solutions? Contact Innov’ia experts today to boost the performance of your pharmaceutical formulations.