Topical Drug Delivery – Excipients for creams, gels, and lotions

Stable and efficient semisolid preparations with optimal skin-feel have become the desirable standard in topical and
transdermal drug delivery. Lubrizol Life Science Health (LLS Health) has long-standing experience with semisolids,
offering rheology-modifying, emulsifying and bioadhesive excipients.

Our Carbopol® polymers, Pemulen™ polymers, and Noveon® polycarbophil have been used extensively for more than fifty years in both prescription and over-the-counter topical drug products.

Topical Applications – All polymers listed in the chart below are suitable for use in topical applications and are present
in commercialized topical products. Topical applications can include creams, lotions, gels, and ointments for dermal,
vaginal, and rectal use, among others.

Enabling innovation through our multifunctional excipients, which are:

Ideal for imparting rheology control in topical formulations
Highly efficient thickeners and gel formers at low usage levels in aqueous, hydroalcoholic, and anhydrous systems

Typical Usage Levels of LLS Health Polymers in Topical Applications

Able to provide stable, uniform emulsions and suspensions
Excellent bioadhesive polymers for improving the bioavailability of some active ingredients
Compatible with acidic, basic, and neutral drugs
Thermally stable, allowing for versatility in manufacturing and final product sterilization
Optimal for providing enhanced aesthetics and feel for the creation of non-greasy creams, exceptionally clear gels, and other semisolid formulations

Additional FDA IID Ingredients – LLS Health also offers an array of additional inactive ingredients for semi-solid topicals, such as humectants, emollients, emulsifiers, and surfactant thickeners. The below ingredients
are featured on the FDA’s Inactive Ingredient Database (IID). Please visit our website for more information.