Oral Drug Delivery - Functional Polymers

Pharmaceutical innovation demands precision, flexibility, and speed. At Evonik, we offer a comprehensive portfolio of polymer-based functional materials designed to help you overcome the barriers to oral drug delivery—whether you're working with sensitive APIs, targeting specific regions of the GI tract, or optimizing patient compliance.

Our oral drug delivery systems, built on decades of experience and scientific excellence, empower you to create differentiated products with enhanced therapeutic outcomes.

Functional polymers are excipients that do more than bind or fill. They actively control how, when, and where a drug is released in the body. In oral formulations, this means enabling controlled release, targeted delivery, and protection of sensitive APIs.

Evonik’s EUDRAGIT® polymers are the industry standard for oral controlled drug delivery systems. They allow you to design release profiles that match your therapeutic goals—whether that’s immediate action, delayed onset, or sustained release over time.

Controlled release refers to the ability to manage the timing and location of drug release within the gastrointestinal tract. This can improve efficacy, reduce side effects, and enhance patient adherence.

Evonik offers polymers that support:

• Immediate release – for fast therapeutic action
• Delayed release – to bypass the stomach and release in the intestine or colon
• Sustained release – for extended drug activity and reduced dosing frequency

Controlled release is a broader term that includes sustained, delayed, and targeted release. Sustained release specifically refers to maintaining drug levels over time.

Since its introduction in 1954, EUDRAGIT® has helped shape the future of oral drug delivery. With over 23,000 patents and 10,000 scientific publications, it remains the most widely used polymer platform in the industry.

• Proven performance across thousands of formulations
• Tailored functionality for different release profiles
• Regulatory acceptance worldwide
• Compatibility with all major processing technologies

• pH-triggered solubility for enteric coatings
• Permeability control for sustained release
• Taste masking for improved patient experience

EUDRACAP® functional capsules combine the protective benefits of EUDRAGIT® coatings with the convenience of pre-locked, ready-to-fill formats. They’re ideal for accelerating development and simplifying formulation of sensitive or targeted therapies.

Available formats include:

• EUDRACAP® Enteric – protects APIs from gastric acid
• EUDRACAP® Colon – targets release in the ileo-colonic region
• EUDRACAP® Preclinic – supports animal studies with seamless scale-up
• EUDRACAP® Select – customizable capsules with CDMO support

We understand the challenges of oral formulation—from poor solubility and API instability to patient-centric design and regulatory complexity. That’s why we offer more than excipients—we offer solutions.

• Access to the world’s most trusted pharmaceutical polymers
• Support from formulation experts and regulatory specialists
• Integrated CDMO services from concept to commercialization
• Global manufacturing and supply chain security

Whether you're developing a new product or optimizing an existing one, we’re here to help you go further, faster.

Are you working on a formulation challenge? Looking for a reliable partner in oral drug delivery? Our team is ready to support you with technical expertise, tailored solutions, and proven materials.

Get in touch today to explore how Evonik’s functional polymers can help you create more effective oral drug products.