Creating cocrystals: a review of pharmaceutical cocrystal preparation routes and applications

Originally discovered almost a century ago, cocrystals continue to gain interest in the modern day due to their ability to modify the physical properties of solid-state materials, particularly pharmaceuticals. Intensification of cocrystal research efforts has been accompanied by an expansion of the potential applications where cocrystals can offer a benefit. Where once solubility manipulation was seen as the primary driver for cocrystal formation, cocrystals have recently been shown to provide attractive options for taste masking, mechanical property improvement, and intellectual property generation and extension. Cocrystals are becoming a commercial reality with a number of cocrystal products currently on the market and more following in registration and clinical trial phases. Increased commercialization of cocrystals has in turn necessitated additional research on methods to make cocrystals, with particular emphasis placed on emerging technologies that can offer environmentally attractive and efficient options. Methods of producing cocrystals and of harnessing the bespoke physical property adjustment provided by cocrystals are reviewed in this article, with a particular focus on emerging trends in these areas.