Let's take a deep dive into the raw materials used in the pharmaceutical industry. This classification distinguishes raw materials from each other. Generally speaking, pharmaceutical raw materials can be divided into the following three categories:

Let's take a deep dive into the raw materials used in the pharmaceutical industry. This classification distinguishes raw materials from each other. Generally speaking, pharmaceutical raw materials can be divided into the following three categories:

1. Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)

2. Inactive ingredients or excipients

3. Packaging materials

Chapter 1 APIs

API is one of the main parts of medicine, which has medicinal activity and is responsible for the action of medicine. Accuracy and precision of raw materials are the two main aspects to have when making an API.

Advantages of API: There are certain criteria to determine the API strength of each drug. The FDA requires manufacturers to demonstrate the efficacy of their products with patients in the lab and in real life.

The global active pharmaceutical ingredients market is expected to reach $198.8 billion at a CAGR of 6.4% by 2022. The main factors driving this growth are patent expirations, government initiatives, increasing penetration and an aging population.

The larger API manufacturers are in Asia, especially in India and China. The 2022 Western China Plant Extracts and Pharmaceutical Raw Materials Exhibition integrates domestic large pharmaceutical raw material companies and manufacturers to provide a feast for the raw material industry.

Chapter 2 Pharmaceutical Raw Materials of Excipients

Excipients are also known as inactive ingredients or pharmaceutical carriers. Pharmaceutical raw materials used as excipients consist of solvents and other such carriers. Excipients bring bulk and stability to pharmaceutical formulations, while facilitating drug absorption and preventing denaturation.

The International Pharmaceutical Standards have guidance on the qualification of materials as excipients.

Industry analysts predict that the excipients market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.53% by 2021 and reach $7.7 billion by 2022. According to a report produced by ASD, the excipients global market is being driven by increasing consumption of oral pharmaceuticals.

3. Packaged pharmaceutical raw materials

Packaging in the pharmaceutical industry also requires precision. Raw materials for packaging in the pharmaceutical industry include plastics, polymers, glass, aluminum foil, paper, and more. Packaging has become a separate category for pharmaceutical companies due to the use of diverse raw materials.

By 2020, the global pharmaceutical packaging market demand is estimated to reach over $80 billion. North America and Europe hold major shares in the pharmaceutical packaging materials market.

Advances in drug delivery technology are enabling the use of innovative packaging in the pharmaceutical industry, increasing the demand for various packaging materials.