IID Listed Ingredients

Lubrizol Life Science Health (LLS Health) offers  many ingredients listed on the FDA’s inactive  ingredient database (IID) that can help improve the  performance of topical pharmaceutical formulations. Lubrizol’s Carbopol® polymers, Noveon®  polycarbophil, and Pemulen™ polymers are well known in the industry for use in enhancing topical  products. Lubrizol also offers IID-listed emollients, emulsifiers, and humectants which have a long history of use in over-the-counter and prescription drug products.

Emollients

Emollients are used in topical preparations to impart  lubrication, spreading ease, texture, and softening of the skin. They also counter the potentially drying or irritating effects of surfactants on the skin. LLS Health offers IID-listed emollients for topical formulations, including lanolin derivatives and light and medium ester emollients; these emollients offer a variety of benefits. For example, Schercemol™ esters provide  excellent sensory properties. Due to their different properties/miscibility, Schercemol™ esters can be  formulated with a broad range of drugs and co-excipients, rendering them suitable for different types of formulations. Additionally, some Lubrizol emollients may provide solubilizing properties and/or serve as penetration  enhancers. Several are also naturally derived, meaning  their renewable carbon index (RCI) is above 0.5. Lubrizol’s IID-listed emollients are used in a variety of marketed products across several dosage forms, including creams, patches, topical solutions, ointments, lotions, wipes, foams, and gels.

Emulsifiers

An emulsifier or emulsifying agent is an ingredient that stabilizes an emulsion. An emulsion is a thermodynamically unstable system comprising two or more immiscible  liquids, one of which is dispersed in the other liquid. LLS Health emulsifiers are non-ionic oil-in-water emulsifiers and are naturally derived. Due to their non-ionic nature, they are non-irritant, meaning they are particularly preferred for sensitive products. They also serve as structurants and may impart some emolliency to formulations. LLS Health’s IID-listed emulsifiers add value to numerous marketed products encompassing multiple dosage forms, such as creams and lotions. 

Humectants

A humectant is a substance that promotes the retention of moisture on the skin. This increased moisture can increase an active ingredient’s solubility, which can then in turn increase the skin penetration. These ingredients deliver light, satiny after-feel to skin formulations and are effective at reducing the tack of glycerin. There are several creams on the market containing these IID-listed humectants and formulated with a variety of APIs.

Surfactant Thickeners

Gels

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