Roquette to Showcase Advanced Pharmaceutical Excipients and Drug Delivery Innovations at AAPS PharmSci 360 2026
Roquette, a global leader in plant-based ingredients, pharmaceutical excipients and specialized pharmaceutical solutions, will present its extensive portfolio of formulation technologies and scientific innovations at AAPS PharmSci 360 2026. The conference and trade show will take place October 26–28 in New Orleans, Louisiana, bringing together pharmaceutical scientists, formulation specialists, researchers and industry professionals to discuss advances in drug development and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
At Booth 1100 in the exhibition hall, Roquette’s Health & Pharma Solutions team will highlight its broad range of pharmaceutical excipients, capsules, coatings and biopharmaceutical solutions. The company will also share technical expertise in controlled-release technologies, hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrins (HPβCD) and sustainable formulation approaches designed to address increasingly complex challenges in pharmaceutical development.
The company’s participation will focus on how excipient selection and material characteristics can influence drug delivery, formulation stability, manufacturing processes and overall product performance. Through scientific posters, a rapid-fire presentation and technical sessions on the exhibition hall’s 360 stages, Roquette scientists will present research addressing challenges associated with injectable biologics, controlled-release tablets, oral antibody delivery and peptide formulations.
These presentations will demonstrate the role of pharmaceutical excipients in developing effective, stable and manufacturable drug products. They will also provide opportunities for pharmaceutical developers to explore formulation strategies that may support more efficient development processes and help address the technical requirements of emerging therapeutic modalities.
Peter Freed, Head of Technical Service & Development North America for Roquette’s Health & Pharma Solutions Business Unit, emphasized the importance of the event in demonstrating the company’s scientific capabilities and supporting pharmaceutical innovation.
“AAPS PharmSci 360 is a key opportunity to share our latest innovations, as well as highlight the breadth and depth of our scientific know-how that helps our customers solve complex formulation challenges,” Freed said. “From advanced drug delivery platforms to sustainability-focused excipient solutions, our team is committed to helping our customers accelerate development, enhance product performance, and bring meaningful therapies to patients.”
Through its presence at the conference, Roquette aims to strengthen collaboration with pharmaceutical developers and demonstrate how its excipient technologies and technical services can support formulation development across a range of drug delivery applications.
Roquette to Highlight Scientific Research Across Pharmaceutical Formulation Challenges
A central component of Roquette’s participation at AAPS PharmSci 360 2026 will be the presentation of scientific research investigating the relationship between excipient properties and drug product performance.
Pharmaceutical excipients are important components of drug formulations, serving functions that extend beyond the delivery of an active pharmaceutical ingredient. Depending on the formulation, excipients can influence solubility, viscosity, drug release, stability, manufacturability and the physical characteristics of the finished product.
Selecting appropriate excipients is particularly important as pharmaceutical developers work with increasingly complex molecules, including biologics and peptides, and seek to develop formulations that meet specific administration and manufacturing requirements.
Roquette scientists will present three scientific posters examining different aspects of these challenges, covering subcutaneous injectability, controlled-release tablet performance and the influence of polymer properties on drug release.
Improving Subcutaneous Injectability Through Excipient-Based Formulation Strategies
One of the featured posters, titled To Syringe or Not to Syringe: An Excipient-based Strategy to Reduce Viscosity and Improve Subcutaneous Injectability, will examine an excipient-based approach to reducing formulation viscosity and improving the injectability of subcutaneous drug products.
The research is led by Jiayi Huang, Ph.D., Senior Biopharma Scientist at Roquette, and will be presented by Wen Chin Foo, Ph.D., Senior Biopharma Scientist.
Subcutaneous administration is an important route for delivering many pharmaceutical products, including biologic medicines. However, developing formulations suitable for this route can present technical challenges, particularly when high concentrations of therapeutic proteins are required.
Viscosity is an important consideration because highly viscous formulations can be more difficult to handle and administer through a syringe. High viscosity may create challenges for patients and healthcare professionals and can complicate the development of products intended for convenient subcutaneous delivery.
Formulation scientists therefore investigate strategies to reduce viscosity while maintaining the characteristics required for product quality, stability and therapeutic performance.
Roquette’s poster will explore how excipient-based formulation approaches may help address these challenges. The research is intended to contribute to the scientific understanding of how formulation composition can influence injectability and support the development of subcutaneous drug products.
The findings may be relevant to pharmaceutical developers working on concentrated biologic formulations and other injectable products for which viscosity management is a critical development consideration.
Evaluating Sodium Alginate in Melatonin Controlled-Release Tablets
A second poster, titled Effect of Sodium Alginate Material Attributes on Melatonin Controlled Release Tablet Performance, will investigate the relationship between sodium alginate characteristics and the performance of controlled-release melatonin tablets.
The research will be presented by Yeli Zhang, Ph.D., Senior Lead Applications Scientist at Roquette.
Controlled-release formulations are designed to regulate how an active ingredient is released over a specified period. These formulations can be used to influence drug release profiles and support dosage forms tailored to particular therapeutic or product requirements.
The performance of a controlled-release tablet can depend on several factors, including polymer characteristics, formulation composition, manufacturing conditions and the interaction between individual ingredients.
Sodium alginate is a polysaccharide that can be used in pharmaceutical formulation applications, including systems designed to modify drug release. Differences in material attributes may affect how the polymer behaves within a tablet matrix and, consequently, influence the release characteristics of the active ingredient.
Roquette’s research will examine how sodium alginate material attributes affect the performance of controlled-release melatonin tablets. By investigating these relationships, the study will contribute to understanding the importance of excipient characterization and material selection when developing controlled-release formulations.
The research is relevant to formulation scientists seeking to improve consistency and optimize the performance of oral dosage forms. A better understanding of excipient attributes can help developers make informed formulation decisions and evaluate how material variability may influence the final product.
Understanding Polymer Properties in Hydrophilic Matrix Tablets
The third poster, titled Role of Polyethylene Oxide Molecular Weight and Concentration in Modulating Drug Release from Hydrophilic Matrix Tablets, will examine how polyethylene oxide molecular weight and concentration influence drug release.
The presentation will be delivered by Nasrin Mahmoudi, Ph.D., Senior Lead Applications Scientist at Roquette.
Hydrophilic matrix tablets are widely investigated as platforms for controlled-release drug delivery. These formulations typically rely on water-interacting polymers that form a hydrated matrix when exposed to aqueous environments. The resulting matrix can influence the movement of the active ingredient and regulate its release from the dosage form.
Polymer properties, including molecular weight and concentration, are important variables in the development of such systems. Differences in these attributes can influence matrix formation and the physical behavior of the tablet during dissolution.
Roquette’s poster will focus on the role of polyethylene oxide in modulating drug release from hydrophilic matrix tablets. The research will provide technical insights into how formulation composition and polymer selection can be used to influence release characteristics.
For pharmaceutical developers, understanding the relationship between polymer attributes and drug release can support the design of more predictable controlled-release products. It can also help inform decisions about excipient grades and concentrations during formulation optimization.
Together, the three posters will address complementary formulation challenges, illustrating how excipient properties can influence injectable products and oral dosage forms.
Rapid-Fire Presentation to Explore Microbiota-Triggered Colon Delivery of Oral Antibodies
Roquette will also participate in the rapid-fire presentation program with a talk titled Microbiota-triggered Excipient Unlocks Colon Delivery of Oral mAbs. The presentation will be delivered by Wen Chin Foo, Ph.D., Senior Biopharma Scientist.
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are an important class of biologic medicines used across several therapeutic areas. However, developing oral formulations for these molecules presents substantial technical challenges because antibodies are proteins that can be susceptible to degradation in the gastrointestinal tract.
Delivering antibodies to specific regions of the gastrointestinal system, particularly the colon, requires formulation strategies that account for the local environment and the properties of the therapeutic molecule.
The microbiota-triggered approach described in Roquette’s presentation focuses on the potential use of excipient technologies that respond to conditions associated with the intestinal microbiota to support targeted delivery.
Such approaches are being investigated as ways to help protect sensitive therapeutic molecules during gastrointestinal transit and enable their release at a desired location. The practical performance of these systems depends on factors such as formulation composition, biological conditions and the stability of the active ingredient.
The presentation will share Roquette’s scientific perspective on microbiota-triggered excipients and their potential application in oral monoclonal antibody delivery.
The topic reflects broader interest in developing alternative administration approaches for biologic medicines. Although oral delivery of antibodies remains technically challenging, advances in formulation science may help researchers explore new strategies for targeting biologic therapies to specific regions of the gastrointestinal tract.
Technical Presentations to Address Excipient Selection and Biopharmaceutical Formulation
In addition to its scientific posters and rapid-fire talk, Roquette will deliver three technical presentations on the 360 stages located in the exhibition hall. These sessions will cover excipient properties, high-concentration protein processing and GLP-1 peptide formulation.
Connecting Excipient Properties With Product Performance
The presentation From Molecule to Formulation – How Excipient Properties Impact Product Performance will be delivered by True Rogers, Ph.D., Technical Fellow, and Peter Freed, Ph.D., Head of Technical Service and Development North America.
The session will examine the importance of understanding excipient characteristics throughout pharmaceutical formulation development.
Formulation performance depends on interactions among the active pharmaceutical ingredient, excipients and manufacturing processes. Factors such as solubility, viscosity, compatibility and physical stability can influence whether a formulation meets its intended performance requirements.
Excipient selection is therefore an important part of the development process, requiring scientists to consider not only the function of an ingredient but also its specific material properties and compatibility with the active ingredient.
By discussing the relationship between excipient attributes and finished-product performance, the presentation will provide insights into formulation design and the scientific considerations that influence development decisions.
The session is expected to be relevant to pharmaceutical researchers and developers working to optimize formulations and address challenges that emerge as products move through development.
Addressing High-Viscosity Protein Processing With HPβCD
Another technical presentation, titled Overcoming the Viscosity Barrier: Hydroxypropyl Beta-Cyclodextrin (HPβCD) Enables Ultrafiltration/Diafiltration of High-concentration Protein, will be delivered by Wen Chin Foo, Ph.D.
High-concentration protein formulations are important in the development of certain biologic medicines, particularly where delivery requirements favor concentrated products. However, increasing protein concentration can create processing difficulties, including elevated viscosity that complicates manufacturing and downstream handling.
Ultrafiltration and diafiltration are membrane-based processing techniques commonly used in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. These processes can help concentrate protein solutions and exchange formulation buffers, making them important steps in preparing biologic products.
High viscosity can make these operations more challenging by affecting process efficiency and handling requirements. Formulation strategies that help manage viscosity may therefore be valuable during the development and manufacturing of concentrated protein products.
The presentation will explore the application of hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin in addressing viscosity-related challenges during ultrafiltration and diafiltration of high-concentration protein formulations.
HPβCD is a chemically modified cyclodextrin used in pharmaceutical applications, including formulations where solubility and molecular interactions are important considerations. Its potential role in the processing of concentrated proteins represents an area of interest for scientists seeking to improve formulation characteristics and manufacturing performance.
The session will provide technical insights into this approach and its potential relevance to biopharmaceutical development.
Supporting GLP-1 Peptide Formulations Through Solubility and Stability
Roquette’s third technical presentation, Enabling Robust GLP-1 Peptide Formulations: Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin Enhances Solubility and Stress Stability, will also be delivered by Wen Chin Foo, Ph.D.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based therapies have become an important area of pharmaceutical development, increasing interest in formulation technologies that can support peptide stability, solubility and product quality.
Peptides can present specific formulation challenges because their physical and chemical characteristics may make them susceptible to degradation or changes under certain environmental and processing conditions. Formulation scientists must therefore evaluate strategies to maintain product stability while ensuring that the active ingredient performs as intended.
The presentation will examine the use of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin to enhance solubility and stress stability in GLP-1 peptide formulations.
By exploring the relationship between cyclodextrin-based excipients and peptide formulation characteristics, the session will contribute to technical discussions about the development of robust peptide products.
The findings may be relevant to developers investigating formulation strategies for GLP-1-based medicines and other peptide therapeutics. As with any formulation approach, the potential benefits must be assessed for the specific molecule and product through appropriate scientific evaluation.
Supporting Pharmaceutical Innovation Through Scientific Collaboration
Roquette’s program at AAPS PharmSci 360 2026 highlights the breadth of its work across conventional pharmaceutical formulations and emerging biopharmaceutical applications.
The company’s planned presentations address several important development priorities: improving the injectability of concentrated biologics, understanding material variability in controlled-release tablets, exploring oral delivery strategies for monoclonal antibodies, optimizing protein-processing operations and supporting the stability of peptide formulations.
These topics illustrate how excipients can contribute to solving technical challenges throughout the pharmaceutical development process. They also underscore the importance of collaboration between excipient suppliers and drug developers as formulations become more complex and product requirements evolve.
Through its Health & Pharma Solutions business, Roquette provides pharmaceutical ingredients and technical expertise intended to help customers evaluate formulation options and address development challenges. Its portfolio includes excipients, capsules, coatings and biopharmaceutical solutions for different pharmaceutical applications.
At AAPS PharmSci 360, the company’s scientists and technical specialists will have opportunities to discuss their research, share technical knowledge and engage with pharmaceutical professionals seeking solutions for drug delivery and formulation development.
Roquette’s participation will take place at Booth 1100 during AAPS PharmSci 360 2026, scheduled for October 26–28 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
About Roquette
Roquette is a global leader in sustainable plant-based solutions, driving innovation and strong partnerships that are shaping the future of nutrition, health, and bioindustry.
The company harnesses natural resources such as wheat, corn, seaweed, and cellulose to craft high-performance ingredients used in everyday foods, oral medications, advanced biopharmaceuticals, and a range of bio-based products.
A family-owned company with over 90 years of expertise and 11,000 employees, Roquette serves clients in over 150 countries and is committed to creating lasting value for customers, patients, consumers, and society.
Together, we turn the potential of nature into the essentials of life.