Introduction: Oral drug delivery is the most favored route of drug administration. However, poor oral bioavailability is one of the leading reasons for insufficient clinical efficacy. Improving oral absorption of drugs with low water solubility and/or low intestinal membrane permeability is an active field of research. Cocrystallization of drugs with appropriate coformers is a promising approach for enhancing oral bioavailability. Methods: In the present review, we have focused on recent advances that have been made in improving oral absorption through cocrystallization. The covered areas include supersaturation and its importance on oral absorption of cocrystals, permeability of cocrystals through membranes, drug-coformer pharmacokinetic (PK) interactions, conducting in vivo-in vitro correlations for cocrystals. Additionally, a discussion has been made on the integration of nanocrystal technology with supramolecular design. Marketed cocrystal products and PK studies in human subjects are also reported. Results: Considering supersaturation and consequent precipitation properties is necessary when evaluating dissolution and bioavailability of cocrystals. Appropriate excipients should be included to control precipitation kinetics and to capture solubility advantage of cocrystals. Beside to solubility, cocrystals may modify membrane permeability of drugs. Therefore, cocrystals can find applications in improving oral bioavailability of poorly permeable drugs. It has been shown that cocrystals may interrupt cellular integrity of cellular monolayers which can raise toxicity concerns. Some of coformers may interact with intestinal absorption of drugs through changing intestinal blood flow, metabolism and inhibiting efflux pumps. Therefore, caution should be taken into account when conducting bioavailability studies. Nanosized cocrystals have shown a high potential towards improving absorption of poorly soluble drugs. Conclusions: Cocrystals have found their way from the proof-of-principle stage to the clinic. Up to now, at least two cocrystal products have gained approval from regulatory bodies. However, there are remaining challenges on safety, predicting in vivo behavior and revealing real potential of cocrystals in the human.

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Antibiotics' use has increased, resulting in disadvantages like patients' drug resistance. Consequently, urgent action is required to develop a new generation of antibacterial agents. Most antibacterial platforms still require a modification with further antibacterial agents (e.g., antibiotics) for adequate antibacterial efficiency. Thus, a nonantibiotic methodology is immediately needed. Furthermore, bactericidal agents used for this purpose are usually based on metal nanoparticles, carbon materials, and polymers. Still, chemicals, antibiotics, and biocides lead to environmental damage. Therefore, the help of biocompatible yet durable materials and polymers is highly appreciated. In addition, if a polymer is not biodegradable, it will remain in the environment for more than one hundred years due to its low degradation rate. Moreover, non‐biodegradable polymers are harmful to in vivo applications. Hence, the use of biodegradable and non‐toxic materials has received many considerations. Over the last few years, the design and synthesis of new polymer gels have gained increasing attention. A polymer gel, also known as a hydrogel, is a three‐dimensional and cross‐linked network filled with water or other liquid solvents. Besides, the hydrogels supercritical drying method results in aerogels, and the freeze‐drying method generates cryogels, where their porous and sponge‐like structures are preserved. Additionally, antibacterial polymer gels are a new generation of polymers considered attractive due to their unique properties. The most recent studies and the latest innovations in polymer gels and hybrid polymers with intrinsic antibacterial properties were discussed in the present review. The reviewed studies from 2015 to April 2022 showed a tremendous revival in research about biopolymer hydrogel, aerogel, and cryogel as antibacterial agents.

ESD successfully was utilized to produce pure cocrystals of poorly soluble drugs with different morphologies and sizes ranging from nano to micrometer sizes in one step. This study highlighted the usefulness of ESD for simultaneous preparation and particle engineering of pharmaceutical cocrystals.

This study explores the preparation and investigation of dissolution properties of piroxicam cocrystals. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine the capability of resorcinol (RES), methylparaben (MPB), and vanillin (VAN) to form cocrystals with piroxicam (PRX). Generation of cocrystals was attempted by liquid assisted grinding and slurry methods. Cocrystals were characterized by thermal methods, powder X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Apparent solubility, intrinsic dissolution rate (IDR), and powder dissolution profile of cocrystals were compared with anhydrous piroxicam, piroxicam monohydrate (PRXMH), and previously reported piroxicam-succinic acid cocrystal. Contact angles and particle sizes of the studied solids were also measured. Based on the DSC screening results, we prepared and characterized PRX-RES and PRX-MPB cocrystals. Interestingly, the cocrystals not only failed to improve apparent solubility and IDR of PRX but also showed lower values than PRX that were attributed to induction of phase transformation of PRX to PRXMH. In contrary, cocrystals performed better than PRX in powder dissolution studies. The higher dissolution rates of cocrystals were explained by improved wettability and reduced sizes. This study has highlighted the complexity of solid state properties of cocrystals and has provided new evidence for the in-solution stability issues of cocrystals.

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