Introduction: Developments in industrial pharmacy are often linked to the discovery of pharmaceutical excipients. Although recently introduced as a material for immediate release coatings, Kollicoat IR already has other applications.

Areas covered: In this review, the different properties and pharmaceutical applications of Kollicoat IR as an excipient are discussed. In the first part, the chemical structure and the physicochemical characteristics are examined. The second part is a presentation of the available Kollicoat IR products followed by a brief overview of the preclinical studies completed for its use as an instant release coating material.

Expert opinion: Although the polymer was intended as an immediate release coating material for tablets, grafting PEG with polyvinyl alcohol to form this polymer provides physicochemical properties that lead to ever-broadening applications. Understanding its properties can lead to the development of a new use for Kollicoat IR. The addition of Kollicoat IR to an ethylcellulose or polyvinyl acetate tablet coat was successful at modifying the drug release rate. Designing a successful controlled release coat simply requires acknowledgment of the drug release mechanism from the mixture of polymers that includes Kollicoat IR. Moreover, the interaction between Kollicoat IR and poorly soluble drugs produces fast-dissolving solid dispersions prepared using hot stage extrusion, spray drying, or freeze drying.