Drug–Drug Cocrystals: A Promising Approach to Overcome Barriers in Pain Management

Abstract

AbstractPain is one of the critical health issues in the world. While almost everyone experiences acute pain at some point, around 27.5% of the population suffer from its more persistent and chronic form. The current medication regimen is yet to meet expectations and provides suboptimal treatment. Cocrystals are solid forms in which two or more chemically distinct molecules are present in a single crystal lattice. Co‐crystallization offers solutions to the limitations of many drugs in pain treatment. Drug–drug cocrystals (DDC) improve the physicochemical properties of their components and offer a chance to use the synergistic effects of multimodal therapy. DDC have been widely investigated in the field of pain management. Literature on DDC reports improvement in physicochemical properties such as hygroscopicity, solubility, bioavailability, stability, and compressibility. DDC have attracted many researchers, and as a result, a drug product containing cocrystals of tramadol hydrochloride and celecoxib has been successfully commercialized in the United States. Further, one more multidrug cocrystal for pain management has entered advanced clinical trials. This review discusses the applications of DDC in pain management.