Microfluidic process intensification for synthesis and formulation in the pharmaceutical industry

Process intensification has had an enormous impact on industrial strategy over the last century, with good outcomes for efficiency, safety, environment, and financial cost. Microfluidics offers a relatively new approach that has been studied for 30 years and has become a realistic tool for process intensification in important areas, including pharmaceutical industry. Drug manufacturing and development are expensive, highly regulated, and of great importance to society, due to the health care application. It is therefore a natural target for new technologies that can make pharmaceuticals simultaneously cheaper, more effective, and more accessible, without adverse impact on the environment and health of the workforce. Much work has been done, so this review will necessarily focus on improved pharmaceutical synthesis and drug delivery systems. This review also highlights examples of process intensification and future directions.