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Active pharmaceutical ingredient (revision 1)

Old revision·09:00, 25 Nov 2024·SyringeSybille

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Active pharmaceutical ingredient
AbbreviationAPI
Definition sourceICH Q7
Distinct fromExcipient; finished product
Registered inA drug master file in many jurisdictions
Topic infobox · conventions

An active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is a substance intended to be used in the manufacture of a medicinal product and to furnish pharmacological activity in it. The term is a regulatory category rather than a chemical one: the same molecule is an API when destined for a medicine and is not when destined for laboratory research.[1]

That distinction determines which requirements apply. API manufacture is subject to GMP and to registration in many jurisdictions; the same chemistry performed for research supply is not.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b International Council for Harmonisation, Q7: Good Manufacturing Practice Guide for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (2000).