FAST-DISSOLVING TABLETS AS A NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM: FORMULATION STRATEGIES, OPTIMIZATION TECHNIQUES, AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Fast-dissolving tablets (FDTs) have emerged as a patient-friendly oral drug delivery system designed to enhance medication adherence, particularly among pediatric, geriatric, and dysphagic populations who experience difficulty swallowing conventional solid dosage forms. It aims to critically summarize formulation strategies, optimization techniques, and clinical implications of fast-dissolving tablets as a novel drug delivery platform. It discusses key formulation components such as superdisintegrants, fillers, binders, sweeteners, and taste-masking agents, highlighting recent advances in co-processed excipients and functional polymers. Major manufacturing approaches, including direct compression, freeze-drying, sublimation, spray drying, solid dispersions, and nanotechnology-based methods, are examined with respect to their impact on tablet performance and scalability. Optimization strategies based on Quality by Design (QbD), Design of Experiments (DoE), and Process Analytical Technology (PAT) are emphasized as essential tools for robust product development and large-scale manufacturing. Clinically, FDTs offer advantages such as rapid onset of action, improved bioavailability for poorly soluble drugs, and ease of administration in emergency and outpatient settings. Despite challenges related to moisture sensitivity, taste masking, and manufacturing complexity, regulatory frameworks from major authorities ensure quality, safety, and consistency. Overall, fast-dissolving tablets represent a promising and continuously evolving drug delivery system. Ongoing innovations, including 3D printing and personalized dosage forms, further strengthen the potential of FDTs to meet the growing demand for patient-centric therapies.