Cellulose esters for pharmaceutical applications

Eastman understands the importance of patient compliance and offers different grades of cellulose esters to address varying performance and productivity requirements. Part of a family of cellulose derivatives with a long history in pharmaceutical applications, our cellulose esters form a semipermeable film membrane that can be laser drilled or used with pore formers for osmotic pump coatings and dosage forms. Our portfolio includes cellulose acetate (CA) and cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) (cellaburate) to help achieve patient compliance by enabling extended/sustained release dosage forms.

  • Our cellulose ester excipients are excellent film formers that enable zero-order release of a drug.
  • Formulators dealing with a narrow/tight therapeutic index can formulate an osmotic pump dosage form using Eastman cellulose esters.
  • Our cellulose acetate phthalate polymer is a well-known enteric coating polymer excipient that enables enteric and delayed release of a drug.
  • Cellulose acetate phthalate can also be used as a protective/taste-masking coating that keeps the drug from being released in the acidic stomach environment.
  • Blends of cellulose acetate phthalate and either CA or CAB can be used to formulate tablet coatings display a wide range of dissolution profiles.

Given customer input of how much drug is to be delivered over time, starting formulations can be predicted using Eastman’s unique algorithms.

To learn more about cellulose esters for pharmaceutical drug delivery, see our brochures in the "Resources" section.

To access Eastman’s full portfolio, visit our cellulose esters web pages.


results found | Showing -
Eastman™ Cellulose Acetate (CA-320S NF/EP) is a low acetyl content of CA. CA-320S NF/EP is commonly used in osmotic drug delivery and taste-masking.

Product availability by region:

Asia PacificEurope, Middle East, & AfricaLatin AmericaNorth America
Eastman™ Cellulose Acetate (CA-398-10NF/EP) is a low viscosity solution grade of cellulose acetate.

Product availability by region:

Asia PacificEurope, Middle East, & AfricaLatin AmericaNorth America
Eastman™ Cellulose Acetate Butyrate (CAB-171-15NF) can be used as coating material as the semi-permeable membrane for osmotic drug delivery.

Product availability by region:

Asia PacificEurope, Middle East, & AfricaLatin AmericaNorth America
Eastman™ C-A-P enteric coating material is a pH-sensitive cellulose derivative designed for coating pharmaceutical tablets, capsules or granules. It may also be used as a matrix material in solid dose forms and will withstand prolonged contact with acidic gastric fluids.

Product availability by region:

Asia PacificEurope, Middle East, & AfricaLatin AmericaNorth America
Eastman™ C-A-P enteric coating material is a pH-sensitive cellulose derivative designed for coating pharmaceutical tablets, capsules or granules. It may also be used as a matrix material in solid dose forms. It will withstand prolonged contact with acidic gastric fluids.

Product availability by region:

Asia PacificEurope, Middle East, & AfricaLatin AmericaNorth America
Results Per Page: 2550100500All