Growing Interest in Pharmaceutical Cocrystals: A Comprehensive Review of Applications and Trends

Abstract The synthesis of cocrystals stands as a promising and compelling strategy within pharmaceutical research and development since cocrystals present an avenue for altering multiple properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) without necessitating chemical structural modifications. Given the significance of this topic, this study aimed to review recent pharmaceutical applications of cocrystals by systematically searching and selecting relevant articles from major databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and SciFinder. We divided the manuscript into distinct subsections, initially addressing the APIs and coformers used, followed by an exploration of the techniques for obtaining cocrystals, and ultimately focusing on the main effects demonstrated by these cocrystals. The research covered ninety‐five different cocrystals obtained from forty‐six APIs and forty‐eight coformers. We observed an increase in publications concerning cocrystals in recent years compared to other solid‐state forms, underscoring the relevance of this topic. Our findings suggest that cocrystallization consistently produces promising outcomes, owing to its potential to resulting in advantageous biopharmaceutical and/or processing properties. Additionally, the methods for obtaining cocrystals are simple, eco‐friendly and applicable to a wide range of compounds, further enhancing their attractiveness for pharmaceutical applications.