Gattefossé is a French-based company located in St Priest near Lyon. It has been a private, family-owned business since 1880 and employs around 310 people globally. The company has dedicated
25% of its resources to innovation and achieved a turnover of €119.7 million in 2021, with sales in
more than 70 countries. Gattefossé has four application laboratories and two production sites in
different countries.
Gattefossé’s business focus is divided into two segments: pharmaceutical and personal care. In the
pharmaceutical segment, the company specialises in functional excipients that enhance the
bioavailability, sustained release, lubrication, taste-masking, and APl/moisture protection of oral,
topical, nutraceutical, and veterinary products. Gattefossé also provides suppository bases for rectal
administration.
Lipid-based excipients
Gattefossé’s lipid-based excipients are obtained by esterification of fatty acids with alcohols or
alcoholysis of vegetable fats/oils with alcohols. They are sourced from vegetable origin and comprise
a polar head substrate and an alkyl tail. Gattefossé’s lipid family includes partial glycerides,
polyalcohol esters, and polyoxylglycerides. Partial glycerides are more lipophilic and are used as oily
vehicles, solubilisers, sustained release agents, and taste-masking agents. Polyalcohol esters are cosurfactants and solubility enhancers. Polyoxylglycerides are more amphiphilic and serve as
solubilizers and surfactants.
Pharmaceutical solutions from Gattefossé
Gattefossé’s pharmaceutical solutions include functional excipients in liquid, solid, and semi-solid
forms. For oral administration, Gattefossé’s functional lipid-based excipients can enhance solubility
and bioavailability, provide sustained release, lubrication, and taste-masking for tablets, coated
powders/granules, and capsules. For dermal administration, Gattefossé’s lipid-based excipients act
as emulsifying bases, solubilizers/solvents, thickening agents, emollients, and oily vehicles for
creams, lotions, microemulsions, and gels. For rectal/vaginal administration, Gattefossé offers
Suppocire® and Ovucire®, which are inert vehicles with no irritation, improve API absorption, and
are suitable for small/large-scale production.
Safety & Regulation issues
Gattefossé’s pharmaceutical excipients comply with USP, EP, and JPED monographs, and most
products are defined as food additives (USFA, FCC, JSFA) or GRAS. Major excipients have a Drug
Master File registered by the US FDA, and numerous toxicological tests support Gattefossé’s
products. The company has quality management policies, is certified ISO 9001 (version 2015) and 14001 compliant, and integrates GMP requirements. French Regulatory Health authorities conducted GMP inspections in 2021, and Gattefossé’s quality system has undergone customer audits from all major
pharmaceutical companies.
Gattefossé’s functional lipid excipients and lipid-based technologies offer innovative solutions for
enhancing the performance, stability, and efficacy of pharmaceutical and personal care products.
With its long history of innovation, commitment to quality, and global presence, Gattefossé is an
indispensable partner for companies in the pharmaceutical and personal care industries.
**References available on request
This product is available at Carst & Walker in Australia and South Africa.