Translating Research into Relief

Suci Ameliya Reza Zairizal’s career began in research and evolved through hands-on roles in formulation and process development. Her growth from lab assistant to Associate Manager reflects years of dedication, adaptability and passion for pharmaceutical innovation—culminating in her leadership today at the forefront of advanced drug delivery technologies in Malaysia.

My Journey: To Formulation Excellence

My career was shaped by the mentorship of a seasoned formulation scientist who emphasized hands-on learning. He taught me that a great formulation scientist relies not just on protocols but on curiosity, observation and understanding how subtle changes in excipients or processes can impact drug performance.

I began with immediate-release tablets, learning the fundamentals of blend uniformity, dissolution and stability. A pivotal shift came with extended-release formulations—where adjusting polymer ratios could significantly alter drug release. It felt like solving a real-world scientific puzzle.

A major milestone was working on multi-unit pellet systems (MUPS). In one project, we resolved a coating defect causing inconsistent release by identifying and optimizing the spray rate during fluid-bed coating.

These experiences showed me that formulation science is both an art and a discipline. At Novugen Pharma, I apply these lessons daily—refining existing products and developing innovative drug delivery systems.

Turning Formulas into Frontiers: Where Science Meets Bold Imagination

While Novugen Pharma’s approaches may align with global best practices in generic pharmaceutical development, what sets us apart—particularly within the Malaysian market—is our commitment to executing these strategies with precision, agility and a culture that fosters innovation.

“In formulation development, I prioritize attributes that align with both patients’ needs and commercial viability – whether that’s designing for scalable manufacturing, reducing material costs through QbD or selecting delivery systems that address market gaps”

One key differentiator is our use of reverse engineering to uncover hidden insights, turning conventional formulations into opportunities for creative breakthroughs. We also cultivate a mindset where failure is a steppingstone to innovation, encouraging teams to challenge assumptions and experiment fearlessly. This is supported by structured collaborative problem-solving sessions that harness diverse perspectives, ensuring robust and inventive solutions.

At the heart of our success are five core pillars: Teamwork, Respect, Integrity, Challenging the Status Quo and Excellence. These principles drive every project, enabling us to consistently meet ambitious timelines without compromising quality or ingenuity.

From Concept to Compliance: A Modern Pharma Framework

I balance quality and innovation by embedding compliance into the development process from the very beginning. For example, when developing an immediate-release solid dosage form, I applied Quality by Design (QbD) principles to define critical quality attributes (CQAs) upfront and used Design of Experiments (DOE) to optimize formulations within validated safety parameters.

To maintain agility, I structured projects into modular development phases with stage-gate reviews, allowing for iterative quality checks without slowing progress. Early collaborations with Regulatory Affairs ensured alignment with compliance requirements from day one.

At Novugen, we foster innovation through rapid, small-scale prototyping of high-risk concepts – with predefined kill criteria – while always maintain backup strategies to mitigate risk. By facilitating cross-functional alignment between R&D, QA and supply chain teams, we resolve conflicts efficiently without compromising standards.

Ultimately, my approach is ‘structured agility’: building guardrails that enable speed, not hinder it.

My approach integrates scientific depth with operational impact by treating every technical decision as a business enabler. In formulation development, I prioritize attributes that align with both patients’ needs and commercial viability – whether that’s designing for scalable manufacturing, reducing material costs through QbD or selecting delivery systems that address market gaps. I actively collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure R&D outputs translate into tangible value, whether through faster regulatory pathways, differentiated IP or improved patient adherence. While my core expertise lies in science, I’ve learned to frame technical choices in terms of risk/ reward tradeoffs and resource efficiency, ensuring innovation serves both therapeutic goals and organizational objectives.

Innovation and Emerging Technologies: Redefining Drug Delivery

In formulation development, I nurture technical excellence and creativity by fostering a culture where science and innovation intersect. We prioritize continuous learning through technical deep dives and cross-training, while psychological safety ensures even junior scientists propose bold ideas—like a recent coamorphous system that solved a solubility challenge. To keep solutions customer-focused, we analyze real-world adherence data and collaborate with commercial teams. Recognizing contributions, like naming a novel depot formulation after its inventor, reinforces ownership. The result? A team that delivers robust science while pushing boundaries to improve patient outcomes.”

The pharmaceutical industry is rapidly evolving with innovative technologies that are making medicines more personalized and effective. Advances such as 3D-printed pills enable custom dosages, while digital pills with embedded sensors help monitor medication use. Genetic testing allows treatments to be tailored to a patient’s DNA, minimizing side effects and improving outcomes. Nanotechnology is creating smarter drug carriers—like nanoparticles and liposomes—that target diseases such as cancer with greater precision.

Other promising innovations include micro needle patches for painless vaccines, inhalable biologics and fast-dissolving oral films, all aimed at improving patient convenience. Artificial intelligence is accelerating drug development by predicting optimal formulations and simulating drug behavior in the body. The industry is also emphasizing sustainability through greener ingredients and efficient manufacturing. Long-acting injectables and micro biome-based therapies are gaining traction, offering extended relief and novel treatment approaches. Collectively, these advances are driving a future of more precise, accessible and responsive healthcare solutions.

Key Advice: Technical Mastery Steered by Patient-Centric Thinking

While my journey is still evolving, I’m committed to bridging technical expertise with strategic leadership while keeping customers at the core.

1. Stay Grounded in Technical Mastery: I maintain hands-on involvement—publishing research, participating in technical reviews and engaging in lab work. I often conduct deep dives into innovator products, reverse engineering formulations or analyzing patent landscapes.

2. Connect Technical Solutions to Customer Needs: I translate scientific progress into real-world benefits—such as developing cost-effective oncology drugs or improving API solubility to reduce dosages—ensuring R&D aligns with patient affordability and access.

3. Foster Collaborative Innovation: I lead cross-functional teams—scientists, marketers and regulators—to co-develop Target Product Profiles (TPPs). These “innovation pods” ensure each step of development is driven by user needs.

My guiding principle: Never lose technical curiosity, but always ask, “How does this create value for the end user?” This mindset fuels both innovation and meaningful outcomes.