UI College of Pharmacy Assistant Professor Tze Ning Hiew received the 2025 Ebert Prize for her research paper, “Improving Dissolution Performance and Drug Loading of Amorphous Dispersions through a Hierarchical Particle Approach”. The Ebert Prize, established in 1873, is the oldest pharmacy award in the United States. Presented annually by the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science, this award recognizes the author of the best research article containing original investigation of a medicinal substance published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences during the prior year. 

Joining Forces with Industry Scientists to Solve Complex Challenges
The prize-winning paper resulted from collaboration between academic and industrial scientists. Written jointly with researchers from Merck and Purdue University while Hiew pursued her postdoctoral training, the paper describes a strategy to increase drug loading in amorphous solid dispersion formulations using a particle engineering strategy known as co-precipitation.

“This achievement and recognition reflect not only my efforts, but also the remarkable synergy between an academic laboratory and industry,” said Hiew. “By integrating rigorous research with real-world applications, we were able to push the boundaries of what’s possible and develop solutions that will benefit our patients.”

Many promising drug candidates in the discovery pipelines do not dissolve well, which makes them difficult to be absorbed by the body. Preparation of an amorphous solid dispersion involves mixing the poorly soluble drug with other materials, such as polymers, to help the drug dissolve more easily. However, a disadvantage of this strategy is the large amount of polymer often required, thereby reducing the drug loading – the total amount of drug one can load into dosage forms such as tablets and capsules. This can lead to very large, difficult to swallow dosage forms, especially when the drug needs to be taken in high doses.

To overcome this challenge, Hiew and her collaborators used co-precipitation to modify the particles by the addition of condensed polymer on the surface to improve their interaction with water. The study focused on identifying the surface composition that most effectively enhanced the amount of drug dissolved even at very high drug loadings. The goal of this strategy was to create a hierarchical particle, where only the surface was coated with polymer, while the bulk of the particle retained a relatively high drug content. 

Patient at the Heart of All We Do
The research behind this paper is a stellar example of how combining the strengths of academia and industry can lead to patient-centric solutions and drive advancements in health care. In a time when developing new medicines is increasingly challenging, this partnership underscores the value of collective efforts in overcoming obstacles and spurring progress in drug product development. Findings from this study will impact development of future medicinal substances by providing a strategy to reduce patient pill burden, thereby improving treatment adherence and enhancing overall therapeutic outcomes.

“This work serves as a reminder that the most impactful innovations emerge when we work together, combining knowledge and expertise from both worlds,” noted Hiew.

A Rising Star in the UI College of Pharmacy
Hiew joined the college’s Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics in 2023, following a postdoctoral stint in Purdue University College of Pharmacy’s Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy (now Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics). She received her BS in pharmacy and PhD from the National University of Singapore. Prior to graduate school, Hiew worked as an inpatient pharmacist at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore.

Hiew’s UI research team focuses on using innovative formulation and processing strategies to address the challenges of modern-day oral drug delivery. Her research is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, PhRMA Foundation, Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, and the pharmaceutical industry.