Oral Liquid Contract Manufacturing
Syrups, suspensions, solutions, oral drops and dry syrups made under your brand by GMP-licensed manufacturers in India.
Oral liquids carry one risk buyers must check first
Oral liquids are made by most Indian formulation plants, but they are also where the worst quality failures of recent years happened. Syrups made with propylene glycol, glycerin or sorbitol contaminated with diethylene glycol (DEG) or ethylene glycol (EG) caused child deaths in several countries.
Since 1 June 2023, cough syrups exported from India must have their export sample tested by a government-approved laboratory, with a certificate of analysis, before shipment. Good manufacturers also test every lot of the high-risk excipients for DEG and EG, not just the finished product. That is the first thing we check.
Beyond that, the questions are practical: preservatives, sugar-free and alcohol-free versions for children, the bottle and measuring device, and stability in hot climates.
Tell us this to get a quote
- Molecule(s), strength per 5 mL or per mL
- Form: syrup, suspension, solution, drops, or dry syrup (powder to mix)
- Sugar-free or alcohol-free needs, flavour
- Target market(s)
- Pack: PET or amber glass bottle, size, cup, spoon or dropper
- Annual volume and first-order quantity
- Your own formula and dossier, or the manufacturer's
What to check in an oral liquid manufacturer
DEG and EG testing
Ask for the test results on the actual lots of propylene glycol, glycerin and sorbitol used in your batch, and for the supplier qualification of those excipients. For cough syrups, the government lab certificate is required for export.
Approvals for your market
WHO-GMP and a CoPP for most emerging markets; an inspection by your market's regulator for the EU, UK, US, Australia or PIC/S countries.
Segregation for antibiotics
Dry syrups of penicillins and cephalosporins, such as amoxicillin or cefixime, must be made in dedicated beta-lactam blocks.
Microbial control
Liquids can grow bacteria and moulds. Ask about water system validation, preservative efficacy testing and microbial limits at the end of shelf life.
Stability and pack
Suspensions can settle and cake, and some actives degrade in heat or light. Ask for zone IVb (30°C/75% RH) data in the bottle you will use, and in-use stability after opening.
Dossier and paediatric details
Check the dossier covers the exact formula, including flavour and colour, which some markets restrict for children.
Which oral liquid form fits the product?
| Form | What it is | Typical examples | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syrup or solution | Active fully dissolved | Paracetamol, cetirizine, salbutamol, lactulose | Excipient purity (DEG/EG), taste, sugar content |
| Suspension | Active dispersed as fine particles | Ibuprofen, albendazole, antacids | Settling, re-dispersion, dose uniformity |
| Dry syrup | Powder mixed with water before use | Amoxicillin, cefixime, azithromycin | Beta-lactam segregation, stability after mixing |
| Oral drops | Concentrated, dosed by dropper | Vitamin D3, simethicone, iron | Dropper accuracy, concentration errors |
The same molecule can be made in more than one form. The right choice depends on stability, taste and what your market already accepts.
How it works with PharmaTradz
You send the product, form, market and volume.
Two or three plants that already make that form, with approvals, excipient testing practice and country of manufacture. Names under a confidential disclosure agreement when the requirement is firm.
Samples of an existing product, or development and stability batches for a new one, including taste work.
Your brand, artwork, dosing device and the dossier for your market.
Production and release with a batch-wise CoA; for cough syrups, the export test certificate. Third-party pre-shipment inspection on request.
Scheduled batches with the same site, excipient suppliers and documents.
Problems we see most often
Excipients bought on price
Cheap industrial-grade glycol is how DEG gets in. Insist on pharmacopoeial-grade excipients from qualified suppliers, tested lot by lot.
Suspension that cakes in the bottle
The product settles and does not shake back evenly, so doses vary. Ask for re-dispersion results at the end of shelf life.
Leaking caps and wrong dosing devices
Bottles leak in air freight or the cup does not match the label dose. Check the closure and device specification, not just the liquid.
Have an oral liquid product in mind?
Send the molecule, form, market and annual volume. We will tell you which manufacturers fit and what documents they hold.
Send your requirement Talk to our teamOther contract manufacturing
Building your own brand across several products? See white label and third-party manufacturing, or the CDMO and contract manufacturing guide hub.
