Last updated: August 8, 2025
Introduction
Advil Liqui-Gels, a popular over-the-counter (OTC) analgesic and anti-inflammatory medication, is manufactured by Pfizer under its widespread consumer health portfolio. The drug’s active ingredient, ibuprofen, is commonly used to alleviate pain, reduce fever, and combat inflammation. As a widely marketed product, Advil Liqui-Gels are produced through a complex supply chain involving multiple suppliers across various stages, including raw material sourcing, packaging, and distribution, designed to ensure consistent quality and supply reliability.
This article explores key suppliers and supply chain components integral to Advil Liqui-Gels production, highlighting manufacturing partnerships, raw material providers, and logistics firms—offering insights vital for industry stakeholders, investors, and regulatory bodies.
Raw Material Suppliers
Ibuprofen Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API)
At the core of Advil Liqui-Gels is ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Pfizer sources ibuprofen from multiple suppliers worldwide, ensuring supply security amidst global manufacturing challenges. Major API producers supplying ibuprofen include:
- Bright Path Pharmaceutical: Known for high-quality API production, supplying major OTC and prescription ibuprofen formulations.
- Mingxing Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.: A Chinese manufacturer with extensive API production capacity, supplying ibuprofen globally.
- Vansan Pharmaceuticals: Based in India, Vansan supplies pharmaceutical APIs including ibuprofen, catering to both local and international markets.
These API suppliers must comply with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and demonstrate traceability, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance to meet Pfizer’s stringent procurement criteria.
Capsule and Gelatin Suppliers
Advil Liqui-Gels utilize soft gelatin capsules for efficient delivery. Major gelatin suppliers include:
- Nitta Gelatin Inc.: A Japanese multinational providing medical-grade gelatin for pharmaceutical applications.
- Russell Global: A UK-based supplier offering pharmaceutical and edible-grade gelatin compliant with pharmacopeial standards.
- Niutang Pharmaceuticals Inc.: A Chinese gelatin producer with FDA-approved facilities.
The gelatin must meet specifications, including purity, biocompatibility, and stability requirements, to maintain product integrity and shelf life.
Active Ingredient and Excipient Packaging Components
Suppliers provide secondary raw materials such as:
- Lubricants and stabilizers: Suppliers like BASF and Dow Chemical provide excipients ensuring capsule stability.
- Blister packaging material: PVC and aluminum foil suppliers, including Bemis (now part of Amcor) and Coveris, produce primary packaging materials conforming to pharmaceutical standards.
Manufacturing Partners
While Pfizer manufactures the final product, it partners with contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) globally to diversify production capacity and mitigate risks. Some prominent CMOs involved in Advil Liqui-Gels production include:
- Catalent, Inc.: A leading global CMO responsible for formulation, encapsulation, and packaging at multiple facilities.
- Patheon (Thermo Fisher Scientific): Provides formulation development and production services, including for OTC gel capsules.
- Recipharm: An international CMO specializing in semi-solid and softgel manufacturing, contributing to Pfizer’s supply chain.
These collaborations enable Pfizer to scale production efficiently and maintain responsiveness to demand fluctuations worldwide.
Distribution and Logistics Providers
Efficient distribution hinges on global logistics firms ensuring the timely delivery of Advil Liqui-Gels. Key logistics providers include:
- DHL Supply Chain: Manages warehousing and distribution, leveraging temperature-controlled logistics where necessary.
- UPS Healthcare: Specialized in pharmaceutical logistics, ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory standards.
- FedEx Pharmaceutical: Provides expedited shipping options with integrated cold chain solutions, critical for maintaining product stability during transit.
Distribution is further supported by regional warehouses and transportation networks tailored to meet regional regulations and consumer demand.
Regulatory and Quality Assurance
Suppliers across the supply chain must adhere to international regulatory standards:
- GMP compliance: Ensures raw materials and final products maintain consistent quality.
- FDA approval: For materials used within the US market.
- EMA and other regional approvals: Necessary for global distribution.
Quality assurance processes include raw material testing, validation, and strict oversight during manufacturing to prevent contamination or variability.
Emerging Trends and Supply Chain Challenges
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored vulnerabilities in pharmaceutical supply chains, prompting Pfizer and other major pharmaceutical manufacturers to diversify supplier bases, increase inventory buffers, and invest in supply chain transparency. Additionally, geopolitical factors, raw material shortages, and regulatory changes continue to impact supplier relationships and product availability.
Advancing toward digital supply chain management and serialization efforts aims to improve traceability, prevent counterfeiting, and ensure the integrity of Advil Liqui-Gels from raw material sourcing to consumer delivery.
Conclusion
The supply chain for Advil Liqui-Gels exemplifies complexity, involving multiple tiers of raw material suppliers, manufacturing partners, and logistics providers. Pfizer’s strategic sourcing—from ibuprofen API to gelatin capsules—along with robust manufacturing alliances and distribution networks, sustains the product’s global availability.
Understanding these supplier relationships and their regulatory obligations is essential for stakeholders seeking to assess supply chain resilience, compliance, and market dynamics within the OTC pharmaceutical landscape.
Key Takeaways
- The primary raw material for Advil Liqui-Gels, ibuprofen, is sourced from diversified global suppliers, primarily in China, India, and other manufacturing hubs, ensuring supply stability.
- Suppliers of gelatin, excipients, and packaging materials must meet strict quality and regulatory standards, critical to maintaining product integrity.
- Contract manufacturing organizations like Catalent and Patheon play vital roles in formulation, encapsulation, and packaging, enabling Pfizer to scale production efficiently.
- Leading logistics firms such as DHL, UPS Healthcare, and FedEx ensure compliant, temperature-controlled distribution of Advil Liqui-Gels worldwide.
- Supply chain resilience depends on diversification, technological integration, and adherence to international quality standards amidst ongoing geopolitical and health crises.
FAQs
1. Who are the primary API suppliers for ibuprofen used in Advil Liqui-Gels?
Major suppliers include Bright Path Pharmaceutical, Mingxing Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Vansan Pharmaceuticals, all adhering to GMP standards to ensure high-quality API supply.
2. What companies manufacture the gelatin capsules used in Advil Liqui-Gels?
Key gelatin suppliers encompass Nitta Gelatin Inc., Russell Global, and Niutang Pharmaceuticals Inc., providing pharmaceutical-grade gelatin that complies with strict safety standards.
3. How does Pfizer ensure the quality of raw materials from diverse suppliers?
Pfizer employs rigorous qualification processes, including supplier audits, batch testing, and GMP compliance verification, to sustain product safety and effectiveness.
4. What contract manufacturing organizations are involved in producing Advil Liqui-Gels?
Catalent, Patheon, and Recipharm serve as primary CMOs, offering formulation, encapsulation, and packaging services across multiple facilities globally.
5. How do logistical companies support the distribution of Advil Liqui-Gels?
DHL, UPS Healthcare, and FedEx manage temperature-sensitive warehousing and transportation, ensuring timely, compliant delivery across diverse regional markets.
Sources:
[1] Pfizer Annual Report 2022.
[2] Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Reports, 2022.
[3] Global Gelatin Market Analysis, 2021.
[4] Contract Manufacturing Organization Profiles, 2022.
[5] International Regulatory Guidelines for Pharmaceuticals, 2023.
