Last updated: April 23, 2026
Who Supplies Flurbiprofen to the Pharmaceutical Market?
Flurbiprofen suppliers depend on the business model: API manufacturing, finished-dose drug sourcing, and regional distributor coverage. Below is a supplier map by role, with the most direct, commercially relevant sources that typically supply flurbiprofen for drug products and/or intermediates used to make flurbiprofen.
What Companies Supply Flurbiprofen as an API or API-Adjacent Input?
The market for flurbiprofen (an NSAID; arylpropionic acid class) is served by (1) API manufacturers that produce flurbiprofen and (2) fine-chemical intermediates and contract manufacturers that supply flurbiprofen under tolling or as part of a contract package.
API and API supply (typical supplier set)
The following supplier set is commonly used in global pharma procurement channels for flurbiprofen API and/or flurbiprofen-containing intermediates:
- Alfa Aesar / Thermo Fisher Scientific (flurbiprofen and research-grade material through catalog supply; procurement-ready for small-to-mid scale sourcing)
- Bachem (custom and fine chemicals; flurbiprofen availability depends on catalog or custom scope)
- TCI Chemicals (catalog chemical supplier; used for R&D and certain industrial dosing needs)
- Cayman Chemical (catalog supplier, commonly used by labs for drug discovery and analytical standards)
- CordenPharma / Jubilant (as pharma supply chain brands depending on site scope) (contract manufacturing and active-grade chemistry; availability by project rather than always by catalog)
Finished dosage supply (proprietary brand holders vs generic manufacturers)
Flurbiprofen is often supplied as a drug product rather than isolated API in many markets. For procurement, this matters because finished-dose supply chains can be more stable than API-only procurement.
Key finished-dose producers commonly include:
- Multi-national generics groups (supply varies by country listing and tender)
- Local market generic manufacturers (tender-driven; product-specific rather than API-specific)
Because finished-dose listings are jurisdiction-specific, the practical supplier for procurement is the market-specific MAH (marketing authorization holder) and the local generic manufacturer.
Which Supplier Types Matter Most for Procurement?
Flurbiprofen supply breaks down into four procurement routes:
- API manufacturers that sell flurbiprofen directly to pharma formulators
- Contract manufacturers that produce flurbiprofen as part of a custom chemical or drug substance package
- Catalog chemical suppliers that sell flurbiprofen for R&D and smaller production runs
- Finished-dose manufacturers that supply tablets, lozenges, or other dosage forms through local distributors or tenders
For business planning, the differentiator is whether the route supports commercial GMP supply versus research-grade only.
What Dosage-Form Supply Chains Commonly Include Flurbiprofen?
Flurbiprofen appears in multiple dosage forms depending on region and indication:
- Oral NSAID products (tablets/capsules depending on jurisdiction)
- Throat lozenges and local symptom relief products (where marketed)
- Ophthalmic formulations exist for other indications but are not the dominant market bucket for flurbiprofen globally
This is relevant because supplier selection often follows dosage-form manufacturing, not API manufacturing.
How to Identify the Real Supplier for “Flurbiprofen” Orders?
Procurement teams typically face three “flurbiprofen” meanings in RFQs:
- “Flurbiprofen API”: the active ingredient (drug substance) with pharma-grade documentation (typically GMP, DMF/CEP when applicable).
- “Flurbiprofen chemical”: may be sold as lab or fine chemical with different documentation.
- “Flurbiprofen finished dosage”: tablets/lozenges sourced through market product supply agreements.
The supplier list changes materially depending on which of these the request targets.
Key Points for Supplier Shortlisting (Commercial Rationale)
- Regulatory documentation: API procurement requires site-level GMP and typically DMF or CEP support in many regulated markets.
- Consistency of supply: finished-dose manufacturers often provide more reliable purchasing cadence than niche API suppliers.
- Scale fit: catalog suppliers are often best for R&D and small development lots; commercial API suppliers are best for scale production.
Key Takeaways
- Flurbiprofen supply is split between API/manufacturing routes and finished-dose market supply, with supplier identity varying by region and dosage form.
- Common chemical catalog suppliers that can source flurbiprofen for research or intermediate needs include Thermo Fisher (Alfa Aesar), TCI, Cayman, and Bachem (availability depends on grade and scope).
- For commercial pharma production, the supplier list narrows to GMP-capable API manufacturers and dosage-form manufacturers tied to local regulatory listings and documentation.
FAQs
1) Are flurbiprofen suppliers the same globally?
No. API availability can be global, but the practical supplier for tenders depends on local product registrations and local distributors for finished dosage forms.
2) Can I source flurbiprofen from chemical catalog suppliers for commercial use?
Catalog suppliers often sell research or fine chemical grades. Commercial GMP supply typically requires an API supplier with appropriate GMP documentation and regulatory dossiers.
3) Do contract manufacturing organizations supply flurbiprofen as an API?
They can, depending on project scope, site capabilities, and regulatory documentation readiness.
4) What is the fastest route to secure supply for flurbiprofen?
For immediate availability, catalog chemical suppliers can be fast for non-commercial development uses. For commercial manufacturing, lead times align with GMP API or finished-dose supply contracts.
5) What should procurement verify beyond price?
Grade, GMP status, documentation (DMF/CEP as applicable), manufacturing site stability, and ability to supply the required volume consistently.
References (APA)
[1] Thermo Fisher Scientific. (n.d.). Alfa Aesar product catalog: Flurbiprofen. https://www.alfabiosciences.com
[2] TCI Chemicals. (n.d.). Flurbiprofen product information. https://www.tcichemicals.com
[3] Cayman Chemical. (n.d.). Flurbiprofen. https://www.caymanchem.com
[4] Bachem. (n.d.). Bachem products and custom synthesis (site and project dependent). https://www.bachem.com
[5] PubChem. (n.d.). Flurbiprofen. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
