Pharmaceutical field: Core application scenarios are primarily focused on anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

The pharmaceutical sector is the primary application area for biphenylacetic acid, accounting for more than 60% of its total demand. This demand is broadly divided into two main categories: direct pharmaceutical use and pharmaceutical intermediates. The product covers a variety of dosage forms, including topical and injectable formulations, and is suitable for a wide range of pain and inflammation conditions.

In terms of direct medicinal applications, biphenylacetic acid itself is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic. Its topical gel formulation is a commonly prescribed clinical medication, primarily used to relieve swelling and pain caused by joint inflammations such as osteoarthritis, periarthritis of the shoulder, tenosynovitis, and peritendinitis. It can also effectively alleviate local discomfort resulting from acute closed soft-tissue injuries, muscle strains, and trauma-induced overuse injuries. Due to its localized action and minimal systemic absorption—less than 5%—this drug places very little burden on the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and kidneys. Consequently, it is widely used in orthopedics, sports medicine, and other fields, and is one of the first-line topical medications for managing soft-tissue injuries. Furthermore, the biphenylacetic acid ambutolol salt (anilofen), obtained through structural modification, addresses the poor water solubility of biphenylacetic acid. This compound can be formulated into an injectable solution and is used for postoperative pain relief following open abdominal surgery, laparoscopic surgery, and thoracoscopic surgery. Relevant formulations have already been approved and are available on the market. Additionally, based on its anti-inflammatory activity, biphenylacetic acid derivatives also...

Research and development are being conducted on dosage forms such as eye drops for the treatment of ocular inflammation. It is worth noting that topical formulations containing biphenylacetic acid have certain contraindications: they should not be used by individuals allergic to this product or its components, those with a history of aspirin-induced asthma, children under 12 years of age, or pregnant and lactating women. When using these formulations, care must be taken to avoid contact with the eyes, mucous membranes, or broken skin.

In the field of pharmaceutical intermediates, biphenylacetic acid serves as a key raw material for the synthesis of various nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Clinically commonly used analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents such as sodium diclofenac, ketoprofen, and fenbufen all require biphenylacetic acid as a precursor for their synthesis. As the global population continues to age, the number of patients suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis is steadily increasing—currently, the global prevalence of osteoarthritis has surpassed 600 million—driving up demand for these medications and, in turn, boosting the steady growth in demand for biphenylacetic acid in the pharmaceutical intermediate sector. It is expected that the growth rate of demand for biphenylacetic acid in the pharmaceutical industry will remain at a relatively high level.