[PRESSWIRE] FORT WORTH, Texas — November 10, 2026 — Compounded medications are described, prescribed, and dispensed across an increasingly complex network of pharmacies, clinics, and technology platforms. Yet the industry still lacks a common language and standardized formats for consistently describing formulations, strengths, concentrations, and dosing instructions. The result is fragmented information, manual re-entry, duplicated data, and unnecessary integration costs. Interoperability and Innovation in Compounding Medicine (I2CM), a newly formed industry R&D joint venture, is bringing companies together to address these challenges through collaborative industry R&D.
A review of 27 compounding pharmacy catalogs conducted by Dr. Ian Justl Ellis, CEO of MyLevel Technologies, examined 4,506 entries and identified 81 different column headings used to describe roughly the same 15 formulation attributes. Semaglutide, a medication widely used in weight management and diabetes treatment, appeared in 181 different written variations of strength and dosage form alone, while nearly half of all entries duplicated a formulation already listed under another name. These findings are just a few examples of a pervasive lack of consistency in how ingredients, formulations, and other crucial data elements are written, stored, and transmitted across the industry.
“The compounding pharmacy industry has grown in a mom-and-pop fashion since its inception,” said Gary Koyen, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Cruxpoint Health Breakthrough, Inc. “The result is excellent compounding pharmacies, but a very serious problem of operating separately without uniformity in naming, combining, dosing, and other inputs that are critically important to clinicians. We strongly support I2CM’s efforts to create shared standards and infrastructure that can benefit the entire industry.”
Dr. Ellis, who also chairs the I2CM Technology Advisory Council, sees the payoff in patient safety and time back for clinicians: “The compounding medicine industry has exploded in size and importance almost overnight, but the infrastructure needed to provide truly personalized care at scale was never built. This is nobody’s fault, but it’s everybody’s problem. I2CM is where our industry comes together to develop the shared language, data infrastructure, and reference software we need to make precision medicine available to every patient.” MyLevel Technologies plans to contribute software, including foundational language and data formats, to help seed I2CM’s collaborative R&D effort.
“As our pharmacy continues to expand its services and capabilities, we recognize the importance of common standards for describing compounded preparations and communicating prescriptions,” said Chris Adlakha, Owner of Grand Ave Pharmacy. “This is an opportunity to improve efficiency, enhance accuracy, and support the continued growth of compounding pharmacy services. We’re excited to be part of this effort and contribute to shaping the future of our industry.”
That same need for a shared language extends to the platforms and technology that connect pharmacies, providers, and prescribers.
“As compounding medicine grows, the ability to exchange and interpret information consistently across pharmacies, providers, and technology platforms will become increasingly important,” said Jared Rubin, Chief Operating Officer of OnlyScripts. “Shared standards give companies a stronger foundation to connect systems, streamline workflows, and develop new services. I2CM is addressing a fundamental industry need that can help the entire ecosystem innovate and grow.”
I2CM will develop shared language, technical specifications, and reference software implementations — not competing commercial products. Members retain the freedom to build differentiated products and services on that common foundation. I2CM is a not-for-profit, member-funded industry R&D joint venture organized to operate under the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993 (NCRPA). It intends to seek recognition as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Founding Member Program — Limited to 12 Companies
The first 12 companies to enroll as Founding Members will receive a 25% reduction in first-year membership dues and recognition on the I2CM website. More importantly, they will have an early opportunity to work alongside peers, customers, suppliers, and technology partners; contribute their expertise; help establish R&D priorities; and shape the shared infrastructure that will support the industry’s next generation of innovation.
John Ellis, I2CM’s President and CEO, has seen this play out before. “We’ve solved many of these same kinds of problems in the semiconductor industry, where I’ve led international R&D joint ventures and standards organizations,” he said. “Compounded medicine has the same opportunity now, before one company’s proprietary approach becomes the de facto standard everyone else must accommodate.”
About I2CM
I2CM brings companies together through collaborative R&D to build the common language, standards, and shared infrastructure that support safer and more efficient compounding workflows. I2CM builds the shared infrastructure. Members build the products.
Media Contact
John Ellis
President and CEO, I2CM
john@i2cm.org
(817) 523-1803
https://i2cm.org