Abstract: OBJECTIVE To summarize and analyze the interaction between drug and excipient, as well as various techniques used in the research of drug-excipient compatibility. METHODS Related literatures in recent years were reviewed. RESULTS The characterization of the drug would be changed by the interactions between pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients, which would influence the stability and efficacy of the drug product. CONCLUSION Drug-excipient compatibility research would be very crucial in the design of dosage forms, improving the quality and safety of the drug in the formulation. Thermal analysis, spectroscopy and chromotography have been frequently applied in evaluating the compatibility of drug and excipient. It is recommended that selecting the most suitable approach according to the purpose and requirement of experiment.