Ceepackaging

Events

Overview of primary packaging and drug delivery

From the Gerresheimer Group, specialist visitors can expect an
interesting overview of the entire field of innovative primary
packaging and drug-delivery systems through to disposables
for diagnostics. Here Gerresheimer now ranks among the top
addresses worldwide, not only in this advanced segment of
pharmaceutical glass products but also in the specific plastic
sector. And new synergies make the range increasingly
attractive (Booth 2138).
Just a few weeks ago the acquisitions of EDP with bases in Spain and
Argentina, and Allplas Embalagens in Brazil, added production locations
number 37 to 41: for Gerresheimer a further synergy-bringing
expansion of the portfolio of pharmaceutical plastic products, and at
the same time an active entry into Latin America. In the USA and
Mexico the Group has of course already been strongly represented
for many years, as well as Europe and for some years China. “Many
of our customers are global,” says Burkhard Lingenberg,
Gerresheimer’s Director of Marketing and Communication: “We are
one of a small number of global players in our market segment.”
An equally rare feature in this market is the diversified range of
products and services with which the Group today serves the pharma
and life-science industry. On the basis of up-to-the-minute highlights
the presentation in Philadelphia demonstrates globality in this
regard as well – including the specialized technologies behind it,
which promise the Group’s demanding clientele - often in system
partnerships - greater synergies than ever before. A brief overview:
RTF® syringe systems. With ready-to-fill systems delivered preassembled,
siliconised and sterilized, Gerresheimer Bünde has
established an increasingly high international profile as a competence
leader. After almost doubling its production capacity for
ready-to-fill syringes last year, it is now ready for further expansion
in the near future: demand has grown faster than expected in all
five continents, so a the third RTF® production line is to be commissioned
in early 2009.
The RTF® range again forms an important focus of the Gerresheimer
presentation in Philadelphia. In addition to syringes in all categories
it comprises intelligent accessories for the greatest possible safety
and convenience in all aspects of injection practice – including the
Rigid Needle Shield with TPE (RNS/TPE), the Tamper Evident Luerlock
Closure (TELC) and a special Backstop. System components like these
complement not only the RTF® range but also the bulk syringe range.
In the conference program on the second day of the event,
Gerresheimer focuses on injection systems for the biotech industry,
which imposes particularly demanding requirements. Dr. Arno Fries,
who is responsible in Gerresheimer Bünde for marketing in North
America and for worldwide product management of syringe
systems, presents the latest status for combination products
consisting of biopharmaceuticals, ready-to-fill syringes and auto
injectors. A talk entitled “Drug Delivery of Biopharmaceuticals”
elucidates the key selection criteria for such systems and the
methods and technologies for control of interactions between
medications and materials. He highlights the great importance of
close collaboration between biotech companies and the manufacturers
of syringes and auto injectors, particularly in the early stages
of development.
Pharmaceutical glass packaging. Borosilicate tubular glass type I
and molded glass types I to III are the basis for a comprehensive
range of primary packaging which, in all its diversity, is tailored to
the respective needs of the pharma and life-science industry. In
every detail it reflects the qualitative standards set by Gerresheimer
in this wider field of glass packaging as well, with a comprehensive
range of cartridges, vials and ampoules and of bottles, jars and other
categories of pharmaceutical glassware. Experts from Gerresheimer
Glass Inc. (Vineland/New Jersey) explain in Philadelphia not only the
unique choice of shapes, sizes and design variants but also the latest
technologies for production and quality assurance in this sector.
Particularly in the case of tubular glass vials, which Gerresheimer
produces to the most extreme precision using its SV36 technology,
the product range offers a new dimension this time: since last year
LOD (Large Outside Diameter) vials have also been produced by the
Group at this advanced level. In addition, ongoing optimization of
the highly regarded KimVision system contributes to ensuring that
constantly rising quality standards can be guaranteed. The highvalue
input material is also manufactured by Gerresheimer in house,
since of course as a vertically integrated manufacturer the Group
also produces glass tubes itself.
Medical plastic systems. Gerresheimer Wilden - the European
market and technology leader for medical plastic systems - is also
represented at Interphex for the first time. As a full-service partner
for companies in the pharma industry and the fields of diagnostics
and medical technology, this highly innovative Gerresheimer division
concentrates exclusively on project business – designing and realizing
customized plastic components from development right through
to tool manufacture and individual construction of special machines,
and from clean-room production, assembly, finishing and packing
through to international logistics.
One of the main areas of focus here is inhaler systems. For the
treatment of respiratory diseases Gerresheimer offers powder inhalers,
capsule inhalers and rhinological spray systems, thus covering
the whole range of instruments for targeted drug delivery. In addition,
the Group specializes in the increasingly important field of
diabetes. Gerresheimer is able today to produce even the pen
systems for insulin injections completely under one roof – with
investment in production of these combination systems consisting of
a glass cartridge and a functional plastic mechanism, the company
has opened up new development potential. The overall repertory of
this plastics specialist ranges considerably further. Especially for
diabetes patients it comprises skin-prick aids with a lancet magazine,
which make regular blood sample taking much easier. To name
some very different examples, it also includes a wide variety of
disposables, quick tests for practices, clinics and laboratories,
orthopedic appliances and surgical devices.
This division, which has for a long time concentrated on Europe,
today enjoys a worldwide reputation as a competent partner – and
is set firmly on a course of sustained expansion. System products
manufactured by Gerresheimer Wilden will for example in future be
easier for customers to market in Japan: in collaboration with Roche
Diagnostics the production centre in Pfreimd (Germany) was recently
accredited as a manufacturer for the Japanese market. Gerresheimer
is now expanding the production plant, with a multi-million investment
over the next three years. This year already an additional 2,000
square meters of clean-room space has been created there in accordance
with ISO class 8 (100,000). Gerresheimer Wilden offers cleanroom
capacity not only in Germany but also in the USA, China and
the Czech Republic.
Pharmaceutical plastic packaging.

Just last year this division attracted special attention as a technologically leading complete
supplier as the result of the first manufacturing process in the world
to combine production of desiccant closures and the related
desiccant elements under one roof. This ingenious innovation won
great respect from the pharma industry and also, by the way, the
WorldStar award of the World Packaging Organization. The current
year started for the Plastic Packaging Unit with an important dual
move into Southern Europe and South America. The newly acquired
Spanish-Argentinean EDP– now called Gerresheimer Zaragoza –
enjoys a reputation as a market-leading specialist in pharmaceutical
PET bottles, while Allplas in Brazil – in future Gerresheimer São
Paulo – has a leading position in its markets with its high-quality
vials and application and closure systems.
Both ideally complement the Gerresheimer Group’s plastic portfolio
which enjoys leading positions with widely varied applicationoriented
primary packaging for tablets, eye drops and many other
solid and liquid medications. Attractive new synergies are therefore
offered. The products of the new subsidiaries can for example be
combined perfectly with Gerresheimer’s existing system approaches.
The Group’s present plastic range, which has so far been marketed
predominantly in Europe, is likely to find its way increasingly into
the South American pharma markets in the future – and vice versa.