All the latest packaging trends for life sciences, all at PACK EXPO East
Explore new packaging solutions for life sciences, all in one convenient location at PACK EXPO East, March 18 – 20 in Philadelphia.

Live from PACK EXPO East: Glass-Like Flexible Packaging for Injectables

Day 2 Innovation Stage at PACK EXPO East in Philadelphia introduced a film from Japan that delivers same performance as glass for parenteral drugs.

Innovation Stage Logo

According to Kaylor Roberts from Zacros, Non Interactive Sigma is a “revolutionary polymer” from a company with a long history of multi-layer plastic lamination.

The problem with most plastics and pharmaceuticals is their interaction and reactivity. This includes leaching from the drug contact layer (plastics degrading) and extractables, which is the absorption of the active ingredients into the packaging materials.

Historically, glass has met the rigid criteria of offering a stable packaging platform for both liquid and lyophilized drugs that need to be mixed with water or reconstituted.  Glass, of course, is heavy, costly to ship and breakage is always an issue with logistics.

Zacros employs a Cyclic Olefin Polymer (COP), a glass-like drug contact layer that is non-interactive and offers a stable plastic alternative to glass with both performance and lightweight flexibility.  The material is already widely used in medical plastics, but flexible applications like this injectable solution bag are very rare to see. 

According to Roberts, advantages include stability for ready-to-use injectable solutions and no need for reconstitution allowing for immediate administration.  Premixed drugs also go a long way toward avoiding medical mistakes.  Of course, the most important advantage over glass is that NIΣ is “unbreakable.”   For more information contact: [email protected]  Make plans to attend Healthcare Packaging EXPO in Chicago this Fall November 8-11.

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