Packaging partnership ‘delivers’ Nozin® antiseptic

Global Life Technologies Corp.’s (GLT) mission is to improve the quality of life for people by introducing unique and effective healthcare products based on innovative patented and patent-pending technologies.

Based in Chevy Chase, MD, GLT makes Nozin®-brand products directed at the growing health maintenance and disease prevention markets.Products include Nasal Sanitizer® and Allergy Master®.

“Nozin® Nasal Sanitizer® Antiseptic. Think hand sanitizer for your nose®” is the phrasing used to describe this product, which serves as an everyday infection control tool for patients and healthcare professionals, including nurses and hospital personnel. Nozin is only available to consumers via the nozin.com website.

To bring Nozin Nasal Sanitizer to market with the most impact, GLT sought a means of delivery that provided ample content protection while still offering portability and ease of use. GLT turned to James Alexander Corp. (JAC), recognized for its innovations in single-use glass ampule packaging.

The company’s unit-dose swabs offer the stability of glass in one- or two-part systems, allowing for convenient application of pharmaceuticals and health aids. JAC also produces single-use glass ampules for inhalation, dropper tip assemblies for the dispensing of liquids, and tandem applications where two substances are mixed immediately prior to use, as is the case with certain topical pharmaceuticals.

“GLT evaluated other single-use technologies and determined that JAC was the best solution for the application,” says John Willimann, President and Chief Science Officer for Global Life Technologies Corp. “We selected JAC based on technology performance, price, problem-solving creativity and excellent service.”

Packaging challenges

The Nozin product presented a packaging challenge as original as the product itself. James Alexander needed to validate the two separate mixings that, when combined, comprise the Nozin formulation. The next step entailed devising a process to precisely fill each ampule with the exact ratio of solutions consistent with the formula specification. This was done with a custom pumping system.

Finally, the ideal delivery—one that would ensure the right balance of effectiveness and ease of use—would require a applicator that did not previously exist.

There are two different phases of the liquid product. Fill volumes are small, so a high level of precision, specialty equipment was needed.

Right product for its time

Recent published studies show that the nasal carriage plays a major role in healthcare-associated and surgical site infections. An important study sponsored by the Hospital Corp. of America, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrated that infection control protocols, which include nasal decolonization, can reduce infections by 44%.

Other studies have shown that 80% of wound infections can be traced to patients’ nasal bacteria DNA, a figure that makes sense considering hand-to-nose contact occurs, on average, once every four minutes. A study published in the American Journal of Infection Control showed Nozin Nasal Sanitizer antiseptic to be effective in reducing nasal bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus colonization, without antibiotics.

“Thanks to research and forward-thinking reimbursement policies, healthcare facilities and hospitals increasingly recognize the imperative of patient nasal carriage reduction to reduce infection risk and improve quality of care,” says Willimann. “Nozin Nasal Sanitizer antiseptic presents a new option to safely reduce nasal carriage without contributing to antibiotic resistance and with significantly lower costs in infection control procedures.”

Ideal delivery system for a pioneering product

In September, Nozin Nasal Sanitizer entered the market housed in a package whose novel delivery method suited such a deserving, breakthrough product. JAC’s product combines a hermetically sealed ampule with all the advantages of glass—high levels of protection, extended shelf life, tamper evidence—with a unique-to-customer proprietary Nozin® Popswab® applicator whose padded tip is both gentle on the nostril and intuitive to use. Users activate the Popswab by lightly squeezing a dot on the package’s printed sleeve. This releases the liquid into a domed swab applicator whose length is ideal for topically coating the nostrils with Nozin Nasal Sanitizer antiseptic.

“Finding the right platform to deliver this Nozin product is a key factor in its initial success,” says Willimann. “James Alexander worked with us every step of the way for a full year to get it right.”

“We’re excited to play a part in the introduction of this breakthrough Nozin product,” saysCarol Gamsby, Director of Sales for JAC. “A low-cost and non-antibiotic intervention such as the Nozin Popswab is likely to have a significant impact on patients' health.”

Watch a video on the Nozin Popswab Ampule here.

Watch a video of Nozin’s partnership with the Riviera Health Resort here.